PGA TOUR

Patton Kizzire ended a more than six-year victory drought with a five-stroke win at the Procore Championship, the first event of the FedExCup Fall schedule. It is his third career tour win but his first since the 2018 Sony Open. The five-stroke margin of victory is the largest in tournament history. All eight players who have held a 54-hole lead or co-lead of four or more strokes this season have gone on to win. It is his third top-10 finish of the season. David Lipsky finished a career-best runner-up in his 105th start while Patrick Fishburn placed third for the second time in his last four starts. …Ben Silverman picked up his first top-10 result of the year and third career top-10 PGA Tour finish. ...Mackenzie Hughes notched his fourth top-10 result of the year, his first since the RBC Canadian Open. …Corey Conners notched his fourth top-10 result of the year and third in his last six starts. …Adam Svensson posted his third top-15 finish of the year.

POS		SCORES	TOTAL
T4	Ben Silverman	68-71-65-71	-13
T4	Mackenzie Hughes	70-67-66-72	-13
T7	Corey Conners	73-64-66-73	-12
T13	Adam Svensson	71-69-71-68	-9
T37	Roger Sloan	70-68-71-73	-6
MC	Mike Weir	69-74
MC	Nick Taylor	70-73

NEXT EVENT: Presidents Cup (Sep 26)

CANADIANS ENTERED:  Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Taylor Pendrith

EUROPEAN TOUR

Rasmus Hojgaard birdied his last three holes to win the Irish Open by one stroke. It is his fifth career European Tour title and he becomes the first player since Jose Maria Olazabal in 1989 to win five times on tour. Rory McIlroy had a two-stroke lead on the back nine but a bogey on No. 15 dropped him into a tie for the lead after Hojgaard, who was playing two groups in front of him, birdied the 16th. After regaining the dropped shot on the next hole, McIlroy gave it all back on No. 17 with a bogey. With Hojgaard sitting in the clubhouse with a one-stroke lead, McIlroy missed his eagle putt attempt from 10 feet and settled for birdie and a runner-up finish, denying him his first career win on home soil as a pro. The last time the Irish Open was played at Royal County Down, McIlroy shot 80 and missed the cut in 2015. The victory means Hojgaard will likely be among the 10 players from the Race to Dubai to earn PGA Tour membership next year, joining his brother Nicolai who played on the U.S. tour this year. …Aaron Cockerill picked up his fourth top-10 result of the year and moves up to 39th on the Race to Dubai rankings. The top 50 qualify for the DP World Tour Championship.

POS		SCORES	TOTAL
T9	Aaron Cockerill	71-69-71-71	-2

NEXT EVENT: BMW PGA Championship (Sept 19)

CANADIANS ENTERED:  Aaron Cockerill

KORN FERRY TOUR

Paul Peterson overcame a two-stroke deficit, making back-to-back birdies over his last five holes for a one-shot victory in the Simmons Bank Open. It is his first career Korn Ferry Tour win, and it moves him up to No. 15 on the points list, with the top 30 earning PGA Tour cards at the end of the season. Matt Atkins, who was tied for the lead heading into the final round, finished runner-up one stroke better than five other golfers including Ryan Gerard, co-leader entering the final round. He picked up his second top-10 finish of the year. …Myles Creighton sits 38th on the points list, 148 points out of 30th place with two events remaining.

POS		SCORES	TOTAL
T40	Myles Creighton	68-69-69-65	-9
MC	Wil Bateman	70-68
MC	Sudarshan Yellamaraju	70-69
MC	Étienne Papineau	71-70

NEXT EVENT: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship (Sep 192)

CANADIANS ENTERED: Wil Bateman, Myles Creighton, Étienne Papineau, Sudarshan Yellamaraju

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

Steve Stricker made a two-foot birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole to defeat Richard Green and successfully defend his title at the Sanford International. Stricker, who has won the event in each of the last three years, won for the first time this season and the 18th time on the Champions Tour. He became the first player to win a tournament three straight times on both the PGA Tour Champions and the PGA Tour. Stricker had a two-stroke lead until he bogeyed the final hole and Green made a 12-foot birdie putt to force extra holes. After making par on each of the first three playoff holes, Stricker found the deep rough off the tee on the fourth extra hole. He then hit a wedge that hit the pin and settled two feet away for the easy tap in birdie. Green missed an eight-foot birdie putt that would have extended the playoff. There were no Canadians entered in the event.

NEXT EVENT: PURE Insurance Championship (Sep 20)

CANADIANS ENTERED:  Stephen Ames

LPGA TOUR

Lilia Vu made a two-foot birdie putt on the final hole to beat Europe on a tense day of singles matches and secure the Solheim Cup for the United States 15 1/2 to 12 1/2. It is the largest margin of victory since the U.S. won by five points seven years ago and it’s their first win over the Europeans since 2017. The Americans lead the overall series 11-7 with one tie, which came last year in Spain enabling Europe to retain the Cup. Megan Khang, Rose Zhang and Allisen Corpuz moved the U.S. to the brink of victory with blowout wins in their matches while Andrea Lee, Lauren Coughlin and Vu each rallied to secure a half-point and prevent Europe from capturing the cup for a record fourth straight time. The Americans led 6-2 after the Friday Foursome and Fourball matches and were up 10-6 after Saturday’s matches.

NEXT EVENT: Kroger Queen City Championship (Sept. 19)

CANADIANS ENTERED: Savannah Grewal, Alena Sharp, Maude-Aimee Leblanc, Maddie Szeryk

EPSON TOUR

Ingrid Lindblad overcame a two-stroke deficit by rattling off five consecutive birdies over a six-hole stretch to start the back nine on her way to a two-shot victory in the Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic. It is the first career win for the former No. 1 ranked amateur player. The victory also comes a week after Lindblad finished runner-up after making a bogey on the final hole to miss out on a playoff. She moved up to No. 7 on Race For the Card in her bid for an LPGA card with two events remaining. Ana Belac picked up her second runner-up finish of the season.

POS		SCORES	TOTAL
T41	Leah John	72-69-72	-3
MC	Maddie Szeryk	74-71
MC	Brigitte Thibault	75-71

NEXT EVENT: Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout (Sep 20)

CANADIANS ENTERED:  Leah John, Maddie Szeryk, Brigitte Thibault, Selena Costabile (reserve)

MONTREAL – Justin Trudeau, the 23^rd and current Prime Minister of Canada, has accepted an invitation to serve as Honorary Chairman of the 2024 Presidents Cup when the competition returns to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, September 24-29. 

“Sending my best wishes to all the golfers – and especially our Canadian stars – participating in the Presidents Cup, this year in Montreal. With the Olympics, the Paralympics, and so many other tournaments, this summer has shown us all the power of sport to inspire and unite. I encourage Canadians to keep that cheer going with the Presidents Cup – let’s watch, celebrate, and enjoy a historic and incredible tournament,” said Prime Minister Trudeau.

“With the return of the Presidents Cup to Canada, we are honored to have the support of Prime Minister Trudeau as our honorary chairman for the 2024 event,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The Presidents Cup has customarily honored world leaders throughout its 30-year history, and Prime Minister Trudeau’s addition will greatly enhance our efforts to promote the global nature of golf through spirited team matches.”

Prime Minister Trudeau is part of a distinguished group of world leaders who have previously held the position of Honorary Chairman at the Presidents Cup. 

• 2022 – 46^th U.S. President, Joe Biden
• 2019 – Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Australia
• 2017 – 45^th U.S. President, Donald J. Trump
• 2015 – President Park Geun-hye, South Korea
• 2013 – 44^th U.S. President, Barack Obama
• 2011 – Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Australia
• 2009 – 44^th U.S. President Barack Obama
• 2007 – Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada
• 2005 – 43^rd U.S. President, George W. Bush
• 2003 – President Thabo Mbeki, Republic of South Africa
• 2000 – 42^nd U.S. President, William Jefferson Clinton
• 1998 – Prime Minister John Howard, Australia
• 1996 – 41^st U.S. President, George H.W. Bush
• 1994 – 38^th U.S. President, Gerald R. Ford

The Presidents Cup, a team match play competition featuring 24 of the world’s top golfers – 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world, excluding Europe – is held biennially, and since 1996 has alternated between the United States and international venues. The U.S. Team has won 12 of the 14 previous Presidents Cups, and the only win by the International Team came at the 1998 event in Melbourne. A historic 17-17 tie came in 2003 when the event was held in South Africa.

Canadian Mike Weir will lead the International Team as captain when the event returns to The Royal Montreal Golf Club for the first time in 17 years, while Jim Furyk will captain the U.S. Team.

As host of the 2007 and 2024 Presidents Cups, The Royal Montreal Golf Club will become the second international venue to host the event more than once, joining The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, a three-time host.

For more information about the Presidents Cup, or to purchase tickets, please visit PresidentsCup.com. 

Mike Weir held a dinner for about 20 potential International Team players in early May to try and create a sense of camaraderie in the months leading up to the Presidents Cup.

The Canadian Golf Hall of Famer told the assembled players that it would be great if one of them could win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and build some momentum for the International Team.

Flash forward to that weekend and Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., was claiming his first PGA Tour win.

“Mike was texting me throughout the week, and he texted me on Saturday night before the final round, and had a lot of motivational things to say,” said Pendrith on Wednesday. “He said ‘you don’t need to be anybody else. Just go out there and play your game and take care of business.'”

Pendrith has handled his business on the PGA Tour since that win, earning a spot on the International Team a second consecutive time.

He, Corey Conners, and Mackenzie Hughes were named to the Presidents Cup on Tuesday, the first time three Canadians will get to play in the event. It’s good timing for them as the prestigious best-on-best tournament will be in Canada for the first time since 2007 when Royal Montreal Golf Club will host the event Sept. 24-27.

“Mike added a little bit of motivation at that dinner to make the team, maybe fired me up a little bit, and I was able to win that week,” said Pendrith on Weir’s influence. “But he’s been great. He is available if you ever have any questions, and has been great to the Canadian guys.

“Obviously, he’s the legend in Canada, and wants us to succeed and follow in his footsteps. The three of us are super pumped, and want to make him proud.”

The team dinners are actually part of the International Team’s strategy.

South Africa’s Trevor Immelman introduced the bonding exercise when he was the team’s captain in 2022, to try and overcome the cultural differences inherent in a team that can feature players from around the world — save Europe and the United States.

Weir said he thinks the tactic is working and that Pendrith’s victory after his speech in Dallas has been something of a rallying point for the International Team.

“There’s a sense within our team room that everybody really likes each other. We’re more familiar with one another,” said Weir after announcing his six captain’s picks on Monday. “Hopefully that leads to good play. When you’re a little bit looser and you know one another, you tend to play a little bit looser.

“Hopefully that leads to the guys really playing free and good.”

Pendrith, Conners, and Hughes have played together as a team in various combinations before. All three played together at Kent State University, Conners and Hughes represented Canada at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and Pendrith and Conners played for the Internationals at the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

“It’s going to be comfortable to see some very familiar faces in the team room, and we’re all good buddies and want on each other to do extremely well,” said Pendrith. “If we play together, that’s great. If we don’t, then we’re going to do what’s best for the team.

“I think having those guys there and having Weirsy being the captain, it’s going to be a very good week, and I’m super excited to get going.”

Pendrith said he learned a lot in Charlotte, when the Internationals fell to the United States 17 1/2 to 12 1/2. Potentially the biggest lesson for him was the importance of winning the first hole on the first day.

“We’ve got stats and data guys on our team who have so much information, it’s almost overwhelming, but they’re so smart,” he said. “I feel like we’re all buying into it, really trusting them and I think getting off to a good start in the match is huge.

“I don’t know the exact number, but if you win the first hole, you have X per cent chance of winning the match. So that’s what we’re really focusing on, is getting off to a good start.”

This year’s Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club will be the most Canadian version of the international men’s golf event, ever.

Taylor Pendrith, Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes were named to the International Team on Tuesday for the upcoming best-on-best tournament that sees 12 players from around the world — excluding Europe — face 12 golfers from the United States in match-play competition. It’s the first time three Canadians have played in the prestigious international event at the same time.

Canadian golf legend Mike Weir used three of his six captain’s selections on Pendrith, Conners and Hughes. He also picked South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout, South Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Australia’s Min Woo Lee to be on his team.

Weir, who is from Brights Grove, Ont., said it was a nice bonus to have the most-ever Canadians on the International Team when Royal Montreal hosts the Presidents Cup from Sept. 24-29, but the decision was based purely on putting forward the most competitive team possible.

“You have to be fair to the whole international community. I think I was very justified on the three (Canadian) picks,” said Weir after practice with the captain’s picks at Royal Montreal. “I think it just shows the state of Canadian golf that we can pick three for five or six guys that were in the mix.

“You do want the Canadian fans. I think they’re going to be very engaged with all our International players but having some Canadians on there brings a little bit more juice, so to speak, to our team.”

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, Korea’s Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An, as well as Australia’s Adam Scott and Jason Day had already been automatically selected as the top six golfers on the International Team rankings following the completion of the BMW Championship on Aug. 25.

Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, both from Abbotsford, B.C., had been vying to join the team but missed out. Weir said that it was tough to not include them on the team and have four or even five Canadians playing on home soil.

“Both those calls to those guys were extremely difficult,” said Weir. “The way they handled it just showed me a lot about their character, which I already knew, but even made me respect them even more.

“I just told them that they’re going to be on these Cups going forward, and stay engaged with this Presidents Cup team.”

Weir’s International side will face off against Jim Furyk’s U.S. squad in the match-play competition. 

Furyk named his six captain’s picks to the U.S. team shortly after Weir’s announcement. Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Brian Harman, Russell Henley and Max Homa were all added to the squad.

They join world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, No. 2 Xander Schauffele, No. 4 Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay and Sahith Theegala.

Furyk said it was a long process to settle on his lineup after being appointed captain a year ago.

“It seems like the train is moving really slowly to get to this point but it picks up a lot of speed for the next three weeks getting us to Royal Montreal,” he said. “Good to have 12 guys on our team. 

“I know they’re bonding, gelling, talking a lot about the event, and now we’ll put some finishing touches on our pairings and getting these guys ready to go in three weeks.”

The U.S. beat the Internationals 17 1/2 to 12 1/2 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte in 2022. It was the Americans’ ninth consecutive victory at the event. 

Indeed, the International team has only won the event once in 14 tries, emerging victorious at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 1998 when captain Peter Thompson led them to a 20 1/2 – 11 1/2 triumph over Jack Nicklaus’s American squad. 

“I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about how many years it’s been, but I think the things we’ve done to increase our chances are a lot of the little things behind the scenes,” said Weir. “It’s no secret that we’ve struggled to form unity with all the cultural differences and things the International Team has had to deal with over the years.

“That’s why we’ve implemented a lot more engagement amongst the players playing practice rounds and us doing some dinners to get the guys together to get more familiar with one another.”

The three Canadians have that familiarity baked in. All three grew up playing against each other in Ontario junior competitions and then attended Kent State University together. 

Their playing styles are complementary as well. 

Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., has one of the biggest drivers on the PGA Tour. Conners, from Listowel, Ont., is arguably the best ball striker in the world. Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., is renowned for his accuracy with his putter.

___________________________________________

Corey Conners

• Country: Canada
• Age: 32
• PGA TOUR Wins: 2
• Presidents Cup: 1 (2022), 0-4-0

2024 Highlights: Has notched three top-10 finishes in 2024 including a season-best, solo-sixth-place effort at the RBC Canadian Open.

Captain Weir on Conners: “Corey is one of the best ball-strikers on the PGA TOUR and his ability to consistently put himself and his playing partner in a position to attack is invaluable in team competition. He has looked towards the 2024 Presidents Cup for two years now, and I know he’s eager to compete in front of his fellow Canadians.”

Mackenzie Hughes

• Country: Canada
• Age: 33
• PGA TOUR Wins: 2
• Presidents Cup: First appearance

2024 Highlights: Has recorded three top-10 finishes including a season-best T3 at the Valspar Championship. Only missed four cuts in 22 starts, marking a career best.

Captain Weir on Hughes: “Canadian golf fans have followed Mackenzie’s career for nearly two decades and it’s incredible to know he’s going to make his Presidents Cup debut in his home country. He is steady and calm under pressure and is without doubt one of the best putters on the PGA TOUR, which is a great combination for our team.”

Taylor Pendrith

• Country: Canada
• Age: 33
• PGA TOUR Wins: 1
• Presidents Cup: 1 (2022), 0-4-0

2024 Highlights: Picked up the first win of his PGA TOUR career at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Recorded five additional top-10 finishes while advancing to the TOUR Championship for the first time.

Captain Weir on Pendrith: “Taylor is in the midst of his best year on the PGA TOUR, and it was great to see him breakthrough for his first win in Dallas and advancing to the TOUR Championship. He has built a reputation as one of the longest hitters in our game, and that length should be advantageous in match play competition at Royal Montreal.”

Weir’s International side will face off against Jim Furyk’s U.S. squad in the match-play competition, Sept. 24-29, at The Royal Montreal Golf Club.

Pendrith and Conners — close friends — also played for the International Team at the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

That was the first time two Canadians had played at the elite event.

Ultimately, the Internationals lost 17 1/2 to 12 1/2 to the United States.

The International team has only won once in the event’s history, emerging victorious at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 1998 when captain Peter Thompson led them to a 20 1/2 – 11 1/2 triumph over Jack Nicklaus’s American squad. 

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — Adam Scott is playing in the Presidents Cup for the 11th straight time, the most of any player from the International team. That wasn’t much of a surprise.

Neither were the six players for the American team.

The BMW Championship was the final tournament for six automatic qualifiers for the U.S. and International teams who will compete Sept. 27-30 at Royal Montreal.

The leading six players remained unchanged.

Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark, Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay and newcomer Sahith Theegala qualified for the Americans. Sam Burns could have grabbed the sixth spot only if he had won. He finished one shot behind Keegan Bradley.

The six qualifiers for the International team were Hideki Matsuyama, Tom Kim, Sungjae Im, Jason Day, Scott and Byeong Hun An.

Corey Conners of Canada had a chance with a big finish at Castle Pines, but he closed with a 73 and tied for 22nd. The International team is based on the world ranking.

Jim Furyk and Mike Weir of Canada will announce their six captain’s picks after the Tour Championship, and that’s where the intrigue lies.

“I hope I didn’t throw a huge wrench in everybody’s plans,” Bradley said, whose victory moved him to No. 10 in the U.S. standings.

Bradley, 38, already is the youngest Ryder Cup captain since Arnold Palmer (34) was a playing captain in 1963. He also has PGA Tour titles in each of the last three years, and his win at the BMW Championship moved him to No. 11 in the world ranking.

Burns moved to No. 7, followed by Tony Finau, Russell Henley, Bradley, Brian Harman and Max Homa. Henley has never played in the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup team.

Harman and Homa have not been in good form for most of the summer. And then there is Justin Thomas, who has played for every U.S. team since 2017. He is at No. 19, following a year in which he was the lowest-ranked player in the Ryder Cup standings when he was picked. Thomas at least made it to the Tour Championship — the 30th and final spot — giving him a week to perform.

“I feel like I played well in some big tournaments this year. I just did it earlier in the season,” Thomas said. “I know I’m playing well enough, but that’s up to Jim and the rest of the captains and the guys on the team. My hope is that I get to Atlanta and I prove that I belong.”

Weir would like to have Canadians on his side for the home crowd. None qualified. Conners was at No. 7, followed by Cam Davis and Min Woo Lee of Australia, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, and three Canadians — Taylor Pendrith, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin.

Pendrith played in the last Presidents Cup. He held it together on the back nine to assure a spot at the Tour Championship next week.

“I want to be at East Lake. I want to be on the Presidents Cup badly. But I’ve had a great season, and if I didn’t play great these last two weeks, I’d be OK with it,” he said. “It would sting a little bit for sure, but to come out here and do it and perform under the pressure, it feels incredible. I can’t wait to keep going.”

Scott has played on every Presidents Cup team since 2003 — one year after Tom Kim was born — but has never been on a winning team. The 2003 matches ended in a tie in South Africa, and the Americans have won nine in a row.

Phil Mickelson played in 12 Presidents Cup, the most of any player.

Click here for more info on the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club

Taylor Pendrith has always been able to find his groove as summer winds down. This year, it’s made him the top Canadian in the PGA Tour’s playoffs.

Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., tied for fifth at the Barracuda Championship on July 21, was solo fifth at the 3M Open on July 28, and most importantly tied for 22nd at last week’s FedEx St. Jude’s Championship, the first round of the top men’s tour’s playoffs. That moved him up to 27th in the FedEx Cup standings and on to this week’s BMW Championship, the playoffs’ second round. 

“I don’t know if the warmer weather allows my body to move better in the past couple years or what,” said Pendrith. “I seem to play well in the summertime. Last week (at TPC Southwind in Memphis) was super hot and I don’t necessarily love those conditions, but I have strung together a bunch of good weeks in a row.”

The St. Jude’s Championship had a 70-player field and the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings after that event advanced to this week’s tournament at Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colo. 

That included Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., who tied for 50th at 1 under at the St. Jude’s Championship. Conners is now 33rd in the FedEx Cup rankings and Hadwin is 42nd.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford did not move on.

The top 30 players after the BMW Championship will then move on to the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta next week.

“I think this is probably the best putting year that I’ve had in my career,” said Pendrith, who won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on May 5 for his first-ever PGA Tour victory. “I feel really comfortable over every putt and I’ve made quite a lot of crucial putts this season. 

“My iron play has also been really good. Last week my iron play was really strong and so everything’s kind of coming together.”

Pendrith will be paired with Tom Hoge of the United States at Castle Pines on Thursday, Hadwin will be with Australia’s Adam Scott, and Conners will play alongside American J.T. Poston.

The BMW Championship is also the last event where players can earn official world golf ranking points to play in this year’s Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club on Sept. 24-29. Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Mike Weir is the captain of the International Team and Pendrith hopes to play in the biannual event for the second time in a row.

“I don’t think it necessarily adds more pressure, but it’s been on my mind for the last couple months,” said Pendrith, who made his International Team debut with Conners at Quail Hollow in Charlotte in 2022. “I’ve played great leading up to here and I’m hoping to have a really solid week again this week and earn my way on to that team.”

The top six players in the International Team rankings are automatically selected, with Weir filling out the rest of his 12-player roster. Conners is currently seventh on the rankings, Taylor is 11th, Hadwin is 12th, Pendrith is 13th and Hughes is 15th.

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — The BMW Championship is the last stop before the leading six players get automatic spots in the Presidents Cup next month at Royal Montreal.

Turns out the first FedEx Cup playoff event had a strong effect, too.

Jordan Spieth might have been a long shot to make the U.S. team, but last week sealed it. He finished 26 shots out of the lead, failed to advance and said he would be having surgery on his left wrist. His season is over.

It also was a big blow to Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., who dropped out of the top 50. International captain Mike Weir wants a strong Canadian presence, but none is in the top six and four other Canadians are ahead of Hughes.

Weir gets six captain’s picks after the Tour Championship. Hughes won’t be at East Lake, either. This comes two years after Hughes, renowned for his putting, was curiously left off the International side for the matches at Quail Hollow, where he is a member.

Fellow Canadians Corey Conners, Adam Hadwin of and Taylor Pendrith are all in the field at the BMW Championship.

Conners is currently 7th on the Presidents Cup International Team standings. Hadwin is 12th and Pendrith sits 13th.

Nick Taylor is currently 11th, but did not advance to this week’s BMW Championship.

For the Americans, there figures to be significant turnover from their last team competition at the Ryder Cup.

Three players already are effectively eliminated — Spieth, Rickie Fowler (didn’t qualify for the postseason) and Brooks Koepka (ineligible because he plays for LIV Golf).

The leading five — Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark and Patrick Cantlay — were at Marco Simone. Sahith Theegala is holding down the sixth spot over Tony Finau.

Max Homa, who went 4-0 in his Presidents Cup debut at Quail Hollow, finished last in the 70-man field last week. He has not contended since his Sunday chance at the Masters (his lone top 10 was at Wells Fargo, where he finished 13 shots behind). Homa is at No. 9 in the standings.

Right behind is Brian Harman, who has one top 10 in his last 13 starts.

The wild card, again, is Justin Thomas. He is at No. 16 in the standings and he could use a mile-high effort this week. Thomas faced plenty of scrutiny from being picked for the Ryder Cup team without having qualified for the postseason.

U.S. captain Jim Furyk could have some interesting choices, such as 20-year-old Nick Dunlap or 22-year-old Akshay Bhatia, depending on what kind of performances he sees at Castle Pines and then East Lake.

The International team, which has lost nine in a row, is the side that would appear to have some stability. The leading five players were at Quail Hollow and Byeong Hun An played in the 2019 matches. Four others from the ’22 team have done well enough to merit consideration.

Winners out

Winning a PGA Tour event that offers full FedEx Cup points is worth a trip to the Masters and PGA Championship, a start at Kapalua for The Sentry and a two-year exemption. But it doesn’t guarantee the top 50 in the FedEx Cup and the guarantee of playing the eight $20 million signature events the following year.

Nick Taylor (Phoenix Open), Jake Knapp (Mexico Open), Peter Malnati (Valspar Championship), Davis Riley (Colonial) and Jhonattan Vegas (3M Open) did not reach the BMW Championship.

Don’t expect Vegas to lose sleep over it. He was No. 139 in the FedEx Cup and in danger of losing his card when he won in Minnesota.

MONTREAL – International Team Captain Mike Weir announced Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama as his fifth and final captain’s assistant for the 2024 Presidents Cup, which returns to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Sept. 24-29. Maruyama joins fellow captains assistants Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas, who were announced in April. 

Maruyama competed in the Presidents Cup in 1998 and 2000, compiling a 6-2-0 record, including a 5-0-0 performance in the former, when the International Team defeated the U.S. Team in Australia, 20.5-11.5. He is one of only six players in Presidents Cup history to post a 5-0-0 record on the week.

“I am thrilled to announce Shigeki as my fifth captain’s assistant for the 2024 Presidents Cup,” said Weir. “His record in this event speaks for itself, but more importantly, he adds a trusted voice in our team room and is someone who will inspire these 12 players through his unwavering support and dynamic personality.”

Maruyama won three times during his PGA TOUR career, with his last victory coming at the 2003 Wyndham Championship. The 54-year-old posted three top-10 finishes in major championships, including a career-best T4 at the 2004 U.S. Open. Maruyama won 10 times on the Japan Golf Tour and represented Japan in the 2002 World Cup of Golf, partnering with Toshimitsu Izawa to notch a two-shot victory over the United States team of Phil Mickelson and David Toms.

“Representing the International Team in the Presidents Cup as both a player in 1998 and 2000 and later as a captain’s assistant in 2013 was one of the most valuable experiences in my golf career,” said Maruyama. “I am honored that Captain Weir has given me the chance to be part of this special brotherhood once again. I am looking forward to a great week in Montreal and helping to deliver an incredible atmosphere for our players and fans in Canada.”

Mike Weir has plenty of tough decisions leading up to the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club in late September.

As captain of the International Team, Weir has been keeping tabs on players who could potentially take on the powerhouse Americans at the biannual best-on-best men’s tournament.

“This is crunch time for a lot of players,” said Weir in Calgary on Tuesday at a press conference ahead of the 2024 Rogers Charity Classic at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club. “We have six automatic spots off the world rankings and then there’s six picks with a lot of Canadians in the mix, so hoping they’re going to really play well the next couple weeks and that I can pick them for the team.”

With Olympic gold medallist Scottie Scheffler and recent two-time major champion Xander Schauffele leading the American side, Weir will count on leadership from Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, fresh off winning a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, who is atop the International standings.

Tom Kim and Sungjae Im are second and third in the International Team rankings, while fellow South Korean national Byeong Hun An is in sixth. Veteran Australian golfers Jason Day and Adam Scott are sitting comfortably in fourth and fifth.

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., who competed at the 2022 edition of the Presidents Cup along with Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., is currently in a good position in seventh spot in the International standings.

Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin, both of Abbotsford B.C., are holding down the 11th and 12th spots, while Pendrith is right behind them in 13th and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., isn’t far back in 15th.

“As I’ve said all along, it’s an international team,” said Weir, who will rely on help from his captain’s assistants Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas to select the best squad. “It’s not Team Canada, so you have to be fair to everybody. A lot of guys are playing well.

“I really like our team the way it’s shaping up. Guys are very excited. I’ve been engaged with the players since the get-go, since I became the captain. Players have reached out to me and they’re very engaged and excited to be on the team.”

While he’ll be taking part at the Rogers Charity Classic (formerly Shaw Charity Classic) for the fourth straight year, Weir will have the upcoming Presidents Cup on the top of his mind.

“Even though I’m working on my game and playing, my mind is constantly thinking about it,” said the 54-year-old Canadian Golf Hall of Famer from Brights Grove, Ont. “Calls before rounds, calls after rounds, texting with guys, our analytics guys. I’m trying to get all the information I can in regards to the players so I can make the best decision upcoming in the next couple weeks.

“I don’t want to make a decision on a whim. I want to have all the information and stats on the players so I can make an informed decision. Yeah, a little bit harder to play but still fun. I found a nice balance.”

That being said, Weir will still do his best to have a good showing at the annual PGA Tour Champions tournament.

“It’s always great to come home, for sure,” said Weir, who’s best showing at the senior-circuit stop in Calgary was a tie for ninth in 2021. “This is the only time we get to do that on the Champions Tour right now. It’s a great golf course. From the first time I played here a few years ago, I really liked the golf course. I’d like to play a little better on it hopefully this year, but always enjoy playing here.

“The city is great. Great restaurants, great food. The fans come out here better than probably any other event on the Champions Tour, so I think all the players enjoy coming here to Calgary.”

The Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) Virtual Summit presented by RBC: 2024 Presidents Cup took place August 13, 2024, as part of an ongoing GJAC series intended to help membership stay connected, as well as to generate discussion and opportunities around important issues in the game.

The format consists of a moderated question and answer period, followed by a brief opportunity for questions from attendees. 

Panelists for this Virtual Summit included:

• Mike Weir – Presidents Cup International Team Captain
• Ryan Hart – Executive Director – 2024 Presidents Cup
• Scott Dickson – GM & Secretary – Royal Montreal Golf Club Moderator: Jason Logan, Editor of SCOREGolf