Santee, Calif – Danville, California’s Cody Blick and Rancho Santa Fe, California’s Ryan Burgess shot a pair of 5-under 67s on Tuesday at Carlton Oaks Country Club to share the first round lead at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada qualifying school.

Blick and Burgess are beginning their journeys as professional golfers this week, having completed collegiate careers at San Jose State and Southern Methodist University, respectively. The pair were one shot ahead of a group of five players at 4-under following the completion of round one.

Blick carded nine birdies in his early morning round to offset four bogeys, and said he knew he would need to take advantage of the good conditions before the wind picked up in the afternoon.

“The wind always picks up in the afternoon, so these morning rounds are crucial to take it low and see what you can do,” said Blick. “It seems like a ball strikers’ golf course, and so my swing coach and I just picked out our targets and stuck to it. We got it around the course pretty well today.”

Burgess, who recently completed his collegiate career at Southern Methodist University, posted the low round of the afternoon to match Blick for the head through 18 holes and credited a level-headed approach for his score.

“I kept the ball in front of me mostly and just stayed patient throughout the round. I left a couple out there but I know I gained a couple too, so that’s probably right around where I thought a good score would be,” said Burgess.

LONDON, Ont. – Vancouver’s Ryan Williams is the latest golfer to sign with Freedom 55 Financial as brand ambassador.

Williams joins current Freedom 55 Financial Team Freedom ambassador golfers Albin Choi, Matt Hill, Mackenzie Hughes, Augusta James, Taylor Pendrith and Adam Svensson.

Williams, a 35-year-old Vancouver native, won the 2014 Freedom 55 Financial Championship, the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s season-ending event, and finished as the top Canadian on tour that year. Williams was introduced to golf at age seven and has been a member of the Mackenzie Tour since 2008. Before turning to professional golf, he played junior hockey in B.C. and Michigan.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Team Freedom,” Williams said. “The support Freedom 55 Financial has provided the Mackenzie Tour and its players has been instrumental to the growth of golf in Canada. This is a tremendous partnership for me on my road to the PGA TOUR and I am proud to be part of an incredible group of talented athletes on Team Freedom!”

To keep track of Williams and his teammates on their journeys, follow Freedom 55 Financial on Facebook and Twitter, using the hashtag #TeamFreedom.

Port St. Lucie, Fla. South Carolina’s Will Starke finished up a final round 8-under 64 on Saturday at PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course to earn medalist honours at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Q-School and secure exempt status for 2016.

The 22-year old was bogey-free for his final round finishing at 16-under total to win by two over fellow University of South Carolina senior Matt NeSmith.

“The putter got hot and I kind of found something on the range before my third round. I just went with it and it felt good, and I was lucky to keep it going,” said Starke, who was 14-under for his final two rounds.

After successfully earning their cards, Starke and NeSmith join fellow teammates Sean Kelly and Caleb Sturgeon as current members of the South Carolina men’s golf team to earn status on the Mackenzie Tour for 2016. Kelly finished T18 this week to earn conditional status, while Sturgeon finished T11 at last week’s Q-School to earn exempt status through the first re-shuffle.

“We’ve been playing forever, and I live with him,” said Starke of his teammate and roommate NeSmith. “We kind of push each other and make each other better. It’s been important for me to have a good player like him to push myself continuously.”

Forty-three players in total earned status on the Mackenzie Tour for 2016, including Kitchener, Ont., native and 2015 Mackenzie Tour member Chris Hemmerich, who was the low Canadian in solo fourth place at 11-under. 

Port St. Lucie, Fla – South Carolina’s Matt NeSmith shot a 2-under 70 on Friday at PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course to take a two shot lead into the final round of Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Q-School.

With weather delays from earlier in the week pushing back play, round four began Friday afternoon and was suspended due to darkness at 7:33 p.m. Play will resume Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m.

NeSmith, who has held or co-held the lead after each of the first three rounds, was bogey-free for his third round.

“I just kind of played solid. I didn’t play quite as well today as I did the first two days, but I made some big putts, a lot of 5-footers for par,” said NeSmith. “Even though the scores are really good, I didn’t play bad by any stretch of the imagination. I didn’t quite get out in front like I wanted to, and there’s still a long way to go, but I’m happy.”

Two shots behind NeSmith was Kitchener, Ont.’s Chris Hemmerich and Florida’s Alex Medinis. Hemmerich, who finished 80^th on last year’s Order of Merit, carded his third straight round under par and credited a strong performance tee-to-green for his round.

“It was pretty much the same story as the first two rounds. I hit a lot of greens, and I might have only missed one or two again today. Once I get that putter rolling, I know there’s a low one in me,” said Hemmerich.

Port St. Lucie, Fla. – North Carolina’s Carter Jenkins, South Carolina’s Matt NeSmith and Alabama’s Wil McCurdy shared the lead at 10-under par before teeing off in round three at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Q-School when play was suspended due to darkness at PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course on Wednesday.

Play was suspended at 7:30 p.m., with the entire field left to complete round three. Jenkins, NeSmith and McCurdy were among the second wave of round three tee times set to tee off Friday morning.

Finishing up round two earlier on Thursday, NeSmith followed up an opening round 8-under 64 with a 2-under 70 to reach 10-under total, a score matched earlier in the day by McCurdy and set yesterday by Jenkins, who did not play a single hole on Thursday.

“I’m just looking at it as though I played in the afternoon yesterday and the morning today, and I’ll play two more the next few days,” said NeSmith, currently a senior at the University of South Carolina. “Hopefully we’ll get finished with a good bit of play tomorrow, but I don’t know much we will get done. It would be nice to play a good bit tomorrow.”

McCurdy, a graduate of Auburn University, shot his second straight 5-under 67 and said that a pin-seeking approach helped him reach double digits under par.

“I was able to play pretty aggressively. With the wind blowing and some pretty good pins out there, it actually paid to play aggressive, because if you tried to play conservative out there, it was going be tough to get it down in two. There weren’t a lot of places you could hit it and have an easy two-putt or chip.”

Jenkins, a junior at the University of North Carolina, shot a 6-under 66 in round two on Wednesday.

Chris Hemmerich of Kitchener, Ont., had a share of 4th spot at 7-under two rounds.

He was scheduled to tee off for round two late Wednesday before play was called due to darkness. Hemmerich did not hit a shot Wednesday and followed up Tuesday’s 66 in round one with a 1-under 71 on Thursday for round two.

“I warmed up for two-and-a-half hours yesterday to not hit a ball, and today I probably warmed up for an hour-and-a-half and finally got to play, so that was nice,” said Hemmerich, a former Team Canada member. “It’s difficult. Yesterday, I was honestly pretty lucky to not have to hit that tee shot. I came out today with a fresh mindset and approach.”

London, Ont. – Golf Canada in association with title sponsor Freedom 55 Financial and the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada announced today that the Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) will return as the official charitable beneficiary of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, which will run September 12-18, 2016 at Highland Country Club in London, Ont.

As the 2015 beneficiary for the season-ending event on Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada, more than $44,000 was raised in support of Thames Valley through various fundraising activities during the Freedom 55 Financial Championship.

Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) works to support children and their families to achieve the highest possible quality of life. TVCC serves more than 8000 children, youth and their families every year through a wide range of services provided out of the main London Centre and 15 regional office locations across Southwestern Ontario. Clients range in age from birth to 19 with services supporting a range of special needs including physical disabilities, communication disorders, developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders.

“We‘re pleased Golf Canada has once again selected Thames Valley Children’s Centre to receive the tournament’s charitable proceeds,” said Mike Cunneen, Senior Vice-President, Freedom 55 Financial. “Through the We’re All Stars event and the annual London Life Forest City Road Races, our company proudly supports Thames Valley in helping children and families from London and across Southwestern Ontario achieve a better quality of life. I welcome the Children’s Centre and its supporters to Highland and thank everyone ready to step up to make this event a success.”

“We are so appreciative to be selected as the charitable partner of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship for the second year,” commented Dr. John LaPorta, CEO, TVCC. Golf Canada organized a first class tournament in London last fall and we are looking forward to another great event! Thank you on behalf of the more than 8,000 clients our organization serves throughout Southwestern Ontario.

The 12^th and final event on the Mackenzie Tour schedule will see the culmination of the race for Web.com Tour status at Highland Country Club. Only the top 60 players on the Order of Merit will be eligible, setting up an exciting race to the season’s final event.

The Mackenzie Tour helps players make the next step on the path to the PGA TOUR by rewarding season-long performance with access to the Web.com Tour, including fully exempt status to the Order of Merit winner for the following Web.com Tour season.

In addition to serving as title sponsor of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship and the Freedom 55 Financial Open in Vancouver, Freedom 55 Financial also sponsors the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week award presenting $2,500 to the top Canadian player at each Mackenzie Tour event as well as the season ending Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year Award, which comes with a $25,000 prize.

Last year, American Jason Millard edged out 2014 champion Ryan Williams of Surrey, B.C. to claim the Freedom 55 Financial Championship at Highland Country Club and earn one of the five coveted spots advancing to the Web.com Tour.

Volunteer and ticket information is available at www.freedom55financialchampionship.com. As well, children aged 17 and under get in free all week long at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship – download your free junior tickets here.

Port St. Lucie, Fla. – North Carolina’s Carter Jenkins shot a 6-under 66 at PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course on Wednesday to take the lead midway through the second round of Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Q-School before play was suspended due to darkness at 7:36 p.m.

Jenkins was one of 75 players to complete round one on Wednesday, having only hit two shots on Tuesday before play was suspended due to dangerous weather in the area. The 20-year old completed round one with a 4-under 68, then came back out and reached 10-under with a bogey-free second round 66.

“I only got two shots in yesterday, so I played both rounds today. I’m pretty tired, but it was a good day so I can’t complain. I made some putts that I don’t normally make, and it was good to keep the bogeys off the card,” said Jenkins.

Currently in his first full season at the University of North Carolina after transferring from UNC-Greensboro last year, Jenkins said the long day was precisely what he’s used to from his collegiate events.

“I’m still in college, so I’m used to the 36-holes a day of college golf. It was actually pretty nice to have someone carrying my bag. It was very comfortable; I just packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and kept going.”

Play was suspended due to darkness at 7:36 p.m. and will resume at 8:30 a.m.

Kitchener, Ontario’s Chris Hemmerich and St. Petersburg, Florida’s MJ Maguire shot a pair of 6-under 66s at PGA Golf Club’s Wanamaker Course before play was suspended for the day due to dangerous weather in the area.

75 players were left to complete their first rounds when play was suspended at 2:20 p.m., with scattered thunderstorms making their way through the Port St. Lucie area. Play will resume on Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Hemmerich, a 2015 Mackenzie Tour member looking to regain status after finishing 80th on last year’s Order of Merit, carded six birdies and no bogeys to sit in a tie at the top with Maguire, who is looking for Mackenzie Tour status for the first time.

“Last year I learned a quick lesson finishing 80th on the money list that you have to hit more fairways,” said Hemmerich, who has spent his winter in nearby West Palm Beach. “I dialed it back off the tee and I’m hitting it a lot straighter.”

Maguire shot a 6-under 30 on the front nine (his second nine) to match Hemmerich, crediting his spectacular score to a more aggressive mindset on his approach shots.

“I thought starting out I could just hit fairways and greens and be fine, and I left myself some difficult putts,” said Maguire. “I just started to play more aggressive from there and was able to make a few nice putts.”

Suwanee, Georgia’s Seth Reeves finished up a final round 5-under 67 on Saturday morning at Reunion Resort and Spa’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course to take medalist honours at the first of four Qualifying Tournaments for the 2016 Mackenzie Tour season.

The 25-year old, a former NCAA All-American at Georgia Tech, won by three shots over Sam Love to earn fully exempt status for the upcoming year.

“It’s huge. Not having to worry about the re-shuffle or anything is pretty cool, but knowing what I’m going to do this summer is great. I haven’t been up in Canada very much, so I’m excited to join the tour and have some fun and have a good summer,” said Reeves.

New Hamburg, Ontario’s Cam Burke finished T7 and was the low Canadian thanks to closing rounds of 68-69 and will be exempt through the season’s first four events. A two-time Canadian Men’s Amateur Champion, Burke will have Mackenzie Tour status for the first time in his career.

“It’s really important to have that locked down and to know that I’m going to have a good summer ahead of me and a quality place to play; that’s the most important thing,” said Burke.

In total, 41 players finished T32 to earn Mackenzie Tour status for the upcoming year.

Birmingham, Alabama’s Sam Love built a two-stroke lead midway through the fourth round at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada qualifying school before play was suspended due to darkness at Reunion Resort and Spa’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course.

The 24-year old, who made 19 starts on the Web.com Tour last season, was two under for his first nine holes thanks to two birdies and no bogeys, reaching 10-under overall and leading by two over Seth Reeves. The University of Alabama at Birmingham grad said he’ll return in the morning looking for medalist honours and exempt status on the Mackenzie Tour for 2016.

“Any of the Q-Schools that I’ve played, I always figure I’m going to have a better chance of making it through if I’m trying to win than if I’m trying to qualify. If you’re just trying to qualify, you get a little tentative and hit shots scared,” said Love.

Toronto’s Sebastian Szirmak was the low Canadian with nine holes to go, sitting in a tie for sixth at 4-under par for the tournament.

“I’m ready to finish strong tomorrow. Hopefully in the morning there will be some good scoring conditions and some birdies to grab before ending a long week,” said Szirmak.

Round four will resume Saturday morning with players in position at 8:00 a.m.