OAKVILLE, Ont. – Vancouver’s Ryan Williams and Burlington, Ont.’s Michael Gligic will represent Canada at the inaugural Bridgestone America’s Golf Cup, a new event featuring teams from the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Latinoamérica and PGA Tour Canada taking place October 20-26 at the Pilar Golf Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Williams, 33, claimed his first PGA Tour Canada win at the Tour Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial and finished as the highest Canadian on the Order of Merit at No. 6, making him eligible for the event. With the option of choosing any other Canadian from the top 20, Williams chose Gligic, 25, the next highest Canadian at No. 11.

“It’s a huge honour any time you have the opportunity to represent your country, and to have a chance to compete against some of the world’s best players in this exciting format is a big thrill,” said Williams, who had three top-10s in addition to his win in 2014. “Michael’s a great player who had a really strong season and I’m fired up to compete with him and see how competitive we can be.”

The Tournament format will be two-man teams playing Four-Ball (Best-Ball) over 72 holes, with a maximum of 36 teams in the field. Six of those teams, including the team of Williams and Gligic, will be pre-determined by invitation, while the additional 30 teams will come from the PGA Tour Latinoamérica Order of Merit (OOM).

“I’m thrilled Ryan chose me to compete alongside him and represent our country and PGA Tour Canada,” said Gligic, who posted three top-10 finishes in 2014 and was the runner-up in a playoff at The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial. “We know how strong the level of play on PGA Tour Canada is, and we’re both excited to play against such a strong field.”

The remainder of the field will be finalized following the Transamerican Power Products CRV Mazatlan Open on October 12. At No. 26 on PGA Tour Latinoamérica Order of Merit, Nova Scotia’s Peter Campbell is in position to represent Canada along with another Canadian of his choice from that Tour’s Order of Merit.

LONDON, Ont.— Standing on the 18th green on Sunday at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club, golfer Ryan Williams walked towards me with a shocked look on his face.

“Did I win?” he asked quietly.

“You sure did,” I said, not trying to conceal my excitement.

“Man, you were a big part of this,” he said.

Williams, a 33-year-old golfer and former hockey player from Vancouver, had just won PGA Tour Canada’s Tour Championship presented by Freedom 55 Financial, becoming the tour’s top Canadian in the process. In doing so he took home $27,000 for the win, $10,000 for being top Canadian, another $1,500 for being Canadian of the week (both also presented by Freedom 55 Financial), and I’m sure more for various incentives through sponsors.

But that’s not why Williams was so stunned. He’s been chasing a dream of playing on the PGA Tour for seven years. And with the win, he was one massive step closer to pulling it off. Though the win didn’t automatically get him onto the tour, it does get him into final stage of Web.com Tour qualifying school. From there he’s one good season away from the world of courtesy cars and network television coverage.

I had the chance to witness it up close. As a journalist, I’ve spent most of my life observing, watching others and trying to put some context on their actions in a way that’s clear for my readers. But in the case of Williams, I became part of the story. I’ve known Williams for a couple of years, ever since meeting him at a tournament in Scarborough. We’ve kept in touch, and last year at the same tournament he stayed with my family in a spare bedroom. Playing tour golf in Canada isn’t cheap, and players will take any break they can. This year I asked if he wanted to stay again and if he needed a caddie. He accepted on both counts.

That meant on Wednesday morning I was out on the fairways for a practice round, with Williams’ bag over my shoulder, a damp, stinky and often muddy towel in my pocket, helping out with yardages and putts, keeping the clubs clean and suggesting which way the wind was blowing. There’s an old adage that a caddie at a professional tournament need only do three things: show up, keep up and shut up.

That’s not how Williams sees it. He asked my opinion, consulted me on reading the way putts would snap, and asked my perspective on which club he should hit. In time it felt like we were a team, though admittedly I didn’t have to smash a drive or the result would have been very different. But we became a team nonetheless.

Interestingly, Williams spent much of the summer traveling with another west coast golfer, Adam Cornelson, and the 26-year-old also stayed at my house. Cornelson had a mixed year that he turned around with solid play in the final weeks of the season.

Last week would turn out to be one the friends will surely never forget. Williams and Cornelson battled back and forth through the opening rounds (playing together on Friday with my neighbor caddying for Cornelson), and on the final round Sunday found themselves only a couple of shots out of the lead and playing in the two final groups.

I’ve caddied in pro tournaments before; for a golf writer I thought it was something that gave you insights into the soul of the game. My friend Lorne Rubenstein did it early in his career, and I guess there’s a romance about grabbing a bag and watching the action up close. I’ve watched PGA Tour star Gary Woodland smash balls into the distance while carrying his heavy tour bag and witnessed Jim Furyk dissect a course during a pro-am while helping an exec pick clubs. I’ve also watched the struggles. Last year at the Tour Championship I saw my player, Mike Mezei, give it one last try, recognizing his professional golf career was near the end.

That’s the thing. Spend a week carrying a pro’s bag and you become emotionally connected to the player. You falter when a putt slides by, and you are elated with a shot that rockets to the flag and falls gently like a bird with sore feet.

By the final nine on the final round, it looked like it was slipping away. Williams had played steadily, but hadn’t made any putts. The leader, a big-hitting bow hunter from Minnesota named Clayton Rask who traveled in his own RV, was pulling away.

To his credit, Williams never let it get to him. He was convinced he’d pull it off. He was never cocky—that’s not his style—but seemed sure good things would happen.

“RT, we’re going to go five deep on the back,” he said, suggesting in golf speak that he’d make five birdies. “That’ll get it done.”

It didn’t take long for me to think he wouldn’t reach his goal. On the 10th hole his drive plugged in muddy rough just off the fairway. I assured Ryan his drive was embedded, meaning he’d receive relief and move the ball. The rules official disagreed, and Williams never argued. That meant Williams had to smash at a ball submerged in mud, and the result lurched forward before diving into long grass. When his pitch into the green came up short I was convinced his time his chances were dashed, that he’d make bogey and the leader, Rask, would win the tournament.

If Williams was deflated he never showed it, instead willing a long putt into the hole. That righted the ship and he went on to play one of the best back nines of his career, dumping in a final birdie on 17 to tie with Rask and Cornelson, who was finishing a hole ahead.

The situation was so tension-filled that I’m surprised Williams could pull back his driver on the final hole, a 450-yard par four. A few hundred spectators milled around, watching the action. Williams hammered another drive down the right side of the fairway, match almost to the yard by Rask’s strike.

That’s when Rask made an unusual error, electing to fire at a pin on the left side of the green. His ball soared and dove to the left, ending up just long of the green. This was an opportunity.

“This is a perfect 7-iron,” Williams announced. “What do you think for a line? At the guy in the red shirt?”

There’s a point where the caddie is simply there to reinforce what the player already knows. Williams recognized it was the perfect club and the right line, and wanted to be reassured given the pressure.

“That’s it, R-dub,” I said confidently, using William’s nickname. “Hit it smooth.”

He did, and the ball flew to the middle of the green, leaving a simple uphill putt. As I walked to the green I looked at the scoreboard. Cornelson, Williams’ friend, had made bogey, dropping out of the lead (and ultimately finishing in a tie for second). When Rask stubbed his chip and then ran his par putt well by the hole, Williams needed two putts to win. As he’d done throughout the tournament, he consulted his caddie. We agreed on the line, and the putt rolled just by. He quietly made the comebacker and walked over to shake my hand.

In the hours that followed he’d talk about how “we” had won. How “we” hit a great chip on the par four 13^th that found the bottom of the cup for birdie and how “we” decided to hit a nine iron into 17. Of course the “we” is overstating things. I didn’t do anything, even if Williams always insisted I had.

“This was the biggest week of my life,” he told me before he got in his car to head to the airport for his flight back to Vancouver.

“You were big part of it,” he told me again.

A big part is an overstatement. I was part of his win, but I never hit a shot or had to deal with a putt that lipped out. I felt pressure, but it wasn’t the pressure to perform.

Still, I contributed where I could and had the opportunity to feel the nervous tension that pounds down on you when all you need is one more great shot. It may never happen for me again—I think I’m a better journalist than caddie, frankly—but if that was my only opportunity, I’m glad I took it.

Victory, it turns out, is sweet, even for the caddie with the muddy towel.

LONDON, Ont. – Ryan Williams of Vancouver was named the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year on Sunday at the Sunningdale Golf & Country Club, finishing as the top Canadian on the 2014 PGA TOUR Canada Order of Merit and earning a $10,000 prize courtesy of Freedom 55 Financial.

The 33-year old finished with $40,945 in earnings on the season, highlighted by three top-10 finishes including his win. Williams finished 6th overall on the Order of Merit and is exempt into the finals of the 2014 Web.com Tour Qualifying School.

“This was Freedom 55 Financial’s second year presenting the TOUR Championship of Canada at Sunningdale Golf Club. We’re fortunate to be working with a partner like PGA TOUR Canada 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 Ryan Williams put on a great performance this season to be named Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year,” said PGA TOUR Canada President Jeff Monday. “Our thanks and gratitude go out to Freedom 55 Financial for all their support of PGA TOUR Canada, 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.”

“To have a great Canadian organization like Freedom 55 Financial support me as I continue to chase my dream is an incredible honour,” said Williams. “As Canadians looking to make our way to the game’s highest level, knowing that we have an extra award to play for each week means a lot.”

Freedom 55 Financial established the Canadian Player of the Week award in 2013 to recognize top Canadian players on PGA TOUR Canada. At each PGA TOUR Canada tournament, Freedom 55 Financial presented this award to the Canadian player who had the lowest total score. Winners also received $1,500 to use toward attaining future goals. Below are the winners of the award in 2014:

PC Financial Open – Eugene Wong (North Vancouver, BC) – Tied for 2^nd
Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist – James Allenby (Langley, BC) – Tied for 4^th
Syncrude Boreal Open presented by AECON – Ryan Williams (Vancouver, BC) – 4^th
SIGA Dakota Dunes Open presented by SaskTel – Ted Brown (Peterborough, ON) – Tied for 7^th
The Players Cup – Matt Hill (Sarnia, ON) – Tied for 2^nd
Staal Foundation Open presented by Tbaytel – Ted Brown (Peterborough, ON) – Tied for 7^th
ATB Financial Classic – Cory Renfrew (Victoria, BC) – Tied for 4^th
Forces and Families Open – Greg Machtaler (Summerland, BC) – WON
The Great Waterway Classic – Michael Gligic (Burlington, ON) – 4^th
The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial – Michael Gligic (Burlington, ON) – 2^nd
Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial – Beon-Yeong Lee (Montreal, QC) – Tied for 3^rd
TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial – Ryan Williams (Vancouver, BC) – WON

LONDON, Ont. – After the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial was captured by Vancouver’s Ryan Williams, Joel Dahmen wrapped up PGA TOUR Canada Player of the Year honours at the 2014 season’s final event. The 26-year old Dahmen, who led the Order of Merit wire-to-wire and finished the season with $80,992 in earnings, is one of five players who earned status on the Web.com Tour in 2015.

Dahmen, who won two of the first three events on PGA TOUR Canada this season at the PC Financial Open and the Syncrude Boreal Open presented by AECON, finished $20,873 ahead of No. 2 Matt Harmon and will be fully exempt on the Web.com Tour next season.

“It’s a goal at the beginning of the year but you have to take it one tournament at a time and then set some goals along the way. To finally accomplish it feels great,” said Dahmen. “To win two right off the bat – I had a bullseye on my back for a long time. I had a huge lead most of the year. I had a good finish, second in Calgary, I finished second right after the RBC Canadian Open – and that set me apart. So I had to refocus a few times and gather things. It’s a big relief right now.”

Williams, a 33-year old in his sixth season on PGA TOUR Canada, carded a final round 68 to reach 14-under par and win by one over fellow British Columbian and travelling roommate Adam Cornelson along with Minnesotan Clayton Rask. The win moves him to No. 6 on the Order of Merit, earning an exemption into the final stage of Web.com Tour Q-School.

“I wish there were more tournaments left on this tour,” said Williams. “A lot of hard work, I’ve been out on this tour for six or seven years, my best finish was last year, second place. I had a putt to force a playoff on the last hole (at the Cape Breton Celtic Classic) and thankfully, I had a putt today to win a tournament. A lot of hard work and a lot of people to thank, but this is very rewarding to me.

Williams began the day two shots off Rask’s 54 hole lead, and after a turning in even par on the front nine, turned on the jets with four birdies coming in. After Cornelson, playing in the group ahead, made bogey following a wayward drive, and Rask couldn’t convert a par putt after missing the green long, Williams needed just a two-putt from 35 feet to secure his first PGA TOUR Canada victory.

“I was a little in shock. I had to ask my caddie Rob if that was the winning putt,” admitted Williams.  “I was trying not to get ahead of myself too much. I was just trying to make the putt and see what happened from there. I knew where I stood, I was just trying to take the pressure off myself.”

Joining Dahmen on the Web.com Tour next year will be Harmon, a 29-year old from Grand Haven, Michigan, 25-year old Timothy Madigan of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, 33-year old Brock Mackenzie of Seattle, Washington and 22-year old Greg Eason, a rookie from England.

“It’s been a tremendous season with an incredibly high level of play,” said PGA TOUR Canada President Jeff Monday. “We can’t wait to see these players move on to the next level and make an impact there as they continue their journey to the PGA TOUR.”

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 earn an exemption into the final stage of Web.com Tour Q-School, led by Williams in the No. 6 spot. Following Williams were No. 7 Nate McCoy of West Des Moines, Iowa, No. 8 Josh Persons of Fargo, North Dakota, No. 9 Wes Homan of Cincinnati, Ohio and No. 10 Mark Silvers of Savannah, Georgia.

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

Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year

In addition to his win, Ryan Williams finished as the highest Canadian on the Order of Merit and was named Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year, earning a $10,000 prize. Williams was also recognized as Player of the Week and earned a $1,500 prize.

London community embraces Golf in Schools program

Eighteen schools across London and Southwestern Ontario were adopted into the Golf in Schools program in honour of the season-ending event on PGA TOUR Canada. The program introduces elementary and high school students to the game of golf through their physical education program at the school.  Click here for the full story.

LONDON, Ont. – While the stars of PGA TOUR Canada will vie for the championship title and the Top-5 exemption to the Web.com Tour, the real winners of the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial will be the hundreds of children introduced to the game of golf through the event’s community legacy campaign.

In all, 18 schools within the London area will receive the Golf in Schools program in the honour of this week’s season-ending event on the PGA TOUR Canada season at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club in London, Ont.

Golf Canada along with presenting sponsor Freedom 55 Financial and PGA TOUR Canada announced in June that the Golf in Schools program would serve as the official charity of the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial.

In establishing a community legacy for the TOUR Championship, Golf Canada invited area golf clubs throughout London and Southwestern Ontario to participate in a campaign to adopt schools to be a part of the Golf in Schools program. In all, seven golf clubs and groups adopted schools and Golf Canada topped up the donations to bring the program to a total of 18 schools in Southwestern Ontario.

“We’re thrilled with the response we received from area golf clubs and community supporters to get behind the Golf in Schools program,” said Golf Canada’s Chief Championship Officer Bill Paul. “Knowing that hundreds of students in the London area will be introduced to the game of golf in the name of TOUR Championship is a fitting way to celebrate the signature event on PGA TOUR Canada.”

Earlier this week, PGA TOUR Canada players Nate McCoy and John Catlin visited a local area school to present the Golf in Schools equipment package and learning resource to the Grade 7/8 class at St. Marguerite d’Youville. The duo assisted PGA of Canada professional Brian Gallant from Fire Rock Golf Club in delivering a 75 minute Golf in Schools lesson outside in the school yard.

“Freedom 55 Financial is a big supporter of young athletes and helping individuals achieve their goals and dreams,” said Mike Cunneen, Senior Vice-President, Freedom 55 Financial.  “Bringing golf into our schools will not only help expose more children to the sport, but also promotes health and physical well being.”

The following London area golf clubs and community organizations took part in the Golf in Schools adoption program in the name of the TOUR Championship of Canada, presented by Freedom 55 Financial:

• City of London Golf Services, London, Ont. (four elementary schools)
• The Oaks Golf Club, Delaware, Ont. (elementary school)
• West Haven Golf & Country Club, London, Ont. (elementary school)
• Sawmill Creek Golf Resort & Spa, Camlachie, Ont. (elementary school)
• [Craigowan] Oxford Golf & Country Club, Woodstock, Ont. (high school)
• London Hunt & Country Club, London, Ont. (elementary school)
• Sunningdale Golf & Country Club, London, Ont.

Golf in Schools – which is currently offered in more than 2,225 elementary and close to 230 high schools across Canada – provides children with a basic introduction to golf through the Canadian school physical education curriculum. The program, which is endorsed by Physical Health and Education Canada (PHE Canada), is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with the PGA of Canada and the provincial golf associations.

More information about the Golf in Schools program including the school adoption program is available by clicking here.

The TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial is the season-ending event on the PGA TOUR Canada schedule. Hosted at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club in London, Ont., the event includes the top 60 players on the PGA TOUR Canada with the top-five players at the conclusion of the championship earning status on the 2015 Web.com Tour.

LONDON, Ont – Overcoming winds upwards of 40 kilometers per hour and cool temperatures, Minnesota native Clayton Rask recorded a 5-under-par 67 to take the 54-hole lead Saturday at the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial at Sunningdale Golf & Country Club. Rask, with a 12-under-par 204 total for the week, leads Vancouver’s Ryan Williams by two strokes and Langley, B.C.’s Adam Cornelson by three.

The TOUR Championship of Canada is the 12^th and final event of the 2014 PGA TOUR Canada season. The top five players on the season-long Order of Merit following Sunday’s round will earn status on the Web.com Tour in 2015. Current Order of Merit leader Joel Dahmen is T27 through 54 holes after rounds of 71-71-73. The two-time winner Dahmen holds a $20,776 lead over No. 2 Timothy Madigan, and is guaranteed to finish No. 1 with a solo fourth or better this week.

Starting the day three strokes behind Williams after opening 71-66, Rask posted three consecutive birdies to start the round and made the turn at 5-under-par 31 after two additional birdies.

“It’s the second day in a row I’ve gotten off to a birdie-birdie-birdie start,” said Rask. “The greens were awesome, and the course was fantastic. The grounds crew put in a heck of a job to have it the way it is. It was fun. I’ve been putting really well and hitting the ball really well.”

His back nine included one birdie and one bogey on the 18^th hole to complete his 67. On the weather, Rask harkened back to his prep days in Minnesota.

“I kind of grew up in this stuff, and kind of enjoy it,” he said. “You’re out there trudging around in the mud and I just enjoyed it. Growing up in high school, it’s spring golf. It’s snowing and raining and sleeting. I feel confident and I have fun in this.”

Currently No. 43 on the Order of Merit, Rask could climb as high as sixth with a victory and the $27,000 first prize. A finish between Nos. 6-10 on the money list would exempt him into the final stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School in December. Making his 36^th career PGA TOUR Canada start this week, Rask is seeking his first victory, his previous best finishes being second in both 2009 and 2010. This season, Rask’s best effort to date has been a tie for 10^th at the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open presented by SaskTel.

“I learned my lesson out on the Web.com Tour when I got out there (in 2011),” said Rask when asked about the opportunity to move up in the Order of Merit this week. “I was worried about that top 25, and there’s nothing you can do about it. That’ll take care of itself if I go out there, play well and win or finish top five.

The 54-hole leader Williams fell off the pace slightly with an even-par 72, one day after a bogey-free 65. His round included four birdies and four bogeys.

“It was a tough day, whenever I made a bogey, I just tried to stay patient,” said Williams. “I knew there would be a few birdie chances with some of the downwind holes and par-5s, but it was a grind out there.”

Cornelson, Williams’ close friend and roommate, has confidence heading into the final round after finishing T5 and T15 the last two weeks.

“I’m going to draw off those experiences I’ve gained the last few weeks,” he said. “I know I can do it, and I’m just going to take it one shot at a time.”

Williams and Cornelson will both climb into the top 10 in the Order of Merit with a victory on Sunday. Williams has an outside shot of climbing as high as fifth depending on what current No. 5 Greg Eason does in the final round.

LONDON, Ont. – Vancouver’s Ryan Williams carded a 7-under 65 on Friday at Sunningdale Golf & Country Club to take a one stroke lead through 36 holes at the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial.

The 33-year old was bogey-free on Sunday, matching his low round of the season to reach 10-under through two rounds, one clear of Kalamazoo, Michigan’s Erik Barnes and two clear of playing partner and travelling companion Adam Cornelson. With one event to go to make the most of his 2014 season, Williams said he was firing on all cylinders this week in London.

“I worked a little harder this week than I think I have in the previous weeks,” said Williams. “The game’s clicking right now, but you know, it’s only two days and I’ve put myself in a good position for the weekend. It should be fun.”

Williams comes to Sunningdale with two top-10s and four top-25 finishes on the year, but seven missed cuts, including four by a single shot. The seven-year PGA TOUR Canada veteran said the frustration got to him at times this season, but that he knew he was on the verge of playing well with one week to go.

“This TOUR is so good and so competitive and the cuts are so low, you can play well and miss a cut,” said Williams. “It’s hard to get down on yourself about it, but you gotta keep going with the flow. I think this week took a lot of pressure off me that I didn’t have to feel like I was grinding another cut out here and I could go play four days.”

Barnes, who shared the first round lead with Matt Marshall, birdied three of his final four holes to get within one of Williams and get in Saturday’s final pairing.

“I just stuffed it, honestly, on three of the last four holes,” said Barnes. “I had a three-footer and a four-footer on the last two holes for birdies, and hit it on in two on 15 and two-putted. It was a good finish.”

Langley, British Columbia’s Cornelson, who was also bogey-free with a 67 on Friday, was one shot further behind at 8-under, while Iowa’s Nate McCoy, Minnesota’s Clayton Rask and Oregon’s Matt Marshall were within three at 7-under.

FRIENDLY PAIRING YIELDS LOW SCORES FOR WILLIAMS AND CORNELSON
Adam Cornelson and Ryan Williams share much in common. For example, they’re both PGA TOUR Canada regulars from the Vancouver area who will room together on road trips; they’re staying with London-based golf writer Robert Thompson this week; and they played together on Friday in the day’s third-to-last pairing.

That, and they’ve been lights-out through 36 holes at the TOUR Championship of Canada.

“We play so much golf together, with practice rounds and back home on the Vancouver Golf Tour being paired together a lot. It was comfortable pairing,” said Williams. “I think we both were excited. Last time we were paired together was back in the day when it was called the Canadian Tour.”

The friendship between the two is one that comes from sharing the experience of the ups-and-downs on PGA TOUR Canada, with each one often caddying for the other in the event of a missed cut. At a combined 18-under through 36 holes, great golf is just another thing they have in common this week.

“Playing with Ryan, we room together and it took a bit of the stress out of the situation for sure. He’s a good friend of mine and I was excited when I saw the pairing,” said Cornelson. “It was fun to talk about different stuff than golf, and watching him play well really helped me too.”

EASON LOOKING TO PUT CHASE FOR NO. 5 AWAY
At No. 5 on the Order of Merit, PGA TOUR Canada rookie Greg Eason has a target on the back as the bubble boy to earn Web.com Tour status for next season. With rounds of 70 and 68 heading into the weekend, the 22-year old is close to taking any drama out of the equation as the field looks to chase him down.

“I’ve obviously been thinking about that, but I’m trying not to. Hopefully I can just put it out of my mind for two more days,” said Eason, who sat tied for seventh position at 6-under par. “I’ve played some nice golf so far. I’m really pleased with the start. Yesterday wasn’t easy at all, and I’m in a good position for the weekend.”

Eason was an NCAA All-American this past Spring with the University of Central Florida, and despite not having a win – the only player in the top eight on the Order of Merit without one – has had a whale of a rookie year, with three top five finishes and seven top-25 results.

“It’s been nice to have that parking spot this week,” said Eason, referring to a reserved spot with his name and Order of Merit position on it. “If I can just take care of things internally, then externally they’ll sort themselves out. I feel like I’ve played nicely. I’ve not really done anything crazy bad yet. I think I’ve played pretty solid, so hopefully that continues.”

LONDON, Ont. – Portland, Oregon’s Matt Marshall and Kalamazoo, Michigan’s Erik Barnes carded matching 4-under 68s on Thursday at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club to share the first-round lead at the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial.

With cold, windy weather moving in overnight and staying for the duration of the day, the pair were among just 23 players to shoot under par at Sunningdale. The leading score at 68 represents the highest first-round lead of the season on PGA Tour Canada, with Marshall indicating the conditions forced the field to adjust and play with caution.

“You knew going into the round it was going to be difficult. I just tried to really stay patient,” said Marshall. “I had a real conservative game plan. Just a lot of fairways and greens, and on some holes you’re just playing for par.”

One shot behind the early leaders was a group of six players at 3-under 69, including British Columbians Ryan Williams, Adam Cornelson and Eugene Wong, as well as California’s Sean Shahi, Florida’s Jay Myers and Burlington, Ontario’s Michael Gligic.

MARSHALL FREES UP GAME WITH ’15 STATUS SECURED
Entering last week’s Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial, Matt Marshall knew his season – and a place to play in 2015 – was on the line.

The 29-year old began the week 59th on the Order of Merit, but finished tied for 29th to stay inside the top 60 at No. 55, earning a spot in the field in London along with exempt status for the 2015 season.

“Last week was tough on me. Very stressful, and this week feels like I can just go out and play some golf,” said Marshall.  “Last week it felt like my season for next year was determined by every shot. It’s tough to keep that going for four straight days.”

With four rounds guaranteed this week, Marshall said he was able to get out of his own way, leading to his 4-under 68 to share the first round lead.

“This week has a total different feel because there is no cut, and you can just kind of let it go,” said Marshall. “I felt no pressure and knew I could just go kind of play some golf.”

GLIGIC CONTINUES STRONG STRETCH RUN
With three top-6 finishes in each of his last three starts, Michael Gligic has been heating up at the right time late this season. At No. 9 on the Order of Merit, the 24-year old is the highest Canadian on the Order of Merit and can still play his way into The Five, needing at least a solo fourth place finish this week.

“I feel like I have pretty good control of where it’s going,” said Gligic after a 3-under 69 on Thursday that left him tied for third. “I played well. The conditions were tough. I was hitting a lot of club into the greens and just kind of managing myself well.”

With a solo fourth place finish at The Great Waterway Classic, a playoff loss at The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial and a tie for sixth at last week’s Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial, Gligic said he’s getting valuable experience and becoming more comfortable in and around the lead.

“Last week I mentioned how I was really comfortable, even going into the final round,” said Gligic. “A couple of weeks prior I felt a little uncomfortable in the final group in Kingston just because it was kind of unfamiliar, having not been there in a while. I’ve definitely settled in and feel more comfortable under the gun.”

WET WEATHER HAMPERS START OF PLAY, BUT DOESN’T DETER BC NATIVES ON DAY ONE
A little cold and rain was no problem on Thursday for Vancouver-area natives Adam Cornelson and Ryan Williams on Thursday, with the pair matching each other at 3-under 69 to share third place.

“This is Vancouver in November, really,” said Williams, brushing off the challenge of some West coast winter-type weather.

“This is pretty good for the Canadian boys with this weather, but I’m happy with the round, and happy it’s done,” added Cornelson.

The wet weather wasn’t limited to Thursday’s play, either. With heavy overnight rains pushing back the start of play two hours on Thursday, the greens crew at Sunningdale – and a few other area clubs who pitched in to help – worked hard to get the course in shape, with the efforts drawing the compliments of the players.

“I think they did a great job getting play ready for today,” said Williams. “You could tell there were a lot of puddles around the course, but I don’t think anyone was complaining about the conditions.”

“There was so much rain last night, the grounds crew did a phenomenal job for us to even play. They rolled good and smooth, and my hat’s off to the grounds crew,” the 26-year old added.

“From a property that offered every variety of terrain for golf holes, Stanley Thompson, in his element, was naturally able to produce … a plan that will provide for every requirement of present day golf.”

Those words were written in 1934 in Canadian Golfer, but it turns out the writer’s author’s remarks about Sunningdale Golf and Country Club ring true to this day.

The London, Ont. private club, which includes two 18-hole designs, one by Thompson and one by his associate, Robbie Robinson, will host the Tour Championship for PGA Tour Canada this week. The tour’s Top 60 players will test a throwback course from another era, but the variety and the interest of its holes have kept it relevant in an era of titanium drivers and ProV1 golf balls.

“The whole feel of the course is awesome,” says Vancouver’s Ryan Williams, who played in last week’s Tour Championship and tees it up again this week. “The practice facilities, the clubhouse—it looks like a Tour Championship event. There isn’t another course out there that we play that suits the Tour Championship as well.”

That’s the take of Adam Cornelson. The PGA Tour Canada pro played at Sunningdale last year and missed the cut, but despite that is anxious to get back to the course which he says has “probably the best set of par threes we play all year.”

“They’re fantastic,” he says. “It is a great old-style course and the combination gives it a great feel. You have to attack the par fives which give you the opportunity to get the number in the red.”

The course is a composite of the work of both Thompson and Robinson. The first nine holes come largely from the back nine of Thompson (10-16, and then 7-8-1), while the remainder come from the Robinson course (11-16, 2 and 18). The two designs have similarities, though Robinson’s work is slightly more muted in style. Both courses were renovated in recent years by Cam Tyers, an associate at the time with Carrick Design, and a new practice facility was built, as well as a new clubhouse.

The composite course offers a classic parkland feel, with the drama of having several holes that return to the clubhouse, making it the center of the action for the week. That’s significant as many of PGA Tour Canada’s best compete for the coveted final 10 spots on the money list that will give them status on the Web.com Tour next season. Last year unheralded Max Gilbert won the tournament, finishing out on the 18^th hole surrounded by spectators. Not surprisingly Sunningdale is a classic course for a classic golfing battle.

While the greens on the Robinson holes are somewhat tame, and perhaps yield more opportunities for birdies late in the round, the Thompson putting surfaces have unique character and could provide for some intrigue early. Though they don’t have exceptional internal contour, they are sloped enough to force conservative putts if above the hole. And holes like the par three 16^th on the Thompson course (the tournament’s 9^th hole on composite course), which at a devilish 207-yards is a stunner, offer challenges many golfers won’t see on modern designs. The green has a false front and given that the hole plays into the prevailing wind, even the best golfers will face a challenge.

Williams says keeping the ball in play off the tee is the key to success.

“The one thing I like about the course is you don’t have to hit driver on every hole,” he says. “There are lots of options in the way you can play it, but hitting fairways is imperative.”

That makes Sunningdale one of the stars of the show this week.

“Sunningdale will be another monument to an artist whose appreciation of beauty and thorough knowledge of the royal and ancient pastime has enabled him to contribute so generously to the golfers of [North] America,” Canadian Golfer concluded almost 80 years ago.

Williams concurs that the club and the tournament have a unique flavor among the events he’s played on PGA Tour Canada this season.

“The feel of this tournament is as good as anything we play all year,” says Williams, who is vying for one of the Top 20 spots on the Order of Merit that will secure him a spot in second stage of Web.com qualifying school. “The set up, the organization and the course are really strong.”

LONDON, Ont. — Mike Gligic knows what’s on the line when he arrives in London this week for the PGA Tour Canada’s Tour Championship.

Two weeks ago the Burlington, Ont. golfer lost in a playoff to Nate McCoy at the Wildfire Invitational. Heading into that tournament, Gligic, 25, was having a mixed year, even poor by his standards. After all, Gligic was one of the bright lights on PGA Tour Canada in 2012 when he won and had three Top 10 finishes.

But this year through the first handful of PGA Tour Canada tournaments Gligic found himself on the outside looking in when it came to Tour Championship presented by Freedom 55 Financial. Revised this year, the Tour Championship, which kicks off at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club in London on Sept. 11, will be a tournament without a cut and only open to top 60 players on the order of merit.

A couple tournaments prior to the Wildfire event, Gligic was concerned he might miss out on qualifying for the Tour Championship. That situation was resolved with two Top 5 finishes, including the Wildfire tournament where he jumped 24 spots to 11^th on the order of merit. Players finishing one through five on the money list gain access to the Web.com Tour, while those sixth through 10 earn exemptions into the final stage of Web.com Tour qualifying school, and those players from 11 to 20 get into second stage. Needless to say there’s lots on the line for those hoping to one day play the PGA Tour.

“If you’d asked me about it a couple of weeks ago, I’d have told you I thought [the Tour Championship] was silly,” says Gligic, laughing. “But now that I’m in it, I think it is cool. There’s a good vibe around the tournament and this week [in Cape Breton]. I think everyone knows where they are heading on the money list and they know there’s so much on the line.”

Last year the Tour Championship didn’t have the same degree of prestige. The winner at Sunningdale’s inaugural event, Quebec’s Max Gilbert, came out of left field to win the tournament. Given his position on the money list last year, he wouldn’t even get into this year’s field. And there’s a chance that the winner of the event—who will receive $27,000 for first place—will vault into the top five and punch their ticket to the Web.com Tour.

Last year’s top player on PGA Tour Canada, two-time Canadian Amateur winner Mackenzie Hughes, remembers well what it was like at the top of the order of merit. However, he missed the cut at the Tour Championship last year and had to come back on Sunday in the rain to accept his award as the leader of the tour’s money list.

Hughes, who had mixed success on his rookie year on the Web.com Tour, says the changes to the Tour Championship are positive.

“I think by the tour making these changes for the last event it’ll feel more important,” says Hughes. “I think the changes are great. But they are big changes. If they’d had them in place last year the guy who won wouldn’t have even been in the field. So it creates a really interesting dynamic.”

Jeff Monday, president of PGA Tour Canada, says that was the goal of the changes. The tour wanted to reward those players who played solidly throughout the year. Last year, there might not have been enough tournaments in the inaugural PGA Tour Canada schedule to warrant a no-cut tournament, but with 11 events this year leading into the Tour Championship, Monday says it makes sense.

“It is an elite field and it heightens the competitions and we wanted to reward the guys who had solid years,” says Monday. “And that’s not just guys battling for the top five, but for the spots between six and 10 and 11 and 20. The idea was to make this stand as a culmination of the year with a lot on the line.”

Monday says the Tour Championship also places more emphasis on the tournaments leading into it. For example, players will battle in Cape Breton at the Lakes or at Wildfire near Peterborough just to move up the leaderboard and gain access to the Top 60 on the money list that allows them to play the Tour Championship.

For Gligic, the runner-up finish at Wildfire moved him up the money list heading into the final tournaments, but there’s no guarantee. He’s battling for one of the top five spots on the order of merit that would offer him status on the Web.com Tour, a stepping stone to the PGA Tour. Gligic is pretty much assured of a spot in second stage qualifying, but has his sights set on something greater.

“I played well at Wildfire,” he says. “It was a good week and hopefully I can keep it up and move forward.”

And in Gligic’s case moving forward potentially means cracking the next barrier to the PGA Tour. And he’s not alone. He’s just one of 60 golfers who all know what the next step is towards fulfilling their dream, and figure it lies through the Tour Championship.