Oakville, Ont. and Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. – The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced Tuesday that its tournaments raised $567,423 for charitable causes in 2015, a 60.5 per cent increase from the $353,500 total in 2014.

The total was aided by a $150,000 donation by the PGA TOUR on behalf of Mackenzie Investments, resulting in a $12,500 donation to each event’s official charity.

“Every one of our host organizations does a tremendous job of embracing the PGA TOUR’s spirit of making a positive impact in the communities where we play, and this total is the latest reflection of that,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday. “All of this is made possible thanks to the support of our great sponsors and thousands of volunteers, and I’d like to thank them on behalf of everyone at the PGA TOUR.”

Charitable giving by Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada events has grown in each of the Tour’s three seasons, rising 72 per cent to $353,500 from 2013 to 2014 before this season’s increase.

“Charity is part of Mackenzie’s culture and that of our employees,” said Jeff Carney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mackenzie Investments. “We are so proud to be part of this initiative, allowing us to give back to Canadians across this country.  The increase in funds raised for the 2015 season is true testament to our commitment to growing and fostering the Mackenzie Tour in communities from coast-to-coast.”

In March, the PGA TOUR announced a record $140.5 million in charitable donations for 2014, with total all-time charitable giving topping more than $2.14 billion.

Vancouver – The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s season-opening event will return to Vancouver in 2016 and will continue through 2020 with a new name and under new management. The Freedom 55 Financial Open will take place at Point Grey Golf & Country Club from May 23 to 29, 2016.

The announcement sees Freedom 55 Financial – which is also the title sponsor of the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship as well as Canadian Player of the Year and Canadian Player of the Week awards – expand its support of the Mackenzie Tour and Canadian golf with agreements through 2020.

Linx Marketing, which operates the ATB Financial Classic and Syncrude Boreal Open presented by AECON, will serve as the host organization for the event. David Lee-Fay, a partner at Linx Marketing, will serve as tournament director.

“We’re thrilled to be working on another venture with Freedom 55 Financial, which has been an outstanding partner since the launch of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship in 2013,” said Jeff Monday, Mackenzie Tour President.

“We’re excited to be kicking off the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada in Vancouver as we continue to support young Canadian athletes as they pursue their aspirations,” said Mike Cunneen, Senior Vice-President, Freedom 55 Financial. “It’s also a nice complement to our season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship in London, Ontario,” added Cunneen.

“We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada, and to helping create a summer of exciting golf with Linx Marketing.”

The Vancouver area is home to PGA TOUR players and Mackenzie Tour graduates Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin, along with current Mackenzie Tour players Adam Svensson, Kevin Spooner, Brad Clapp, Ryan Williams, Seann Harlingten, Thomas Hay, Adam Cornelson, James Allenby and Eugene Wong.

The 2016 Mackenzie Tour schedule will be announced at a later date.

Los Angeles, California’s J.J. Spaun wrapped up Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Player of the Year honours on Sunday, finishing with $91,193 in earnings on the season to top the Order of Merit and lead five players who earned status on the Web.com Tour for 2016.

Spaun, who posted seven top-10 finishes including a win at the Staal Foundation Open presented by Tbaytel, will be fully exempt on the 2016 Web.com Tour after finishing $11,297 ahead of No. 2 C.T. Pan of Taiwan. Joining Spaun and Pan in The Five were No. 3 Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ontario, No. 4 Sam Ryder of Longwood, Florida and No. 5. Albin Choi of Toronto, Ontario, who was fifth in the Order of Merit heading into the week, finished T13 and was knocked out of the top five by the Freedom 55 Financial Championship winner Jason Millard of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

“I’m so glad all the hard work paid off, I had a really good season and it means that I’m one step closer to my dream of playing on the PGA TOUR,” said Spaun. “There was always a feeling of envy to see The Five at the end of my first two years, and to be here finally, after three years, it’s a great feeling. All the hard work, all the support that I’ve had, it’s all coming together.”

The 25-year old San Diego State University graduate set the new record for single-season earnings on the Mackenzie Tour and became the first player to record top-five finishes in four straight starts.

“J.J.’s exceptional play this year is a tremendous accomplishment, and we can’t wait to follow his success on the Web.com Tour. Each of the players who earned their way into The Five have distinguished themselves with outstanding season-long performance, and we wish them the very best of luck on the Web.com Tour next season,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday.

“On behalf of Mackenzie Investments, I would like to congratulate the winners of the 2015 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season,” said Jeff Carney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mackenzie Investments. “As we complete the first season of our umbrella sponsorship, we couldn’t be more pleased with the partnership, the players and the positive impact the tour has had on communities across Canada. We can’t wait to see how today’s top five do as they graduate to the Web.com Tour and look forward to cheering on the rising stars of the Mackenzie Tour in 2016.”

Players 6-10 earn spots into Final Stage
In addition to The Five earning status on the Web.com Tour, players finishing 6-10 on the Order of Merit earned an exemption into the final stage of Web.com Tour Q-School, led by No. 6 Choi, No. 7 Michael  Letzig of Kansas City, Missouri, No. 8 Drew Weaver of Atlanta, Georgia, No. 9 Adam Svensson of Surrey, British Columbia. and No. 10 No. 8 Kevin Spooner of West Vancouver, British Columbia.

Players finishing 11-20 earn an exemption into the second stage of Web.com Tour Q-School

After sleeping on the 36- and 54-hole leads, Jason Millard of Murfreesboro, Tennessee posted a final-round 68 and outlasted Ryan Williams of Vancouver, British Columbia in a playoff to win the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, the final event on the 2015 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada schedule. With the win and a first-place check of $36,000, Millard jumped from No. 30 to No. 5 in the final Order of Merit to earn status on the Web.com Tour for the 2016 season.

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ontario, finished T8 to clinch Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year honors which comes with a $25,000 prize.

Millard, who had missed three of four cuts heading into the week, rebounded nicely with four rounds in the 60s including a second-round 7-under-par 63. Millard and Williams went back and forth most of the final round, with the two drawing even at 15-under-par after a Williams bogey on the 17^th hole. After both made pars on the 18^th hole in regulation, the duo played two sudden-death playoff holes, both on No. 18. After matching pars on the first hole, Millard converted a two-putt par from 15 feet while Williams was unable to get up-and-down from the front of the green, missing a par putt from 10 feet that would have extended the playoff.

“I kept hitting driver in the playoff on 18 to take the trees out of play on the right,” Millard said. “The pin was on the left and it gave me a lot of green to work with. That’s how I’ve been playing it all week and it paid off on the second playoff hole.”

As for the bonus of earning Web.com Tour status by finishing fifth in the Order of Merit, Millard said his position heading into the week helped him relax.

“I was 30^th (on the Order of Merit) coming into the week, so I felt like I had no pressure compared to the guys in the top five or the top 10, I was just trying to have a good week,” he said.  “Earning Web.com Tour status is what we play for all year long and the fact I’ll be able to play on that tour next year feels great. Honestly, I don’t think it has hit me yet, I’m sure it will sink in on the drive home.”

Williams was foiled in his bid to win back-to-back Freedom 55 Financial Championships, having captured last year’s event down the road at Sunningdale Golf & Country Club.

“I’m really proud of myself, I put myself in position to win,” Williams said. “It’s been an up-and-down year, but coming into the last event, as defending champion, and have a chance to win in a playoff is pretty satisfying. I have to credit Jason, who played great all week.”

Pendrith, the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year, had five top-10 finishes in 2015, including three playoff losses. He graduates to the Web.com Tour after finishing third in the Order of Merit with $60,736, $5,969 ahead of Albin Choi of Toronto, Ontario.

“This was our third year presenting the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, and we’re fortunate to be working with a partner like the Mackenzie Tour who have given so many aspiring young players an opportunity to move on to PGA TOUR success,” said Mike Cunneen, Senior Vice-President, Freedom 55 Financial. “As a Canadian organization that believes in inspiring freedom and confidence for the future, it was a privilege to recognize young Canadian golfers on the Tour with the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player Award, and help them achieve their goals and dreams. We look forward to doing this again next year.”

“We’re thrilled to see Taylor put on a great performance this season to be named Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year,” said Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday. “Our thanks and gratitude go out to Freedom 55 Financial for all their support of our Tour, including these awards. Thanks to them, some of our best and brightest players are able to take a big step forward in achieving their goals and dreams.”

“I’m thrilled to be the Freedom 55 Financial Player of the Year and finish in The Five,” said Pendrith. “While today didn’t go the way I wanted, it was nice to close out the season accomplishing some of the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year. While I wasn’t able to win, I gave myself a lot of confidence by putting myself in that position on a consistent basis.”

Freedom 55 Financial established the Canadian Player of the Week award in 2013 to recognize top Canadian players on the Mackenzie Tour. At each event, Freedom 55 Financial presented this award to the Canadian player who had the lowest total score. Winners also received $2,500 to use toward attaining future goals.

HE SAID IT:

“I kind of blacked out there on the back nine, hitting it close and making putts. That’s definitely the best I’ve ever played in a golf tournament, especially on this golf course. It was a lot of fun. It’s a great golf course, it’s short but it makes you pay attention on every shot you hit.” – Curtis Reed on his bid for 59, which ended one shot short in a 10-under 60.

NOTES:

• Weather: Mostly sunny with some clouds in the afternoon. High temperature reaching 18 degrees Celsius. Moderate winds NNW up to 11 km/h.
• Los Angeles, California’s J.J. Spaun wrapped up Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Player of the Year honours on Sunday, finishing with $91,193 in earnings on the season to top the Order of Merit and lead five players who earned status on the Web.com Tour for 2016. Spaun, who posted seven top-10 finishes including a win at the Staal Foundation Open presented by Tbaytel, will be fully exempt on the 2016 Web.com Tour after finishing $11,297 ahead of No. 2 C.T. Pan of Taiwan. Joining Spaun and Pan in The Five were No. 3 Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., No. 4 Sam Ryder of Longwood, Florida and No. 5.
• Curtis Reed of San Antonio, Texas posted the low round of the year on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada on Sunday with a 10-under par 60. His scorecard included eight birdies on an eagle on No. 10. An eagle chip on the par-4 18^th hole resulted in a tap-in for the 60, the lowest score on the Mackenzie Tour since Brady Schnell shot a 13-under-par 59 in the second round of the 2014 ATB Financial Classic. Reed’s previous career low was 64 in Round 1 of the Wildfire Invitational. Reed started the day T29 but improved to T5 with the round of 60, his second career top 10.
• Bogey-free rounds: Curtis Reed (60); Ryan Brehm (63); Michael Miller (64); Mackenzie Hughes (64); Clayton Rask (65).

A fixture on the Order of Merit all season despite not having a victory to his credit, Taylor Pendrith posted the low round of the day with a 7-under 63 on Saturday at Highland Country Club to share the 54-hole lead with Jason Millard at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, the season finale for the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada.

In addition to crowning the Freedom Financial 55 Championship winner Sunday at Highland Country Club, the tournament will finalize the Order of Merit with the top five players on the season-ending money list earning Web.com Tour status for 2016. The current Order of Merit leader, J.J. Spaun entered the day tied for second but fell off the pace with a 3-over-par 73 and sits T20.

Pendrith, of Richmond Hill, Ontario, entered the week No. 4 on the money list on the strength of three runner-up finishes, all playoff losses. He hopes to draw on the positives from those playoffs come Sunday.

“I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to win,” he said. “I’ve learned a whole lot about trying to finish it off all summer and hopefully I can get it done tomorrow. I haven’t come out on to yet but that will hopefully change tomorrow.”

As for his round of 63 in wet and blustery conditions that included winds up to 50 km/hour, Pendrith credited his putter getting him off to a hot start.

“I made a lot of putts and hit it pretty close all day. It was really difficult out there, but I was able to get off to a good start (4-under through four holes) which really helped given the conditions,” Pendrith said.

One day after posting a 7-under-par 63 to take the 36-hole lead, Millard managed just one birdie over his first nine holes. That changed on the back nine, as he birdied No. 10 and followed that up with an ace on No. 11 with a 5-iron from 192 yards. He finished with a round of 67 and a share of the lead.

“With the wind and the rain and the conditions, it was tough, I hadn’t played in anything like that in a while,” Millard said. “I made some good par saves on the front that gave me some momentum. I haven’t been in this position in a while, and I felt pretty calm all day. I know there will be some nerves tomorrow, but I feel good heading into tomorrow.”

As for the hole-in-one, it was an unexpected but welcome surprise.

“I was trying to hit it low, and I really wasn’t aiming at the flag,” Millard said. “To be honest, I pushed it a little bit. But it felt great.”

If Millard wins this week and earns the $36,000 winner’s prize, he would reach he would hit $57,040 in earnings for the season and would have an outside shot at the top five.

Ryan Williams, of Vancouver, British Columbia, sits third at 12-under after his second consecutive round of 65. He won last year’s Freedom 55 Financial Championship up the road at Sunningdale Golf & Country Club, coming from two strokes back in the final round.

Max Gilbert of Saint-Georges, Quebec, is making another late-season charge, as the 2013 Freedom 55 Financial Championship winner sits three shots back in fourth place. Gilbert finished T10 last week at the Cape Breton Classic to move into the top 60 and qualify for the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. With a win by either Gilbert or Williams, the victor would fall shy of the top five on the Order of Merit but would secure entry into the finals of Web.com Tour Qualifying School.

NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW

1: Shots needed on the first hole of the day for Brad Clapp, who aced the first hole in Saturday’s third round from 167 yards. Clapp also eagled No. 4 en route to a 6-under-par 64. The hole-in-one was Clapp’s second of the 2015 season, having aced No. 16 in the final round at The Players Cup.

2: Two of the top five in the Order of Merit enter the final round inside the top 10: Taylor Pendrith (T1) and Albin Choi (T8).

2,447: The dollar amount separating No. 5 (Albin Choi) and No. 6 (Michael Letzig).

QUOTABLES:

“You don’t get the first hole as a par-3 very often, but you celebrate like any other hole-in-one. Luckily there were some people around that witnessed it, otherwise I think people would think I was lying.” — Brad Clapp on his hole-in-one on No. 1 Saturday.

“When I holed out that second one, the bunker shot on 4, I looked at [fellow competitor John Ellis] and said, ‘this is kind of a weird day.’ It makes you feel like you can make anything.” — Clapp after holing out for eagle on No. 4 Saturday

“My putting’s been exceptional this week. Any time I can see one go in early, that kind of gives me the confidence that it should be a pretty good day. I had another great day on the greens, and it definitely helps when you make one early.” — Ryan Williams on his putting this week

NOTES:

• Weather: 22 degrees Celsius. Cloudy with showers, turning heavy mid-afternoon. Winds 30 km/h with gusts up to 50 km/h.
• The Freedom 55 Canadian Player of the Year will be named on Sunday, with a $25,000 prize going to the top Canadian in the Order of Merit. Taylor Pendrith entered the week with a $3,919 lead over Albin Choi.
• Bogey-free rounds: Ryan Williams (65), Cory Renfrew (65), Nicholas Reach (65), James Erkenbeck (65), Michael Letzig (67), Vince Covello (67), Clayton Rask (68).
• Ryan Williams has played 38 consecutive holes without a bogey entering the final round.
• This week’s Freedom 55 Financial Championship marks the fourth 54-hole lead/co-lead for Taylor Pendrith.
• Pendrith can win the Order of Merit this week with a win and a J.J. Spaun finish of 35th or worse and a C.T. Pan finish of 2-way 3rd or worse. Through 54 holes, Spaun is T20 and Pan is T35.
• If Millard wins the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, Pendrith would need to finish in a 2-way tie for 22nd and Choi would need to finish in a 4-way tie for 7th to stay ahead of him in The Five.

The Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) is the official charitable beneficiary of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Fifty-five per cent of ticket proceeds will go towards the wide range of services provided to more than 8000 children, youth and their families through the organization’s London Centre and its 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.

Children aged 17-and-under get in free all week at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Free junior tickets are available for download here. Additional details, including ticket information, can be found at www.freedom55financialchampionship.com.

Murfreesboro, Tennessee’s Jason Millard shot a 7-under 63 at Highland Country Club on Friday to take the second round lead at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, the final event of the 2015 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The 26-year old carded seven birdies, an eagle and two bogeys to reach 10-under and take a three-stroke lead over defending champion Ryan Williams of Vancouver, B.C., Order of Merit leader J.J. Spaun and Californians John Catlin and Ben Geyer.

“That’s a tough golf course out there, but I’ve started to make some putts and I haven’t really done that in the last couple of months, so it’s good to see,” said Millard, who comes into the event 30^th on the Order of Merit, but with just one made cut in his last four starts.

“That’s just golf. I’ve missed the cut by one shot and two shots, so it’s not like I’ve been playing bad,” said Millard. “Hopefully I can keep it going the next couple of days.”

Millard’s best finish this season is a tie for second at the Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist on a course, Uplands Golf Club, that Millard says bears a strong resemblance to this week’s layout at Highland.

“I said to someone I was playing a practice round with that I think it’s very similar,” said Millard, who owns three top-25 finishes on the Mackenzie Tour this season.

Williams, who claimed his first Mackenzie Tour title at the event last year, moved into contention with a bogey-free 65, one of just four rounds without a blemish on Friday, while Spaun held steady in a tie for second at 7-under along with first-round leader Catlin and Order of Merit no. 60 Ben Geyer, the last man in the field.

“I had the putter really going today, which was nice. I made a lot of putts and had no bogeys on the card, so it was a fun round of golf,” said Williams, who won with a 14-under total last year at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club.

Dundas, Ontario’s Mackenzie Hughes birdied the final two holes for the new tournament course record with an 8-under 62.

NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW

92: Ben Geyer’s yardage to the hole on 17, where he holed out for eagle.

62: Mackenzie Hughes’ Tournament Course Record on Friday.

23: Players within three shots of second place after two rounds.

QUOTABLES:

“I tried to hit about an 82-yard shot just because of how firm it is right now. It took a couple of bounces and tricked in just like a putt.” – Ben Geyer on his hole-out for eagle on the 17^th

“After the round yesterday, I told myself, ‘I’m nine shots back, but the course was windy today, and if I go pretty low tomorrow I’m still in it.’ I still have two more rounds to go, so you never know,” – C.T. Pan, who played his way back into the tournament with a 7-under 63 to sit tied for 14^th.

“I don’t have a whole lot to lose; I’m kind of in no-man’s land when it comes to the money list. I need to finish high, or it’s not going to affect me too much. I went out there a bit more free today and started to make some putts. I’m close enough to where I could possibly jump into that top 10, but it’s not like it’s a tap-in. I have to play really well.” – Mackenzie Hughes, who shot the new course record of 62 at Highland Country Club. Hughes enters the week 14^th on the Order of Merit.

“I’ve been in this position before. I’ll be in one of the last groups out tomorrow, and I’ve got the confidence that I’ve been there before and done it before, which definitely helps.” – Ryan Williams on being in a familiar position in London.

Notes:

• Weather: 24 degrees Celsius (29 with Humidity). Cloudy with showers. Winds 32 km/h.
• Charlie Bull played as a single in the day’s first group, shooting an even-par 70 in 2 hours and 5 minutes.
• Taylor Pendrith holds a $3,919 lead over Albin Choi in the race for Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year and a $25,000 prize. Both opened with rounds of 67-67 to sit in a tie for sixth.
• Ross Beal and Clayton Rask both drove the 18^th green and made eagle on Friday.
• Bogey free rounds on Friday: C.T. Pan (63), Ryan Williams (65), Julien Brun (65), J.J. Spaun (67).
• Click here for scores.
• Click here for photos. Please credit Claus Andersen/PGA TOUR.

The Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) is the official charitable beneficiary of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Fifty-five per cent of ticket proceeds will go towards the wide range of services provided to more than 8000 children, youth and their families through the organization’s London Centre and its 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.

Children aged 17-and-under get in free all week at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Free junior tickets are available for download here. Additional details, including ticket information, can be found at www.freedom55financialchampionship.com.

Gold River, California’s John Catlin shot a 7-under 63 at Highland Country Club on Thursday to take the first round lead at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, the final event of the 2015 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The second year Mackenzie Tour player carded eight birdies to offset a single bogey on Thursday to build a three-shot advantage over six players, including Order of Merit leader J.J. Spaun, Canadians Max Gilbert and Riley Wheeldon and Americans Ben Geyer, Michael Miller and Logan McCracken.

“I tried to go out and have fun today. I think I’ve been taking it too seriously, and I just tried to enjoy every shot and take it all in. I hit a lot of good shots and made some good putts,” said Catlin, who enters the week 42nd on the Order of Merit with two top-10s to his name.

The 24-year old University of New Mexico grad said the pristine greens at Highland freed him up with the putter and helped him build his lead, the largest first-round lead of the PGA TOUR era on the Mackenzie Tour.

“Putting was definitely the key. It’s good to be on some really good greens. I was seeing the lines really well and they happened to go in for me,” said Catlin.

For much of Thursday, it appeared Order of Merit leader J.J. Spaun would keep pace with Spaun and take control of his money list lead, reaching 7-under with a birdie on the 14th. Spaun tumbled with a bogey and double bogey over his final three holes, however, to drop back into a tie for second at 4-under.

“I just made some dumb errors coming in, but there’s nothing I can do about it. At least I’m in a good position heading into the next three rounds,” said Spaun.

Gilbert, the 2013 Freedom 55 Financial Championship winner, posted his lowest opening round of the year with a 66 to share second place through one round.

NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW

3: John Catlin’s 18-hole lead, the largest first round lead of the PGA TOUR-era on the Mackenzie Tour.

34: Players within three shots of second place after one round.

2: Bogey-free rounds on Thursday: Mike Miller (66); Ethan Tracy (68).

QUOTABLES:

“I was hoping to have a good week last week and it went well, so it was perfect. After the break before Calgary, I was 80-something [on the Order of Merit]. I knew I had four tournaments to play well. It’s so good to be here and I’m having some fun.” – Max Gilbert on playing his way into London this week with a T10 finish at the Cape Breton Celtic Classic, moving from 69th to 55th on the Order of Merit.

“I know the guys in front of me and the guys behind me are the ones I need to beat. You want to beat everybody, but that’s my main goal – to stay inside the top-20 this week. I know if I play well that should look after itself, and if I find myself in contention at the end of the week then that’s a bonus.” – Riley Wheeldon, who enters the week 20th on the Order of Merit. The top 10 on the Order of Merit earn an exemption into the second stage of Web.com Tour Q-School.

“It’s exciting that I’m playing the way I know I can play, especially this late in the year when it means something. It was playing so tough today. I don’t know how John Catlin shot 7-under; that’s a good round.” – Michael Miller, who opened with a 4-under 66, his fourth straight opening round of 68 or better.

Notes:

• Weather: 27 degrees Celsius (30 with Humidity). Sunny. Winds 25 km/h.
• Ben Geyer played as a single in the day’s first group, shooting a 4-under 66 in 2 hours and 26 minutes.
• Taylor Pendrith, who owns a $3,919 lead over Albin Choi in the race for Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year and a $25,000 prize, opened with a 3-under 67, the same first round score as Choi.
• Order of Merit no. 2 C.T. Pan opened with a 2-over 72 to sit T48. Pan must finish in at worst solo third to pass Spaun for the top spot.
• Other players who can pass Spaun with a win: Taylor Pendrith 67/T8, Sam Ryder 73/T54
• Logan McCracken’s 66 was his lowest opening round of the season on the Mackenzie Tour.
• Round 2 tee times will run from 8:00 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. with players re-grouped according to first round score.

LONDON, Ont.—Highland Country Club isn’t your obvious venue to contest a modern championship among a group of golf’s rising stars.

Hidden off one of the main roads in the heart of London, Highland is an old school country club that this week plays host to the Mackenzie Tour/PGA Tour Canada’s Freedom 55 Financial Championship, which will see the tour’s top 59 golfers compete for a spot on the Web.com Tour. The tour’s best players—JJ Spaun, Cheng Tsung Pan,  and the likes of Canadian bomber Taylor Pendrith and breakthrough rookie Adam Svensson—will battle it out on a golf course that is nearing its century mark.

Vancouver’s Ryan Williams knows the level of competition on the Mackenzie Tour well. He’s been competing on the tour for eight years, and last year won the Freedom 55 Championship when the tournament was at Sunningdale, a private club that hosted the tournament the first two years it was in London.

“The tour is so much better and deeper than when I first started,” Williams says. “No one is scared of anyone else and everyone is trying to kick everyone else’s ass.”

One of the keys is the fact there’s no cut at the Mackenzie Tour finale. On one hand Williams says that removes some of the pressure, but it also pushes players to make as many birdies as they can.

“When you come into the tour championship and you know there’s no cut, you just get up and go for it,” he says.

Ian Andrew, a golf architect from Brantford, Ont., knows the course this week’s tournament will be contested on exceptionally well. He renovated the course, and continues to consult to the club, making slight changes to some tees and rebuilding the par 3 sixth hole. An acknowledged expert in the work of Stanley Thompson, Andrew says Highland may not have the length many expect from a modern design, but compensates for it with some devilish holes and tricky greens.

“I do think it is a place where a lot of players aren’t just going to hit driver off the tee all day,” Andrew says. “It is going to be won or lost on the par 3s, especially holes like the second, the 12^th and the 15^th.”

The course was designed by two of Canada’s most famous golfers—the Thompson brothers, Nicol, who was the longtime pro at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, and Stanley, Canada’s most noted golf designer. In the early 1920s the brothers, along with Toronto Golf Club professional George Cumming, operated a design firm, which is how they became involved with Highland.

The course’s nines will be flipped for the Mackenzie Tour’s final event of the year so the championship ends on a relatively unconventional hole, the current short ninth. Playing at just over 300 yards, the hole has a small raised green that pitches steeply from the back to the front. Players will surely challenge it, but those missing it with a driver are going to struggle if approaching from anywhere but the fairway.

Andrew thinks it will be Highland’s final holes—which will end the front nine in the touring being used for the tournament—that will prove the biggest challenge for anyone hoping to post a low score. The current 15^th hole is a par three measuring over 230 yards that plays to a tricky green with a steep slope on the right that falls away to rough below. It is followed by the 16^th hole, a unique roller coaster par four where trouble looms throughout. The hole’s fairway shifts to the right and runs down a hill, leading to a steep slope with the green perched at the far end of a valley.

“It is an all-world hole, maybe the best out there,” Andrew says. “You have a couple of ways of playing it—you can attack it and try to get down into the valley, but that has a lot of trouble. Or you can lay back and go at the green with a long iron. That takes the trouble out of play.”

For Williams, he believes the Mackenzie Tour is still under-recognized, despite the fact alumni Nick Taylor went from playing on the tour to winning on the PGA Tour in just over a year. Spectators coming out to London could well be following a star on the verge of a breakthrough. The likes of Stuart Appleby, Steve Stricker, Mike Weir, and more recently players like Tony Finau, have all emerged from the Mackenzie Tour (or its previous incarnations like the Canadian Tour.) But in Williams estimation, the level of competition continues to improve.

“There are so many great players out here, so many great Canadians in the group, that it is just really difficult,” Williams says. “Everyone is playing better, hitting it farther. Maybe people forget all the players that got their start out here.”

Come Sunday, five players will punch their ticket to the Web.com Tour and the next step in their careers. Williams hopes to be among them.

Dates: September 14-20

Course: Highland Country Club (London, Ont.)

Par/Yards: 34-36—70/6,754 yards

Field: 59 (Top 60 on the Order of Merit eligible)

2014 champion: Ryan Williams

Purse: $200,000/$36,000 (winner)

Format: 72-hole stroke play

Website: freedom55financialchampionship.com

Hashtag: #F55FChamp

The Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) is the official charitable beneficiary of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Fifty-five per cent of ticket proceeds will go towards the wide range of services provided to more than 8000 children, youth and their families through the organization’s London Centre and its 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.

Children aged 17-and-under get in free all week at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Free junior tickets are available for download here. Additional details, including ticket information, can be found at www.freedom55financialchampionship.com.

The Freedom 55 Financial Championship is the final of 12 events on the 2015 Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada schedule. There have been five events in as many weeks to close out the race to finish in The Five and earn status on the Web.com Tour for 2016.

The top 60 players on the Order of Merit through the Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial make the field and retain exempt status on the Mackenzie Tour for the 2015 season.

The 2015 event begins at a new home, with the Stanley Thompson-designed Highland Country Club in London, Ont., hosting the season finale.

For more on how the Freedom 55 Financial Championship can play out, read the full article here.

The Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) is the official charitable beneficiary of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Fifty-five per cent of ticket proceeds will go towards the wide range of services provided to more than 8000 children, youth and their families through the organization’s London Centre and its 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.

Children aged 17-and-under get in free all week at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Free junior tickets are available for download here. Additional details, including ticket information, can be found at www.freedom55financialchampionship.com.

As the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season comes to a close at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, (the final event of the 12-event season, where the top 60 on the money list as of the Cape Breton Classic presented by PC Financial compete for the biggest purse of the year), 13 Canadians, each with a unique story, have a chance to jump into ‘The Five’ and earn status on the Web.com Tour for 2016.

From members of Golf Canada’s Young Pro Program to golfers who are giving the game one more chance, here are 13 Canadian golfers who are worth watching this week at Highland Country Club in London.

TAYLOR PENDRITH

Taylor Pendrith (Gabe Yee/ Golf Canada)

Money List: 4

Earnings: $54,936

How he got there: The only player without a 2015 victory currently in The Five, Pendrith has been oh-so-close to breaking through, falling three times in a playoff at the PC Financial Open, National Capital Open to Support Our Troops and the Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial. With his prodigious length – he leads the Tour in driving distance at nearly 340 yards per drive – the member of Golf Canada’s Young Pro squad has become a fan favourite.

ALBIN CHOI

Albin Choi (Michael Burns/ Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 5

Earnings: $51,017

How he got there: The Young Pro member captured the second event of the year – the Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist – and, despite taking the week off in Calgary, has remained a staple in ‘The Five’ for the entire season. He’s looking to return to the Web.com Tour after an up-and-down stint there in 2014. Team Canada Head Coach Derek Ingram says of Choi: “I’ve never doubted his ability to be a superstar in this game.”

KEVIN SPOONER

Kevin Spooner (Michael Burns/ Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 8

Earnings: $42,617

How he got there: Spooner, who quit golf to be a server at a local Vancouver restaurant after a disastrous college career, emerged victorious at The Syncrude Boreal Open Presented by AECON in the third event of the year. Two other top-15 finishes has Spooner on the bubble of ‘The Five’ going into London. The athletic Spooner hits the ball a mile and has no fear in going after the difficult shot.

ADAM SVENSSON

Adam Svensson (Chuck Russell/ Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 9

Earnings: $41,850

How he got there: Svensson has played a mixed schedule of Web.com Tour and Mackenzie Tour events this year, but, when he was in the field on the Mackenzie Tour, his results have been astounding, with a playoff loss and finishes of T2, T3 and T5. At the Wildfire Invitational he co-led after the first round before dropping back over the weekend.

CHRISTOPHER ROSS

Christopher Ross (Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 10

Earnings: $39,603

How he got there: Ross, the son of former Golf Canada Executive Director (and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member) Stephen Ross, won the Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial in dominating fashion. His 25-under-par finish was the lowest on the Mackenzie Tour in 2015 and his win was the fourth by a Canadian – the most on the Mackenzie Tour since 2012.

BRAD CLAPP

Brad Clapp (Michael Burns/ Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 11

Earnings: $39,119

How he got there: Clapp, who split his time between playing professionally and teaching in British Columbia, hit, perhaps, the shot of the year on the Mackenzie Tour on the 72nd hole of The Great Waterway Classic: a towering approach to four feet, setting up an eagle and securing his first Mackenzie Tour win.

MACKENZIE HUGHES

Mackenzie Hughes (Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 14

Earnings: $32,017

How he got there: The 2013 Order of Merit champion spent 2014 on the Web.com Tour but after struggling there, the Golf Canada Young Pro came back to the Mackenzie Tour this year and is the only player to make every cut so far this season. His steady play has earned him four top-15 finishes.

RILEY WHEELDON

Riley Wheeldon (Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 20

Earnings: $27,554

How he got there: The bright-eyed native of British Columbia battled injuries in 2014 after finishing inside ‘The Five’ in 2013. He’s had an up-and-down season in 2015 missing four cuts, but has three top-10’s. He lost in a playoff in the first event of the season to American Drew Weaver.

BEN SILVERMAN

Ben Silverman (Michael Burns/ Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 22

Earnings: $25,994

How he got there: You can never miss Silverman on the course, as his sponsorship from Loudmouth Clothing guarantees he has the brightest outfits on tour. His game has been just as bright as his outfits this year, with two top-5 finishes.

COREY CONNERS

Corey Conners (Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 32

Earnings: $20,329

How he got there: Another member of Golf Canada’s Young Pro Program, Conners – like Pendrith and Svensson – played a mixed bag of events this season on the PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour. He has two top-10s on the Mackenzie Tour, including a third-place finish in Thunder Bay. Conners is also the only person to play in a Mackenzie Tour event and the Masters in 2015.

DANNY SAHL

Danny Sahl (Michael Burns/ Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 33

Earnings: $19,810

How he got there: Sahl, who has spent the majority of the past three seasons caddying for Mike Weir on the PGA TOUR, made the most of an opportunity to play during Weir’s break from playing, finishing second at the ATB Financial Classic while playing on a sponsor’s exemption.

SEANN HARLINGTEN

Seann Harlingten (Michael Burns/ Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 34

Earnings: $19,245

How he got there: Harlingten, who quit golf for six years and became a stockbroker, is enjoying his best year as a professional. The 28-year-old, who barely hits balls on the range due to an old wrist injury from his younger days, has three top-15 finishes this year.

CORY RENFREW

Cory Renfrew (Michael Burns/ Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada)

Money List: 38

Earnings: $15,641

How he got there: Now in his fourth full season on the Mackenzie Tour, Renfrew has been consistent as ever, with eight made cuts in 10 starts and two top-10s, including a T5 finish in his hometown of Victoria.

The Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) is the official charitable beneficiary of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Fifty-five per cent of ticket proceeds will go towards the wide range of services provided to more than 8000 children, youth and their families through the organization’s London Centre and its 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.

Children aged 17-and-under get in free all week at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Free junior tickets are available for download here. Additional details, including ticket information, can be found at www.freedom55financialchampionship.com.