TORONTO – RBC is welcoming professional golfers Sam Burns, Sahith Theegala and Cameron Young as its newest Team RBC brand ambassadors.

Burns, Theegala and Young represent the strong field of talent on the PGA TOUR, with incredible 2021-2022 seasons. Burns, with 22 top-10 finishes to-date, had three PGA TOUR victories this past season, making him only the second player in PGA TOUR history to win three or more TOUR titles in one season.

“I am thrilled to join Team RBC and their roster of elite golfers,” says Sam Burns. “This season has been full of career-highs and becoming an RBC brand ambassador is definitely one of them. I’m grateful for their support and can’t wait to build upon the momentum of 2022.”

Since joining the TOUR in 2020, Theegala has quickly established himself with seven top-10 finishes, including finishing T2 at the Travelers Championship and T3 at the WM Phoenix Open.

“As a rookie on the TOUR, I’m proud to be joining Team RBC, a long-time supporter of golf with a roster of high calibre athletes,” says Theegala. “Visiting Canada for the RBC Canadian Open was a highlight for me last season and I can’t wait to return in 2023.”

Young holds seven top-10 finishes, including the 2022 RBC Heritage, and was named 2022 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year as voted by the TOUR’s membership for the 2021-2022 season. 

“Joining a world-class group of golfers and working with a brand that shares my own values is a dream come true,” said Young. “RBC is doing great things for the sport, and I’m looking forward to joining them as an ambassador.” 

Team RBC was established in 2009 and is comprised of elite touring professionals on the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour. Along with wearing RBC branding on their apparel and golf bag, Burns, Theegala, and Young will support many of the bank’s marketing initiatives and client experiences.

RBC is the title sponsor of two PGA TOUR events, the RBC Canadian Open and the RBC Heritage, and is also a supporter of community golf events including the RBC PGA Scramble and RBC Community Junior Golf.

“We are thrilled to welcome professional golfers Sam Burns, Sahith Theegala, and Cameron Young to Team RBC. It was a pleasure to watch them play at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open and RBC Heritage and to see their incredible success this season,” says Mary DePaoli, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “We are impressed by their dedication and passion both on and off the course and look forward to what’s next for these talented golfers.”

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Adam Svensson handled the cold air and the heat of contention as if he had been there before, closing with a 6-under 64 to win the RSM Classic on Sunday at Sea Island for his first PGA TOUR victory.

Svensson, a 28-year-old from Surrey, B.C., was locked in a four-way tie for the lead on the closing stretch of the Seaside course when he poured in an 18-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole, and then hit a tee shot to 10 feet on the par-3 17th for a birdie that gave him a cushion.

Brian Harman (65) and Sahith Theegala (66) were in the group ahead of him and missed birdie chances from about 25 feet on the closing hole.

Callum Tarren of England (64) was the first to post at 17-under par and was hopeful of a playoff. Svensson capped off his bogey-free final round with a par for a two-shot win.

He finished at 19-under 263 and played the tougher Seaside course in 20 under the final three rounds. His tournament began with a 73 on the Plantation, which put him in a tie for 108th. His first job was to make the cut. He wound up winning the trophy.

Taylor Pendrith (69) of Richmond Hill, Ont., tied for 15th at 13 under.

Svensson is starting his third full year on the PGA Tour and gets a two-year exemption, along with a trip to the Masters and the PGA Championship. He has never played a major.

“To be honest, it’s not even real right now,” Svensson said when he finished. “I’m so happy. I put so much work in. To win on the PGA Tour means everything to be me. … I just kept believing in myself, and here I am.”

Theegala recovered from a double bogey on the par-5 seventh hole when he was in trouble left off the tee and then hit a chip that came back to him from behind the green. He made five birdies over the last 11 holes.

Harman got in the game late, hitting a fairway metal on the par-5 15th hole that was inches away from rolling in, setting up a short eagle. He birdied the 16th to share the lead, but had to settle for pars on the final two holes.

Patrick Rodgers and Ben Martin, who shared the 54-hole lead, couldn’t keep up. Rodgers didn’t make his first birdie until the 13th hole and closed with a 70 to tie for 10th, while Martin shot a 72.

Cole Hammer, who graduated from Texas in May was playing on a sponsor exemption, shot a 65 to tie for fifth, which gets him into the Sony Open.

The PGA Tour now takes a six-week break in the final wraparound season before resuming with the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua the first week of January.

By winning, Svensson was the last man to qualify for that field, the first elevated event that will have a $15 million purse.

Svensson won $1,458,000, more than he won in either of his two previous seasons on the PGA Tour. He is the second Canadian to win this season, joining Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., who won in Mississippi.

TORONTO (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor RBC, are pleased to announce select tickets are now available for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open taking place June 5-11 at Oakdale Golf and Country – a Stanley Thompson classic in the heart of Toronto.

CLICK HERE to secure your tickets before they sell out.

Oakdale will challenge the stars of the PGA TOUR as a 7,460-yard composite championship routing that integrates elements from each of the course’s three nines (Thompson, Homenuik, Knudson).

One of Canada’s premier annual sporting events, the RBC Canadian Open features miles of front row seating for golf fans to experience the thrill of live professional golf.

Three ticketing options include:

• Any Day Ticket: Access to the RBC Canadian Open on any one day, Monday through Sunday (on-sale for a limited time, while supplies last).
• Weekly Grounds Ticket: Access to the full week of the tournament, Monday through Sunday.
• 1904 Club presented by RBC iShares Weekly Ticket: Access for all four days of Championship play from Thursday through Sunday.

Volunteer, sponsorship and corporate hospitality opportunities are also available. For more information on the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, visit us online at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

From Moe Norman to Mike Weir and Sandra Post to Brooke Henderson, Canada has a rich golf history.

But there’s also a little-known golf hotbed in Lunenburg, N.S.

Located on the south shore of Nova Scotia, with a population of 2,396 according to the 2021 census, the port town is home to HB Studios, creator of the new “PGA Tour 2K23” video game.

Founded in 2000 by transplanted Englishman Jeremy Wellard, HB Studios collaborated with various publishers including Electronic Arts on an array of sports games. The studio recruited locally and all over the globe to get expertise in everything from cricket and rugby to soccer, football and golf.

“When I started here, I was definitely one of the local people,” said HB Studios creative director Josh Muise, who has more than 15 years experience with the company. “I was born on the East Coast and grew up out here. I remember walking through the studio the first day and the number of different accents that I came across was certainly delightful and kind of interesting to find in a small sleepy fishing village in Nova Scotia.”

The studio now also has an office in Halifax, with combined staff of about 100 and growing.

“This has become a really major project and it’s become a very big game,” Muise said of the golf title. “We’re very lucky to be able to continue attracting world-class talent and growing the franchise.”

Muise, 40, was born on Cape Breton Island and spent a lot of his school years in New Brunswick. While he admits to some reservations back in the day about moving to “a 1,200- to 1,500-person seasonal fishing village, as beautiful as it was in the postcards,” he is now an unabashed fan of Lunenburg.

“It’s been a wonderful transformation. The town has radically shifted in the last five, 10 years in particular, where you’re seeing a lot of new businesses and you’re seeing a lot of new people coming in. And it’s really become a hotbed.”

The trend toward working remotely has helped bring an influx of young high-tech workers looking to leave the city. The fact that Halifax is only an hour or so away adds to Lunenburg’s attraction.

HB Studios mirrors that growth, as shown by the fact that its newest title features Tiger Woods on its cover.

“The thing that we’re proudest of with that is that we feel like we earned the opportunity,” said Muise, whose name is pronounced muse. “We went from an independent golf game, not all those many years ago, to building up to earning ourself the spot to having the PGA Tour licence come into play and being part of our partnership, ultimately bringing in 2K (Games) and everything that they offer, and then leading up to bringing in Tiger Woods as well.

“The team worked very very hard to put a great game out there. We worked with the community. We were receptive to the feedback. And we kind of grew together. So for it all to culminate with the best, I would say, single-sport athlete of all time on the cover of the box, nothing could feel better.”

That first independent golf game was “The Golf Club,” released in 2014, which eventually became “The Golf Club 2019 featuring PGA Tour.”

In 2020, the studio released “PGA Tour 2K21” for 2K Games. A year later, 2K Games bought HB Studios and signed a deal with Woods.

Today the PGA Tour 2K franchise is the studio’s main focus with 2K Games’ expertise from its NBA franchise helping the studio with the complexities of golf licensing and partners.

Woods and Canadian Brooke Henderson are among the 16 playable pros available at launch in “PGA Tour 2K23,” which was released Oct. 14 for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One and PC via Steam. Basketball icons Michael Jordan and Steph Curry also appear in the game.

“Being a Canadian studio, it was important for us to try and bring in a great Canadian icon like Brooke,” said Muise.

“She’s a great ambassador for the sport. She’s an all time Canadian legend.” he added. “And (we’re) absolutely thrilled to have her as part of our roster.”

Gamers can also play St. George’s Golf and Country Club, set up in tournament condition as it was for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open in June.

The 2K franchise will have competition next spring, with Electronic Arts getting back into the game with “EA Sports PGA Tour,” boasting video game access to all four majors including the Masters.

“We know that there may be a new product coming into the space but ultimately we feel very confident and very comfortable that golf is where we want to be,” said Muise. “And golf is where we intend on staying. And we’re going to keep building on our current success and pushing it.”

JACKSON, Miss. – Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont, made birdie on his third time playing the 18th hole on Sunday, and it gave him a playoff victory over Sepp Straka in the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Hughes twice had to made tough par saves on the closing hole at the Country Club of Jackson, in regulation from 100 feet behind the green for a 3-under 69 to force a playoff and from a tough spot in a bunker to keep going.

“Yeah, I’m over the moon. I had some moments today where I was tested and was able to pull through,” said Hughes. “It’s kind of my MO a little bit to scramble and save some pars. I had to do that a little bit today on the back nine. I did everything I possibly could, just grinded my butt off, and luckily it was good enough.”

Straka narrowly missed his birdie putt on the second playoff hole from 18 feet on the fringe. Hughes hit his approach to 8 feet and made the winning putt.

The victory comes one week after the Presidents Cup, and Hughes was disappointed not to be included on the International team at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he lives.

He wanted to use that as motivation, and it sure worked out that way. Hughes won for the second time on the PGA Tour, both in a playoff. His victory at Sea Island in 2016 didn’t finish until Monday morning, and this looked like it might be headed there with fading sunlight on the last hole they played.

Garrick Higgo of South Africa had a 68 and finished third.

Straka finished two groups ahead of Hughes and missed birdie chances of 20 feet and 18 feet on the last two holes for a 67 to finish at 17-under 271.

Hughes twice came up clutch with his putter down the stretch, even if the putts were for par. He was out of position on the par-5 14th, his wedge over a tree back toward the fairway came up short in a bunker, he had to lay up again and escaped with a 15-foot par putt.

On the closing hole, he was well left off the tee and punched under a tree and over the green against the grandstand. After free relief, he used putter from 100 feet away off the green with perfect pace for par.

On the first playoff hole at the 18th, Hughes came up short in a bunker with only about 15 feet from the edge of the bunker to the pin. He blasted out to 5 feet and made par.

That sent them back to the 18th for a third time, and Hughes closed him out.

Mark Hubbard, who went into the final round with a one-shot lead, managed only two birdies in his round of 74 and tied for fifth.

The final round featured five players who had at least a share of the lead at some point. That included Emiliano Grillo of Argentina, whose round came undone on the par-5 14th when he took a triple bogey without a penalty shot.

Higgo never was part of the lead, though he lingered the entire day and missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the 17th that ultimately kept him out of the playoff.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith made Canadian history twice at the Presidents Cup and, although they’re disappointed in the result, they’re ready for more.

It was the first time two Canadians had ever played at the prestigious best-on-best tournament that sees 12 Americans take on 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe. When the longtime friends were partnered on Friday they became the first-ever Canadians to play together at the storied tournament.

But Conners, from Listowel, Ont., lost to Xander Schauffele 1 up in Sunday’s seventh match to clinch the American victory. Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., also lost his match in the event’s final round when he dropped a 3 and 1 decision to Tony Finau.

Ultimately, the United States beat the international team 17.5 to 12.5 for its 12th Presidents Cup title.

The Canadians were the only members of the international team not to earn a point over the four-day, five-session tournament. Conners said he was disappointed to not maintain the international team’s momentum in the final round.

“All the guys were ready to go today,” said Conners by the 18th green. “Some of the guys got some points early to keep us in it.

“I’m really disappointed not to be able to add to our total, but it was a fun week.”

The biennial event alternates between courses in the U.S. and international locations. The next edition will be at Royal Montreal Golf Club, which last hosted in 2007 when Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., had a legendary showdown with Tiger Woods in the final round.

“It’s definitely going to be a goal of mine to make that team,” said Pendrith, who like Conners made his Presidents Cup debut. “This week was great, and I’m hungry to get some points.”

The U.S. dominated the first two days of play, building a commanding 8-2 lead. But the internationals gained ground on Saturday, finishing the fourth session just four points back.

With the U.S. leading 11-7 and needing just 15.5 points to win, American captain Davis Love III was aggressive in his picks for individual play, putting Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth – his most consistent players – into Sunday’s first two matches.

That gamble produced mixed results with South Korea’s Si Woo Kim beating Thomas 1 up but Spieth topped Australia’s Cam Davis 4 and 3.

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama tied Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay downed Australia’s Adam Scott 3 and 2.

Colombia’s Sebastian Munoz kept the internationals in it with a 2 and 1 victory over Scottie Scheffler before Pendrith and Conners lost their matches as the Americans clinched their title.

Finau jumped out to a 2 up lead in his match against Pendrith, but the Canadian answered back with birdies on the third and fourth holes to tie it.

Pendrith made a 33-foot chip in on the par-3 sixth hole for a birdie and his first lead of the match. He also birdied the next hole, but Finau birdied on Nos. 9 and 12 to tie the match, then pulled ahead with birdies on Nos. 13, 16 and 17.

“I felt like I played decent today in the middle of the round and had some chances on the back nine,” said Pendrith by the 17th green. “No. 15 stings. No. 16, I hit a good putt, but Tony played really good as well.

“He made seven or eight birdies or something like that. Can’t really do much about that.”

Schauffele and Conners were tied through the first five holes, but the American eagled and had a birdie on Nos. 6 and 7 to take a lead. He added to that when Conners bogeyed No. 10. The Canadian rallied with three consecutive won holes, starting with No. 12, to even the score.

Conners bogeyed the par-4 15th hole, which Schauffele parred, and the American held on the rest of the way.

“It was a good battle. I feel like every match I got down, every match I fought back,” said Conners. “Ultimately I came up a little short, but good stuff.”

Play continued, however, with the remaining matches being seen to completion. South Korea’s Sungjae Im bested Cameron Young 1 up. Billy Horschel conceded to South Korea’s K.H. Lee for a 3 and 1 internationals win.

Max Homa fended off fan favourite Tom Kim of South Korea for a 1 up win, Collin Morikawa beat Chile’s Mito Pereira 3 and 2, and in the day’s final match South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout downed Kevin Kisner 2 and 1.

Ryan Hart, the executive director of the 2024 Presidents Cup, said he hopes that Royal Montreal will truly feel like an away game for the Americans.

“All the structures will be wrapped black and gold,” said Hart, gesturing to the white-sheathed structures at Quail Hollow. “So (the international team) can come out and we can hopefully have the entire country feel like they are part of the international team and cheer them on to victory.”

The atmosphere at the Presidents Cup has changed in the 15 years since Canada last hosted the event. Organizers said that 40,000 spectators attended the Presidents Cup every day, a massive gathering for golf that was amplified because those crowds were concentrated around just four or five groups the first three days of the tournament.

Pendrith said that it was the most people he had ever played in front of but he feels like he rose to the occasion.

“Obviously, the stakes were really high. Lots of pressure,” said Pendrith. “But the first day, I feel like I handled it pretty well.

“Really, all week, it was a lot of fun, and it will be a good experience to move forward.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Canada’s Taylor Pendrith thought he and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama were going to earn some points back for the international team when they were announced as partners for Saturday’s afternoon session at the Presidents Cup.

Unfortunately for them, they drew the duo of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, the most reliable pairing for the United States.

After Matsuyama birdied the first hole for an early lead in the four-ball match, the Americans had six birdies to earn a 4 and 3 win, the one international loss in the day’s second session. The United States held an 11-7 lead when play wrapped.

“They just kept making birdies. Hideki hit an unreal shot on No. 1, and we went 1 up,” said Pendrith just off the 15th green at Quail Hollow Club after shaking hands with Spieth and Thomas. “I don’t know how many birdies exactly they had, but it seemed like a lot.”

Shortly after that defeat, South Korea’s Sungjae Im and Colombia’s Sebastian Munoz earned a 3 and 2 win over Tony Finau and Kevin Kisner.

Then South Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim birdied No. 18 for a 1 up win over Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. Finally, Australia’s Adam Scott and Cam Davis held off Billy Horschel and Sam Burns for a 1 up victory as the internationals closed the gap on the host Americans.

Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., and Matsuyama were consistently driving further and with more accuracy than Spieth and Thomas, but the internationals struggled with their chipping and putting as the Americans excelled.

“I think the pins, some of the pins, were pretty tricky,” said Pendrith. “I didn’t really have many great looks at birdie.

“Hitting into 30 feet with putts that break eight to ten feet, it’s tough to make those.”

It was the second time on Saturday that Spieth and Thomas had beaten a Canadian. In the morning session, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Im also conceded to the Americans on the 15th green for a 4 and 3 loss.

Pendrith and Conners were paired together in Friday’s final match, a close 1 up loss to Horschel and Max Homa that was decided on the 18th hole. Conners was then in Saturday’s first match of the day, about 12 hours later.

“It was an early morning but I had a great sleep last night and I was raring to go again,” said Conners. “I was a little sore leaving the golf course after being close in that match so getting back this morning I was looking forward to playing again.

It’s the first time two Canadians have played at the prestigious Presidents Cup, which will move to Royal Montreal Golf Club for the next edition in 2024. Conners and Pendrith are the only players on the international team to not yet earn a point, with three of their four losses coming at the hands of Spieth and Thomas.

That led to Spieth and Thomas being asked why they hate Canada.

“That’s not a serious question, is it?” laughed Thomas.

“We love Canada,” said Spieth. “Remember in two years, that’s where we’re going to be.”

Added Thomas: “We love Canada.”

“We try to challenge whoever we’re going to play as best we could,” said Spieth, who has an impressive 8-2-0 record when paired with Thomas at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.

“We have full trust and belief that we can beat whoever we play,” said Thomas. “Whether it’s a Presidents Cup or a Ryder Cup or a money game, we enjoy the challenge and try to embrace it.”

The first team to 15.5 points will win the biennial event that sees 12 Americans take on 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe. Sunday’s round will be singles matches, with Pendrith playing Finau and Conners taking on Schauffele.

In morning play Saturday, Scott and Matsuyama beat Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa 3 and 2 in the day’s second match. Lee and Tom Kim beat Scheffler and Burns 2 and 1. The U.S. answered back as Finau and Homa topped Si Woo Kim and Davis 4 and 3.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Taylor Pendrith centred himself over the ball, took a breath, and rolled his putt 13 feet, five inches into the hole. He pumped his fist and embraced partner Corey Conners on the 18th green as the international team celebrated on the fairway and fans cheered.

Pendrith’s putt kept the hopes of a draw against Americans Billy Horschel and Max Homa alive in the second round of the Presidents Cup, a potentially critical half point for the international team.

But Homa extinguished those hopes a moment later when he drained his 11-foot putt for a bigger fist pump, a louder cheer, and a 1 up win over the Canadians. That victory also gave the Americans a commanding 8-2 lead over the internationals on Friday at Quail Hollow Golf Club.

“I still feel like there’s some adrenalin flowing,” said Conners on the lip of the 18th green after the loss. “It’s tough. We played against some world class players.

“The atmosphere’s pretty loud, there’s a lot going on. You try to enjoy it, but it’s definitely challenging.”

This year’s Presidents Cup is the first time two Canadians have played in the event that sees 12 Americans take on 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe. Conners and Pendrith had different partners in the first round, making Friday’s pairing the first time two Canadians have ever teamed up at the event.

“To pair up today is really special,” said Conners, who also went to Kent State University with Pendrith. “Hopefully we’ve got a couple more in us, and we’ll see if we can get some points the rest of the way.”

Conners, from Listowel, Ont., will be paired with South Korea’s Sungjae Im for foursome play in the third round Saturday morning. The pairings for Saturday afternoon’s fourth round will be announced after the completion of the third round.

The first team to 15.5 points wins the PGA Tour-sponsored event, with the Americans’ sizable lead putting Sunday’s fifth round at risk of not being played at all.

Im and Colombia’s Sebastian Munoz tied Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns in the day’s second match. Chile’s Mito Pereira and South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout also tied Kevin Kisner and Cameron Young in the third match to earn the internationals their second point of the tournament.

“We’ve just got to keep fighting, man,” said team captain Trevor Immelman of South Africa. “Keep putting one foot in front of the other.

“We feel like we’ve played some pretty good golf, some solid golf tee-to-green, particularly the last couple of days, but we have absolutely been outputted. No doubt about it.”

Perennial American pairing Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas beat Australia’s Adam Scott and Cam Davis 2&1 in the day’s first match. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele downed Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and South Korea’s Tom Kim 3&2.

Both of the Canadians showed off their specialties throughout the match. Pendrith had the longest drive on eight of the foursome’s holes, consistently hitting the fairway. Conners, meanwhile, was unerring in his approach shots, regularly dropping in closest to the pin.

Their displays of power and accuracy even wowed the loudly pro-American crowd at Quail Hollow, earning loud rounds of applause, whistles as the long shots flew through the air, and calls of “Maple syrup!” and “Peameal bacon!”

“We just try to play our own games,” said Conners. “I try to do what I do well. I try to get it on the fairway, get it on the green, have some birdie looks and free up Taylor to hit the balls and attack some of those pins.”

Putting was the Canadians’ Achilles heel early in the match, however, as Horschel and Homa took a 2 up lead on the front nine. Conners birdied the par-4 11th hole and the par-4 13th to tie the match. Homa then birdied the par-4 No. 17 to set up his and Pendrith’s fateful putts.

“It stings a little bit. Max made two really nice putts on the last two holes,” said Pendrith, who is from Richmond Hill, Ont. “We battled very hard but didn’t have our best stuff early in the round. Good enough to stick around.”

Officials said that about 40,000 fans attended each of the first two days at the Presidents Cup, with a similarly large crowd expected on Saturday and, if play continues, the same number on Sunday. The most notable people in Friday’s crowds were former U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, who arrived at Quail Hollow Club several hours before Scott, Davis, Spieth and Thomas teed off in the day’s first group.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Taylor Pendrith woke up early on Thursday morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. Thoughts of his first tee shot at the Presidents Cup were running through his head, keeping him awake.

But when Pendrith laid into a 308-yard drive on the first hole at Quail Hollow Club, he felt like he belonged at the prestigious international event.

“I knew I was going (to) be nervous. I think if you’re not nervous, there’s something wrong with you,” said Pendrith. “It’s obviously a huge event with tons of history and to be a part of the squad is amazing.

“I was thinking about that tee shot for a long time but I stepped up and hit a really good one and just trusted my skills.”

Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., debuted for the international team at the Presidents Cup on Thursday. Pendrith and partner Mito Pereira of Chile battled with American Tony Finau and Max Homa until the 18th hole, eventually losing 1 up as the United States took a 4-1 lead overall.

“I think me and Mito did a good job today staying in it, giving ourselves lots of chances and staying patient,” said Pendrith, as he and Pereira rallied from a two-shot deficit after six holes to carry a tie into the final hole. “Lots of confidence moving forward to tomorrow.

“If we can come out and steal a couple of points I think we’ll be right in it.”

Conners and Pendrith, close friends who were teammates and roommates at Kent State University, will be paired together for Friday’s final match as the event’s format switches from foursomes to four ball.

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It’s the first time two Canadians have played in the best-on-best tournament that sees 12 Americans take on 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe.

Conners and South Korea’s Sungjae Im fell to Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas 2&1 in Thursday’s second match. They shook hands on the 17th green with a tie out of reach.

“We just didn’t get off to the best start in the match,” said Conners. “We battled back nicely but just couldn’t get the important putts to go in at the end there.”

South Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Australia’s Cam Davis were the only international pairing to win. After seven holes they were trailing Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns 3 up but closed out with six birdies in their last 10 holes, including four in a row on Nos. 15-18, to beat the Americans 2 up.

“It’s always more satisfying when you start off not having your best stuff and then you find a way to turn it around, especially against the calibre of players that are playing here,” said Davis.

“I was just really proud of the way I started hitting good shots when it mattered, and I was really proud of the way Woo started getting the putts at perfect speed.”

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele beat Australia’s Adam Scott and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama 6&5. Americans Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa downed Tom Kim and K.H. Lee, both from South Korea, 2&1.

Typically a biennial event, the 2021 Presidents Cup was postponed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Venues alternate between the U.S. and international locations, with Royal Montreal Golf Club scheduled to host the Presidents Cup in 2024.

This year’s edition is undeniably on American soil, with fans wearing star-spangled outfits, loudly cheering their team, and booing when international fans tried to get their own chants going.

The internationals weren’t without their supporters, however. A pair of fans from Winnipeg were dressed as Mounties despite the 35 degrees Celsius heat, with a Canadian flag draped off the grandstand tightly hugging the first tee box. They chanted Conners’s and Pendrith‘s names when they were introduced to the crowd, even if they were quickly drowned out by “U-S-A” chants.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It was crazy. It was so much fun,” said Pendrith. “Tons of people, good support for the international team.

“The first tee shot was quite the experience, got up there and hit it right down the middle and settled in after that.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Finding chemistry on the eclectic Presidents Cup international team can be a challenge, but Canadians Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith are bringing their own spark to captain Trevor Immelman’s squad.

Conners and Pendrith played together on Golf Canada’s amateur teams before becoming teammates at Kent State University and were even the best man at each other’s weddings. They’ll be making their Presidents Cup debuts on Thursday as the best-on-best tournament tees off at Quail Hollow Golf Club outside Charlotte, N.C.

“To be here with him is really special, and if we have a partnership, I think we can certainly feed off of one another,” said Conners before Wednesday’s first-round draw. “If I hit a poor shot, I know he’s going to bail me out, and if he struggles on a hole, I’m going to be giving it my all to give us a chance to win the hole.

“We’re certainly great friends and have played a lot of golf together, so I’m very confident in his ability.”

Although Immelman split the Canadians up in the first round’s draw on Wednesday afternoon, it’s likely they will have a chance to play together at the PGA Tour event that sees 12 Americans face 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe.

Conners, from Listowel, Ont., will partner with South Korea’s Sungjae Im against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in the second match of the first round. Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., will team with Chile’s Mito Pereira against Tony Finau and Max Homa in the day’s fifth match.

Pendrith said he’s enjoying sharing the honour of playing on the international team with one of his best friends.

“To be with him is really cool and comforting,” said Pendrith. “He’s probably the person I’ve played my most rounds of golf with, ever.”

Conners was an automatic selection after finishing the PGA Tour season fourth on the international team standings. He rose up from sixth after Australia’s Cam Smith and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann jumped to the Saudi-backed LIV Tour on Aug. 30, disqualifying themselves from the PGA Tour-backed Presidents Cup.

Pendrith was officially selected by Immelman on Sept. 6 after he missed four months of the PGA Tour season with a fractured rib.

The two friends have very different play styles, with Pendrith renowned for his long drives and Conners considered a surgeon with his irons.

On paper the Presidents Cup result seems like it could be a foregone conclusion.

The American team’s average world ranking is 11.58, while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama – currently No. 17 on the world rankings _ is the highest-rated member of an international team depleted by the defections to the LIV Tour. The betting line reflects that, with oddsmakers putting the Americans as -700 favourites.

History is also not on the internationals side. The United States has won the biennial event 13 times, with the internationals winning in 1998 at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia and the two sides tying in 2003 at Fancourt Hotel and Country Club in George, South Africa.

Australia’s Adam Scott has played in nine of those losses and assistant captain Geoff Ogilvy, also from Australia, said those losses have served as a motivation for his countryman.

“He just wants to win it for everybody,” said Ogilvy, adding that Scott is like a fifth assistant captain. “It’s like he wants to win it for everybody who never got a chance to win one.”

However, the players on the international squad have combined for 33 victories on the PGA Tour, including Conners’ win at the 2019 Valero Texas Open. Assistant captain Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., said there’s a lot of positivity in the international locker room.

“The mood has been great. The guys are very enthusiastic. We feel they’re up for the challenge,” said Weir. “Their games look great. There’s a great buzz in our team.”

The next Presidents Cup will be in 2024 at Royal Montreal Golf Club, which hosted the event in 2007.