Kissimmee, Fla. – Georgia’s Seth Reeves maintained a two-stroke lead midway through the third round at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada qualifying school before play was suspended due to dangerous weather in the area at Reunion Resort and Spa’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course.

The 25-year old, a former NCAA All-American at Georgia Tech, was 1-over par on his first nine holes to lead by two over Trevor Cone and Sam Love when play was suspended at 6:24 p.m. with lightning in the area.

Reeves led by two strokes over Cone entering the day after shooting rounds of 66-70 to open his quest to earn a Mackenzie Tour card, with the medalist this week earning fully exempt status for the 2016 season.

Prior to play being called for the day, Toronto native Sebastian Szirmak shot a 4-under 68 to sit 3-under total for 54 holes, tied for fifth spot and representing the low Canadian in the field.

“I stayed very patient and played great on the front, even though the score didn’t reflect it,” said Szirmak, who now calls Reunion his home course. The 26-year old shot 5-under 31 on his back nine to get into red figures for the tournament. “It takes great golf to get under par and it can all disappear in a moment. My mindset has been to stay patient and play the right shot knowing there will be a nine or 18 hole stretch of birdies”

Round three will resume Friday morning with players in position at 8 a.m. Round four will begin at 7:30 a.m. as scheduled, with competitors playing in the same groupings as round three.

Suwanee, Georgia’s Seth Reeves carded a 2-under par 70 on Wednesday at Reunion Resort and Spa’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course to extend his lead at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada qualifying school.

The 25-year old followed up an opening round 66 with five birdies against three bogeys to reach 8-under total, leading by two shots over Concord, North Carolina’s Trevor Cone through two rounds.

“After going pretty low with a good round yesterday, following it up with another under par score today is pretty solid. I made a few mental mistakes, but that’s golf and overall I did everything just as well as yesterday.”

A former NCAA All-American at Georgia Tech, Reeves said he entered Mackenzie Tour Q-School as part of his journey to reach the PGA TOUR and join former Yellow Jackets and close friends Chesson Hadley and Cameron Tringale.

“I’d rather enjoy the journey of getting there than getting stressed out about not being there yet,” who faced off against the likes of Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Daniel Berger over the course of his collegiate career. “I’ve learned to not really be jealous and just be excited for them, and know that I’m going to get there eventually and it’s going to be a blast.”

Sebastian Szirmak was the low Canadian thru 36-holes. The Toronto native is tied for 16th at 1-over.

Kissimmee, Fla. – Georgia’s Seth Reeves fired a 6-under par 66 on Tuesday at Reunion Resort and Spa’s Jack Nicklaus Signature Course to take the round one lead at Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada qualifying school.

The 25-year old, a former NCAA All-American at Georgia Tech, carded eight birdies against just two bogeys to lead by three over Ted Smith, Bobby Wyatt and Sam Love through two rounds.

“Q-School is a marathon as guys say, so to get off to a good start and know I can shoot this number out here helps a lot,” said Reeves. “Even if things get a little rocky, I’ll have that in my head now and I know that I can make birdies out here. My goal is to just be pretty chill and see what happens.”

The long-hitting lefthander made birdie on three of the four par-5s at Reunion and took advantage of his length off the tee by giving himself birdie opportunities where other players scrambled for pars.

“I just was pretty relaxed starting out today. I drove the ball well and I hit it fairly long, so to be able to get some drivers in my hand and let ‘em loose and drive it well gave me the opportunity to have some shorter irons into holes, and I took advantage,” said Reeves.

Ottawa’s Andrew Jensen opened with a 1-over 73 and was tied for low Canadian at T24 with Toronto’s Sebastian Szirmak.

“It’s massively important to play the way I did, knowing that bogeys aren’t terrible and attitude is everything,” said Jensen, a Bell Let’s Talk Ambassador. “You really need to make keeping double bogeys off the card a priority, and when you do make birdies it’s a big help. There aren’t a lot of gimme birdies out there. Even starting bogey-bogey today, I didn’t panic out there and knew that you need to be a tactician a bit around the golf course.”

PHOENIX – Sei Young Kim found the afternoon wind merely refreshing on a hot day at Desert Ridge.

“It’s OK,” Kim said Friday after taking a two-stroke lead in the JTBC Founders Cup. “It’s not confusing to me because, if I have a lot of options, I didn’t think about it. I just see a target. It’s simple.”

The 23-year-old South Korean player has made it look simple, following her opening 9-under 63 with a 66 to break the tournament 36-hole record at 15-under 129.

“I feel not bad because, before the first round, I was like uncomfortable because I couldn’t trust myself,” Kim said. “But after this round, I got confidence.”

She made two eagles Friday. On the second, she hammered a 300-yard drive on the par-5 15th, hit a 165-yard, 5-iron approach that nearly bounced into the hole and made a 7-foot putt.

“I wasn’t missing the putt,” Kim said.

On the par-5 second, she ran in a 30-footer after holding the green from 200 yards with a cut 5-wood.

“It was good work,” Kim said.

She won three times last season and was the LPGA Tour’s rookie of the year. At No. 7 in the world, she’s in position for the last of South Korea’s four spots in the Rio Olympics.

Brittany Lang was second after a 68, also in the breezy afternoon.

“It was tough with the wind at times,” Lang said.

The 30-year-old former Duke player won the 2012 Manulife LPGA Classic in Canada for her lone tour title.

“You just have to stay aggressive,” Lang said. “The weather looks great. The course conditions are going to be great. You just have to take good shots, stay aggressive, and get a few putts to fall. Should be a fun weekend. There’s going to be a lot of birdies made. Got to go for it all.”

Jacqui Concolino and Italy’s Giulia Sergas were 12 under. Concolino shot a 64 to match 17-year-old U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Hannah O’Sullivan for the best round of the day. Sergas had a 68.

Sergas is working with Costantino Rocca. The former Italian star is with her in Arizona.

“He’s right there on my side, and I love it,” Sergas said. “We started to work together in January. He’s a wonderful person.”

The cut was at 3 under, one off the tour record set last year in the Manulife. Hall of Famer Karrie Webb, the 2011 and 2014 winner, dropped out along with second-ranked Inbee Park, Michelle Wie and Suzann Pettersen.

Gerina Piller (68) and Eun-Hee Ji (67) were four strokes back at 11 under. Paula Creamer (65) was another shot behind along with Ryann O’Toole (66), Paula Reto (67), Minjee Lee (69) and Karine Icher (67).

Canada’s Brooke Henderson is 7-under after a 69 on Friday. Fellow Canadians Maude-Aimee LeBlanc and Alena Sharp held a share of 64th at 3 under.

Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak and top-ranked Lydia Ko also were 7 under. Pak shot a 68 a day after saying she will retire at the end of the season. Ko had a 67.

Oakville, Ont. and Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. – The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s 2016 schedule will include 12 events from May to September, highlighted by two new tournaments and 10 returning events from 2015, as players look to make the next step on the path to the PGA TOUR.

The season will once again begin in May with the Freedom 55 Financial Open (May 23-29) at Point Grey Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, B.C., with purses of $175,000 (CA$) for the first 11 events and a $200,000 (CA$) purse for the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship (Sept. 12-18) at Highland Country Club in London, Ont.

“Thanks to the hard work of our host organizations and tremendous support from our sponsors, especially our umbrella sponsor Mackenzie Investments, we’re in a great position to play 12 fantastic events across Canada this season,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday. “We look forward to seeing another season of outstanding play from our players while making a positive impact in each of the communities where we play.”

Mackenzie Tour players will look to make the next step on the path the PGA TOUR by leveraging their performance into advantages to reach the next level. The Order of Merit winner will be fully exempt on the Web.com Tour for the following season, with players 2-5 earning conditional status and each player 2^nd through 10^th earning an exemption into the Final Stage of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament. Players 11 through 20 earn an exemption into the second stage.

Players will look to follow in the footsteps of Nick Taylor and Tony Finau, who went from the Mackenzie Tour in 2013 to being finalists for PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year for the 2014-15 season, along with 37 members of the Mackenzie Tour from 2015 who went on to earn 2016 Web.com Tour status.

Also announced was the introduction of a new look and logo for the Mackenzie Tour, symbolizing the innovative approach taken in concert with Mackenzie Investments.

“We are thrilled to support another great season of golf, helping the players build the confidence they need to succeed, while raising the profile of the Mackenzie Tour both on and off the course,” said Jeff Carney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mackenzie Investments.  “Last season the Mackenzie Tour raised a record amount of money for charities across Canada and we look forward to building on that momentum and driving additional support, especially in the two new tour stops this season, Kelowna B.C. and Edmonton Alta., which are exciting additions to an already outstanding roster.”

After kicking off the season with the Mackenzie Tour’s first event in Vancouver, the Tour will head to Victoria, B.C. for the 34^th playing of the Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist (May 30-June 5) at Uplands Golf Club, followed by the inaugural GolfBC Championship (June 6-12) at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club in Kelowna, B.C. The SIGA Dakota Dunes Open, which features a ‘Graham Slam’ event hosted by Graham DeLaet and supports the Graham and Ruby DeLaet foundation, takes place at Dakota Dunes Golf Links in Saskatoon, Sask. June 20-26, and after an off week, the Tour heads to Winnipeg, Man. for The Players Cup (July 4-10) and Thunder Bay, Ont. for the Staal Foundation Open presented by Tbaytel (July 11-17), after which the top three players on the Order of Merit earn exemptions into the RBC Canadian Open on the PGA TOUR.

The season resumes with three straight events in Alberta, with the inaugural Oil Country Championship in Edmonton (July 25-31), the Syncrude Boreal Open in Fort McMurray (August 1-7) and the ATB Financial Classic in Calgary (August 8-14), followed by the National Capital Open to Support Our Troops in Ottawa, Ont. (August 15-21).

The newly-rebranded Cape Breton Open moves to Bell Bay Golf Club in Baddeck, N.S. August 29-4, after which the top 60 players on the Order of Merit will retain exempt status and play their way into the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship at Highland Country Club in London, Ont.

Click here to view the schedule.

KELOWNA, B.C. – The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada and GolfBC announced today a new official event for 2016, the GolfBC Championship, which will focus on making a positive charitable impact in the Kelowna area.

The inaugural event will take place June 6-12, 2016 at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club in Kelowna. GolfBC, which owns and operates a collection of world-class courses throughout British Columbia and in Hawaii, will be the title sponsor as part of a four-year agreement.

“We’re thrilled to be adding a new event in the Okanagan Valley to our schedule, especially one that will be focused on charity and giving back to the community,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday. “This event will provide a tremendous opportunity and platform for our players to achieve their goals of making the next step on the path to the PGA TOUR.”

Gallagher’s Canyon, a 6,802-yard Bill Robinson design considered to be one of the top courses in the Okanagan Valley, will host the event.

“GolfBC is very proud and excited to help bring such a prestigious event to the Okanagan. The GolfBC Championship will host some of the finest young golf talent and prepare them for the next step in their professional careers,” said Andy Hedley, Vice President of Operations for GolfBC, adding “We are very excited that this event will showcase Gallagher’s Canyon – one of GolfBC’s most distinctive and popular designs – as well as generate a significant contribution to one of our preferred charity beneficiaries, the BC Cancer Foundation.”

As with every Mackenzie Tour tournament, raising support for charity will be a key priority for the event. Last year saw charitable donations by Mackenzie Tour events increase by 60.5%, rising to a total of more than $1-million given back since 2013.

“The BC Cancer Foundation is honoured to be the benefitting charity of the Golf BC Championship,” said Lou Del Gobbo, Interim President & CEO, BC Cancer Foundation. “We know the funds from this tournament will go a long way in supporting the life-saving research taking place at the BC Cancer Agency, giving hope to over 26,000 British Columbians who will be diagnosed with cancer this year alone.”

VMC Sports & Entertainment Corp., which previously operated the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open for the past eight seasons on the Mackenzie Tour, will manage the event’s operations, with Hugh Vassos serving as Tournament Director.

“This is an exciting day for professional golf fans in the Okanagan, and our team is excited to manage this prestigious golf tournament and week-long golf festival. We look forward to engaging the local sponsors, volunteers, and the entire golf community in presenting what we believe will soon become one of the top stops on the Mackenzie Tour,” said Vassos.

The full 2016 Mackenzie Tour schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada and Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) announced today that the Oil Country Championship, a new official event for 2016, will be played at Edmonton’s Glendale Golf and Country Club in 2016.

The golf tournament, which will take place July 25-31, 2016, enhances OEG’s portfolio of sports and entertainment properties, which currently includes the Edmonton Oilers (NHL), Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL), Bakersfield Condors (AHL), Norfolk Admirals (ECHL) and Silver Pictures Entertainment.

“We are delighted to partner with the PGA TOUR on the new Oil Country Championship to bring amazing golf and unparalleled hospitality to Edmonton this summer,” said OEG CEO and Vice Chair Bob Nicholson. “Adding golf to OEG’s expanding roster of sports and entertainment assets makes a lot of sense, given Canadians’ passion for the sport. The opportunity to raise funds for charity through the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) makes this a clear win-win for the community.”

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be partnering with OEG and teaming together two great sports organizations. This is an exciting addition to our schedule, and we’re confident we can create a marquee event in the Canadian golf landscape,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday. “Our aim is to make this event a week-long celebration, and we look forward to bringing some great golf to Edmonton this summer while making a positive impact in the community.”
The event will also receive support from Edmonton Events, a partnership between the City of Edmonton and Edmonton Tourism.

“Edmonton is proud to host the inaugural Oil Country Championship in our city,” said Mayor Don Iveson. “This tournament is a great addition to our summer lineup of exciting sports competitions and we look forward to welcoming some of the best golfers in the world to Edmonton.”

Linx Marketing, a longstanding partner operating other Mackenzie Tour events, will assist with operations and management of the event, with Darcy Enick serving as Tournament Director.

Glendale Golf and Country Club, a 7,264-yard Norman Woods design, hosts the Mackenzie Tour for the first time since 2009, when James Hahn, now a PGA TOUR winner, claimed his first of two Mackenzie Tour wins.

The event’s course rotation will include Glendale in 2016, Windermere Golf and Country Club in 2017, Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club in 2018, Edmonton Country Club in 2019 and a location to be determined in 2020.

“It’s very exciting to see an Edmonton stop back on the Mackenzie Tour schedule,” said Hahn. “I have fond memories of my win there, especially the volunteers, sponsors and everyone I encountered in the city. I’m sure with the Oilers Entertainment Group getting involved it will solidify itself as a favourite stop on the Mackenzie Tour,” added Hahn, who broke through for his first victory on the PGA TOUR in 2015 at the Northern Trust Open.

The event will be in support of the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF), which continues the Oilers legacy of giving back by contributing its resources and financial support to charitable organizations that serve the communities of Northern Alberta. With a focus on education, health and wellness for youth in Oil Country, the EOCF is dedicated to building strong, vibrant and safe communities by demonstrating philanthropic leadership.

Edmonton last hosted the Mackenzie Tour in 2012 when Burlington, Ontario’s Michael Gligic claimed victory at the ATB Financial Classic. The city boasts 84 courses within an hour’s drive and has among the highest participation rates in Canada.

The 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Qualifying Tournament will take place at four separate sites next spring, with fields of 132 players maximum competing for status.

The four 72-hole, no-cut Qualifying Tournaments will take place at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla. March 21-25, PGA Village’s Wanamaker Course in Port St. Lucie, Florida from March 28 to April 1, Carlton Oaks Country Club in Santee, California from April 25-29 and Crown Isle Resort and Golf Community in Courtenay, British Columbia from May 2-6.

Players will have an opportunity to qualify at one of the four sites, with official details on the number of cards and available status to be announced at a later date.

“Over the past three seasons, we’ve had a great deal of interest from players in qualifying to play on the Mackenzie Tour, and we felt it was important to add a fourth site to give as many players as possible an opportunity to qualify,” said Mackenze Tour President Jeff Monday. “Our goal is to provide opportunities for the best players available to earn access to the Web.com Tour, and we look forward to seeing the next generation of players to make the first step on the path to the PGA TOUR.”

Reunion’s Nicklaus Course, which hosted Mackenzie Tour qualifying in 2014, returns as one of two Florida sites along with PGA Village’s Wanamaker Course, which has previously played host to PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour Q-School as well as the PGA of Canada Assistants’ Championship.

Carlton Oaks, also a previous host to PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour Q-School, will host Mackenzie Tour qualifying for the first time, while the spring’s final Qualifying Tournament will return to Crown Isle Resort and Golf Community in Courtenay, British Columbia, which was recently announced as a host of Mackenzie Tour Qualifying through 2020.

The application to enter Mackenzie Tour qualifying will be open to the public live at PGATOUR.COM/MackenzieTour on January 21, 2016. Entry fees will once again be $2,750 USD.

The full 2016 Mackenzie Tour schedule will be announced in early 2016.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Crown Isle Resort and Golf Community will host one of the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s Qualifying Tournaments in each of the next five seasons.

Located in Courtenay, B.C., the 7,025 Graham Cooke and Associates layout has hosted qualifying tournaments in each of the past two years, with the 2016 tournament taking place May 2-6. A full schedule of Mackenzie Tour qualifying dates and sites as well as the format for qualifying will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Crown Isle has proven itself to be both a welcoming host facility and a tremendous test for players to earn status on the Mackenzie Tour, wand we’re thrilled to be holding qualifying there for the next five years. We eagerly look forward to seeing the next generation of players get their start at Crown Isle each year,” said Mackenzie Tour President, Jeff Monday.

Players to earn Mackenzie Tour status at Crown Isle over the past two seasons have accounted for nine victories, including J.J. Spaun, C.T. Pan and Tim Madigan, who all finished in The Five and earned status on the Web.com Tour.

“Crown Isle is thrilled to be chosen as the host course for the Mackenzie Tour’s Canadian Qualifier for the next five years. Our associates, members and golf community look forward to this annual event, showcasing our golf facility and our beautiful Comox Valley,” said Rod Prieto, Director of Golf. “We look forward to this long term relationship with the Mackenzie Tour as a unique opportunity for residents and visitors of the Comox Valley to experience golf at one of its highest levels of competition.”

The full 2016 Mackenzie Tour schedule will be announced in early 2016.

The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced today that SportBox Entertainment Group in partnership with the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation will serve as the host organization of the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open, Saskatchewan’s Mackenzie Tour event, transitioning from eight years under VMC Sports & Entertainment Group.

Led by tournament director Hugh Vassos, the event has become a mainstay on the Mackenzie Tour schedule for the past eight seasons. “I have been privileged to work with Chief Darcy Bear and his people at the Whitecap Dakota First Nation, Saskatoon, other Saskatchewan communities, SIGA, SaskTel and all other past sponsors, and of course the best volunteers. I am proud of how the event has grown from an upstart event to a mainstay stop on the Mackenzie Tour,” said Vassos. “It’s been a great run for the past eight years, however in order to help manage its continued growth, it is time for new leadership. I am excited to see the involvement of the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation with SportBox. Graham played the event twice and I think this is a natural progression to have their foundation now take an active role in the Saskatchewan tournament. I look forward to seeing the event make an even greater impact in the province going forward.”

“I’d like to thank Hugh for all his hard work in making the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open a success for the last eight seasons, growing it from nothing into what it is today and providing a foundation for it to continue to flourish. The tournament is among the players’ favourite stops every year and we’re looking forward to seeing it make an even greater impact going forward with the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday.

Vassos will remain involved with the Tour in a consulting role going forward. SportBox Entertainment Group, a sport, lifestyle and entertainment firm that has business verticals in event management, consulting and talent representation, will assume operational control of the event. Graham DeLaet, a talent client of SportBox, will see his foundation as the driving force behind the event to raise funds for local charitable initiatives. SportBox Group, will work in collaboration with the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation to ensure the event’s continued success, while integrating a strong community-centric focus.

With the event taking place in his home province of Saskatchewan, and DeLaet being an alumnus of the Mackenzie Tour, it was a natural fit for him to get involved. The Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation, which Graham started with wife Ruby in 2014, will work with SportBox to identify a local cause to support through the event to give back to the community.

The Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation was launched with a central focus on supporting children’s health and wellness, as well as supporting the development of junior golfers at all levels. Since 2011, Graham and Ruby DeLaet’s charitable initiatives have raised over $1 million for causes and organizations across Canada including the Children’s Wish Foundation of Saskatchewan, the Ronald McDonald House of Saskatchewan, the Weyburn & District Hospital Foundation, the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan, and the Calgary Flames Foundation.

“As an alumnus of the Tour, and the opportunity to be part of an event in my backyard, it made sense for me to team up with my agency so that Ruby and I can support the event, while also using it as a means to give back to charitable initiatives in my home province,” said Graham DeLaet. “I’m excited to work with SportBox and the Tour on shaping what the event will look like.”

“We launched our Foundation when Graham was at a point in his career that it made sense to start giving back to the people that supported him along his journey to the PGA TOUR,” said Ruby DeLaet. “Our Foundation represents Graham’s roots in Canada by supporting local causes that are close to us, and we’re excited to make a positive impact in the Saskatchewan community with this event partnership.”

The team at SportBox is also connected to the Saskatchewan market with a corporate office located in Saskatoon.

“This initiative is a strategic fit for SportBox because of the company’s presence in Saskatchewan, relationship and collaboration with Graham, and him having roots in the province and being embedded in the community,” said David Dube, Chairman of SportBox Entertainment Group. “We look forward to working with the event stakeholders and community partners to identify a local cause that the event supports each year, in addition to providing a great experience for players and spectators.”

SIGA (Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority) will continue to host the tournament as the event’s title sponsor. The tournament will be played at Dakota Dunes Golf Links, a SCORE Golf top 100-ranked course laid spaciously throughout natural sand dune formations and the indigenous prairie grasses that surround its edges.

“For the past eight years SIGA has been proud to be the title sponsor for Saskatchewan’s premier golf event – The SIGA Dakota Dunes Open. I would like to thank our fellow sponsors, the Mackenzie Tour and the many organizers and volunteers who make professional golf a reality in Saskatchewan. We look forward to working with the team at SportBox Entertainment Group in partnership with the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation,” said Zane Hansen, President and CEO, Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA).

The date for the 2016 SIGA Dakota Dunes Open will be announced at a later date.