Some of the most anticipated videos that emerge from Augusta National Golf Club each year are those from the par-3 16th. While there have been plenty of hole-in-one efforts during the tournament itself, as many know, it’s the pre-tournament skips across the water that really make people smile. 

But did you know that skipping a ball across the pond on 16 was started by a Canadian? 

Gary Cowan, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion at the 1972 Masters Tournament, did it for the first time. It happened in front of Ben Crenshaw, who would go on to win two Green Jackets. 

“Ben couldn’t believe what I was doing,” Cowan told the Augusta Chronicle in a recent interview.

There has been a little bit of debate who started the skipping situation, with Ken Green and Mark Calcavecchia claiming to have started it in 1987. Lee Trevino and Seve Ballesteros said they did it before that, though, in the early 1980s. People thought that was the start until photos of Tom Kite doing it in 1979 emerged. 

But that was a good seven years after the Canadian. 

Cowan, who played eight Masters Tournaments in his career (his best result was a T25 in 1964), didn’t even give a thought about what potential repercussions would be for his fun shot. 

“You know, that never crossed my mind,” Cowan told the Chronicle about whether he thought he might get in trouble by the Green Jacketed members. 

Green, meanwhile, told GolfWeek in 2016 he was quickly scolded. He had a letter from then-Chairman Hord Hardin waiting for him in his locker when he got back inside. 

“I think the words were, ‘Here at Augusta, we refrain from that sort of behavior,’” Green told GolfWeek, although that didn’t stop he and Calcavecchia from doing it again the following year. 

And now skipping the ball across the water on 16 is as traditional as pimento cheese. 

Jace Walker, Mackenzie Hughes’ caddie (and fellow Canadian) was part of one of the most-shared videos of the week from the Masters in 2022. He, along with three other caddies, all skipped shots using their players’ clubs in sync earlier this week. 

Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, meanwhile, came oh-so-close to dunking their skipped shots on back-to-back attempts. 

While making it across the pond, and coming ‘close’ is fun enough, there have been a few times when just getting it on the green wasn’t going to cut it. 

Vijay Singh, Martin Kaymer, and Jon Rahm have all skipped their ball across the water… and into the hole. 

Singh did it in 2010 with a punched 4-iron. The ball skipped three times and caught that familiar slope before rolling into the hole. Kaymer did it in 2012, while Rahm has been the most recent to do it. 

Just one day after he made an ace (the usual way!) in a Monday practice round in 2020 on the 4th hole, he skipped a ball three times (like Singh) and caught the same slope before dropping. A video of the shot, now on YouTube, has racked up nearly 3-million views. 

It’s more likely to take an average golfer 3-million tries to make it across, but every year when you see the best in the world skip a ball on the pond of the 16th hole at the most iconic golf course in the world, remember that it was a Canadian who started it all ?? ??

Tuesday at the Masters marks the day for an iconic tradition at a place that is all about traditions. 

Social media has been abuzz since last year’s win to see what kind of fine Japanese fare Hideki Matsuyama would serve up in 2022, and with his menu now revealed, he certainly didn’t disappoint. Green Jacket winners will be treated to a meal of assorted sushi, miso black cod, Japanese strawberry shortcake, and a ribeye steak of A5 Wagyu – for those non-foodies, an argument could be made it’s the finest cut of beef on the planet. 

When Mike Weir won the Masters in 2003 he made sure his Champions Dinner the following year was Canadian all the way. 

A friend of his from Brights Grove, Ont. is a chef, and he helped with the curation and cooking of the meal at Augusta National. It consisted of Canadian game meats like elk, wild boar, and Artic char. Canadian beer was served (of course!) and some of Canada’s award-winning ice wine was included with dessert. Some of those bottles remain in Augusta National’s wine cellar as an ode to Weir. 

Next year marks the 20th anniversary of Weir’s Masters triumph, and how fitting would it be if the Champions Dinner in 2023 was served by a fellow Canadian? 

Corey Conners (who has finished inside the top 10 at the last two Masters) along with Mackenzie Hughes (who made his first cut at Augusta National last year and was in the final group on Sunday at the U.S. Open) join Weir this year at the first men’s major of the year. 

The trio enjoyed a nine-hole practice game Monday afternoon as poor weather is supposed to descend upon Augusta National Tuesday. 

“We don’t get to play together much, us Canadian guys, so it’s good when our worlds collide and we can get together here and play a practice round and have a good time,” said Weir, who is hoping to see one of his countrymen join him in the Champions Locker Room, and at the Champions Dinner, sooner rather than later. 

With all this talk about food, here are a foursome of favourites of past Champions Dinners. 

Be sure to sound off on social media: What would you serve if you won the Masters? 

Vijay Singh – 2001

Singh’s Champions Dinner has long been considered as one of the best ever. In a break from tradition, Singh was able to bring in chefs from outside of Augusta National to help cook up a terrific Thai feast. The husband-and-wife pair (they own a Thai restaurant in Atlanta) flew in every ingredient from Thailand and received a standing ovation from the attendees after the meal concluded, according to Golf.com.

The menu included a seafood coconut soup, chicken curry, baked sea scallops with garlic sauce, rack of lamb, baked Chilean sea bass with chili sauce, and a lychee sorbet for dessert. 

Jordan Spieth – 2016

In an ode to fellow Masters winner – and Texan – Ben Crenshaw, Spieth, who won the Green Jacket in 2015, served up a bounty of Texas BBQ. His menu included brisket, smoked chicken, and pork ribs plus a full set of authentic fixings like corn muffins, baked beans, potato salad, and sauteed green beans. A warmed chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream was served for dessert. 

Tiger Woods – 1998

All eyes were on Woods who, as a 21-year-old, re-wrote the record books at Augusta National in 1997 when he won the Masters by 12 shots. And then all eyes were on him again in 1998, because what does a 22-year-old serve at the Champions Dinner?

Turns out, it’s exactly what you expect it to be: Cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, and milkshakes. 

Woods went on to win four more Green Jackets after that initial triumph and his tastes have evolved, so to speak. In 2002 and 2003 he served the same menu (porterhouse steak and sushi as an appetizer). In 2006 he went Mexican (steak and chicken fajitas) and in 2020 he combined some of his favourites and served sushi as an appetizer with steak and chicken fajitas as the main. 

Sergio Garcia – 2018

While there have been plenty of home-grown menus served in the past (Adam Scott, Charl Schwartzel, Danny Willet, and Angel Cabrera have all served up dishes from their home countries of Australia, South Africa, England, and Argentina, respectively), a special nod should go to Sergio Garcia after his breakthrough major win in 2017. 

Garcia, of Spain, started with an international salad as inspired by the countries of each Masters Champion. From there, the Champions dined on traditional Spanish lobster rice and finished with Tres Leches cake (it’s a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk) made by his wife, Angela. 

The boxes weren’t flying off the shelves. They weren’t even making it onto the shelves. The Masters has gone gnome-mad.

Yes. Gnomes. The must-have item at the Masters this year isn’t any of the shirts or pullovers or caps with the tournament’s logo that can only be bought by those who are lucky enough to have secured a way onto the grounds of Augusta National.

Instead, the gnome is all the rage. Just ask Tom Frettoloso, who left his house at 4 a.m. on Tuesday to get to Augusta National and was headed back to his vehicle by 8 a.m. – without having seen a single golfer take a single swing.

He had a bunch of souvenirs, including two gnomes. He wouldn’t say how he got two; signage in the store said the Masters was limiting them to one per person.

“I’m self-employed and need to get to work,” said Frettoloso, a house painter, who was weaving his way toward the gates while thousands of people were walking the other way onto the Augusta National grounds. “But I’ve gotten the gnomes just about every year. I got a ticket for the practice round and here I am and now I’m done.”

Gnomes made their Masters debut in 2016 and were a quick hit, though nobody seems to remember them being as much of a phenomenon as they are this week.

There’s a couple different versions of gnomes this year; the one that hundreds of people were lined up to get Tuesday morning was this year’s version of a caddy, standing about a foot high, dressed in a green-and-white striped Masters shirt, khakis, green-and-white shoes, a yellow cap and with a bag of clubs slung over his right shoulder.

Asking price at the Masters: $49.50 USD.

Asking price online: Most were going for somewhere between $150 and $500 on Tuesday, depending on where you looked. The smaller version -a mini-gnome in the traditional white Masters caddie attire – could be had for considerably less.

On Tuesday, a worker at the store tried to reload the shelf with more product. The mission was futile: Shoppers were grabbing them as soon as they went on the shelf, and sometimes right from the worker himself.

“People will buy anything,” someone mused in the checkout line.

That they will, whether it’s gnomes, shirts, belts, hats and anything else they can get with the Masters logo. There’s countless reasons why: not everyone can get to the Masters since the ticket is among the toughest in sports, and the Masters also doesn’t sell merchandise online – except for some images, the Masters Journal and the Masters Annual that recaps tournament week.

And for the record, many on-site shoppers got bad news once they got into the Masters store Tuesday.

The gnomes were gone.

Tiger Woods is wearing Nike apparel this week, as always.

Except the shoes.

Such is the power of Woods: Not only is his mere presence at Augusta National this week a huge story—whether he decides to play in the Masters—but he’s also created a huge side story by showing up for practice rounds Sunday and Monday wearing FootJoy shoes.

Woods hasn’t explained the change yet; he’s scheduled to address reporters Tuesday. It would make sense if the change was related to what are likely different physical needs now that he’s trying to play on a right leg that was badly damaged in a car crash last year.

A statement released by Nike seemed to indicate that was the case: “Like golf fans around the world, we are delighted to see Tiger back on the course. He is an incredible athlete, and it is phenomenal to see him returning to the game at this level. His story continues to transcend sport and inspire us all. As he continues his return, we will work with him to meet his new needs.”

Everything else about Woods’ on-course ensembles has been as expected: His cap still bears the distinctive “TW” logo that has been his personal Nike branding for years, his short-sleeve shirts had the iconic Nike swoosh on the left side of the chest. Technically, Nike was on his feet, too—when counting the socks.

Woods wore Nike shoes when the world most recently saw him play, back in December at the PNC Challenge, a 36-hole scramble on a flat Florida course where he and his son Charlie finished second to John Daly and his son. Woods was allowed to use a cart in that event. The demands of playing the Masters simply wouldn’t even compare, with the steep slopes and length of Augusta National serving as one of the tougher walks in golf.

Woods has been an endorser of Nike since 1996.

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TORONTO, April 4, 2022 — RBC is pleased to announce the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open, featuring headlining performances by three-time Grammy Award-winning pop rock band Maroon 5 and hip-hop icon Flo Rida.

RBC, along with its partners Live Nation Canada and Golf Canada, looks forward to the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series. Building on the success of the inaugural event held in 2019, which saw sold out performances from headliners Florida Georgia Line and The Glorious Sons, this year’s tournament once again promises an unforgettable experience for golf and music fans alike. The concert series, which was first introduced to attract new, younger fans to the sport of golf, is a celebration of the return of live music in Canada.

The concerts will take place near the iconic St. George’s Golf and Country Club on the athletic field of Toronto’s Richview Collegiate Institute and will feature performances on both the Friday and Saturday evenings of tournament week.

Canadians will have the opportunity to see Flo Rida live in concert at the RBC Canadian Open on Friday, June 10, 2022.

“I can’t wait to return to Toronto this year,” said Flo Rida. “I love performing for my Canadian fans and I’m excited to kick off the summer with them.”

In addition, Maroon 5 will close the Concert Series with a headlining performance on Saturday, June 11, 2022.

“We are excited to announce the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series, and we look forward to welcoming world-renowned artists Maroon 5 and Flo Rida to Canada,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “We introduced the concert series in 2019, with the idea to create an unforgettable fan experience for golf and music fans alike. The result was our most successful RBC Canadian Open to date and we are eager to build on that early momentum with the return of the tournament this year.”

“We are thrilled to be bringing even more live music back to Canadians in 2022,” said Wayne Zronik, President Live Nation Canada. “RBC has been a committed partner to us, and it’s great to work together again on the Concert Series while supporting the growth of music in Canada through its program First Up with RBCxMusic, dedicated to helping emerging artists with performance, mentorship and networking opportunities.”

“Golf Canada is thrilled that RBC will continue to integrate the RBCxMusic platform within the RBC Canadian Open, offering fans the unique opportunity to see both world class golf and world class music at Canada’s National Championship,” said Golf Canada Chief Commercial Officer John Sibley. “The Concert Series was an overwhelming success in 2019 and will once again attract new fans to experience the energy and excitement of the RBC Canadian Open.”

In addition to must-see music performances, fans can expect exciting spectator experiences, including a dedicated food and beverage area—the Recipe Unlimited Fare Way, and the return of The Rink on the 16^th hole, awarded 2018 best-in-class element by the PGA TOUR.

Exclusively for RBC clients and new for 2022, an allotment of RBCxMusic Tickets are now available for purchase on Ticketmaster. With the purchase of every RBCxMusic Ticket, RBC clients will receive a $10 Concert Cash^® code, redeemable towards a future concert ticket purchase.

RBCxMusic Tickets are only available for Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11 of the RBC Canadian Open. Tickets are available to the general public for purchase on RBCCanadianOpen.com. Tickets for Friday and Saturday are $90 (plus tax and service charges). The event is General Admission / All Ages. Tickets are all-inclusive: your tournament day pass is your concert ticket.                                                                       

San Antonio, TX – With The Masters just one week away, the PGA TOUR headed to TPC San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open. On day four of the tournament, Adam Hadwin would shoot 5-under 67 and would birdie five of his last seven holes to earn him a T4 finish.

“Obviously today was an incredible finish,” said Hadwin. “It’s a tricky golf course and when the wind blows, the landing areas on the greens are so small, you’ve got to be extremely precise. I hit some good shots on the front. I think my short game kind of let me down. I would have liked to get a couple more up and down today on the first 10, but I hit a lot of really good shots those last seven holes, gave myself a lot of chances and was able to capitalize on five of them obviously. Getting the last two, 17 and 18, were huge and just another good solid week overall.”

Hadwin would finish just three shots back of leader J.J. Spaun with the performance earning the B.C. resident his third straight top 10 finish for the first time in his PGA TOUR career.

Corey Conners shot 67 in the closing round to finish the weekend T35 at five-under. Roger Sloan recorded 72 at two-under.

First played in 1922, the Valero Texas Open is the third oldest PGA TOUR tournament following the Western Open (1899), and the RBC Canadian Open (1904).

Full leaderboard here.

Once again, Corey Conners is rounding into midseason form in March.

Conners shot up nine spots to No. 32 on the world golf rankings, matching his personal best, after beating former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson on Sunday to take third at the World Golf Championship-Dell Technologies Match Play event. His ascension up the world rankings comes as he returns to the Valero Texas Open, which he won in 2019 for his only victory on the PGA Tour.

“I feel like my game has been trending upwards for a while. I had a little inconsistency maybe to begin this year but I’ve had some solid finishes and I feel like I’m striking it well,” said Conners before play began at TPC San Antonio. “Last week, my ball striking was great and I was able to get the putter going a little bit as well, made some important putts when I needed to.”

The Texas Open was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so Conners was the reigning champion last year and therefore the focus of all the on-site advertising, including being featured on the key cards of the players’ hotel. American Jordan Spieth won it in 2021, taking some of the spotlight off Conners heading into this edition of the Texas Open.

“This is definitely a special place to come to even though I’m not on the room keys of the hotel this year,” said Conners with a laugh. “Jordan took over that as the defending champion, but it’s it’s a cool place, a special place to me.”

The native of Listowel, Ont., has had two top-10 finishes this season, starting with a tie for fifth at the QBE Shootout (not an official PGA Tour event) on Dec. 12 and then his third-place finish at the WGC. He also has two 11th-place finishes, first at the Sony Open in Hawaii on Jan. 16 and then at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 6.

He said hard work has been critical to his recent success.

“I’ve been trying to mess around with a few technical changes in my short game and putting, but definitely been working really hard,” said Conners. “That’s been a big focus in my practice, particularly when I’m home, just trying to use my feel and creativity and have a lot more trust that I can get the shots”

Conners is one of six Canadians in the field at TPC San Antonio this week. He’s joined by Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, both from Abbotsford, B.C., Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., at TPC San Antonio.

The winner of the Texas Open will earn one of the final spots at next week’s Masters. Indeed, the first of Conners’ three appearances at the Masters as a pro was thanks to his win at the Texas Open in 2019. He tied for 46th at Augusta that year but finished in the top 10 in 2020 and 2021, 10th and eighth respectively.

“I feel like I can definitely be one of the top players in the world but I feel like I’ve got room for improvement in my game,” said Conners. “I certainly like where everything is at right now and where things are trending.”

Full leaderboard for the Valero Texas Open, here.

Scottie Scheffler, whose hot run of golf through the early part of 2022 has earned him the No.1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking, will make his RBC Canadian Open debut this summer. 

The 25-year-old captured the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play with a 4 & 3 win over Kevin Kisner in the finale. His first WGC title was his third PGA Tour victory in his last five starts. 

After his WGC triumph, Scheffler became the 25th man to reach No. 1 since the Official World Golf Ranking debuted in 1986. 

A celebrated amateur and college star at the University of Texas, Scheffler broke through for his first Tour win at the WM Phoenix Open in February before winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard in early March. 

It took Scheffler 92 starts to get to No.1. Only Tiger Woods (21 starts) and fellow Texan Jordan Spieth (77 starts) needed fewer starts as a professional to ascend to the top of golf’s ranking.

He is the sixth-youngest player to reach the top spot in the history of the ranking and couldn’t have drawn up a better start to his professional career. 

Scheffler turned pro in the summer of 2018 and earned Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year honours the next year thanks to two victories. Eighteen months ago, he was named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. 

He was also part of the United States’ winning Ryder Cup team last fall. He earned his spot on the team by finishing in the top 20 in each of the four majors in 2021, and inside the top 10 in three of the four. 

And now Canadian golf fans will have the opportunity to cheer him on in person this summer.  

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic the RBC Canadian Open is set to return June 6-12 with Scheffler a part of an exciting field expected at St. George’s Golf and Country Club this summer.More field announcements are set for the coming weeks, along with the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Tickets are available here.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Scottie Scheffler is the hottest player in golf and now has the ranking to prove it.

Six weeks after his first PGA Tour victory, Scheffler won the Dell Technologies Match Play for his third title in his last five starts, this one enough to move him to No. 1 in the world.

One year after losing in the championship match, the 250-year-old Scheffler never trailed against Kevin Kisner, building a 3-up lead through six holes and giving him no chance to catch up. Scheffler closed him out with a par on the 15th for a 4-and-3 victory.

Scheffler never trailed in the semifinal win over Dustin Johnson or against Kisner – he went the final 57 holes at Austin Country Club without trailing – and he was so solid in the championship match that Kisner didn’t win a hole.

Scheffler won at Austin Country Club, where the Texas Longhorns occasionally practiced. Scheffler earned a business degree in four years without summer school.

Scheffler won the Phoenix Open six week ago, and followed that with a win at Bay Hill to move to No. 5 in the world. He needed help from Jon Rahm to get to the top. Rahm, who had been No. 1 since July 18, lost in the fourth round in 19 holes to Brooks Koepka. That paved the way for Scheffler to replace him by winning the Match Play.

He’s the sixth-youngest player to reach No. 1 since the world ranking began in 1986. Scheffler joined Kisner as the only players to win the Match Play the year after losing in the championship match. Scheffler $2.1 million.

In the morning semfinals, Scheffler beat Johnson 3-1, and Kisner edged Corey Conners 2 up. Conners beat Johnson 3 and 1 in the consolation match. The Listowel, Ont., native was the first Canadian ever to advance to the semifinals.

“And I feel like I’ve done a good job this week. Left a few out there today, but the course is tricky. But yeah, feel great about all parts of my game.”

Adam Hadwin, a lifelong Blue Jays fan, was floored when he was introduced to the honorary observers that would be following his pairing in the final round of the Valspar Championship on Sunday: Toronto relievers Ryan Borucki and Jordan Romano.

“There was some guys standing on the tee and I just kind of went up and I didn’t recognize them, I had no idea who they were,” said Hadwin, who threw out the first pitch before a Jays game at Rogers Centre in July 2018.

“Ryan introduced himself and I kind of had to do like a triple take and I’m like wait a second, I know that name!”

Borucki, who said he watches the PGA Tour almost every weekend, said it was a really cool moment for him and Romano, who is from Markham, Ont.

“Right when I introduced myself, I said, ‘Hey, my name is Ryan Borucki. This is Jordan Romano,’ and Adam’s like, ‘Wait, really? Like no way,”’ said Borucki. “It was just a cool feeling because I idolize PGA golfers and just that he knew who me and Jordan were.

“I remember he walked away and me and Jordan were like ‘that was really cool.”’

Borucki and Romano are self-professed “very avid golf fans” and are currently attending Blue Jays spring training camp in Dunedin, Fla., a short 20-minute drive from Innisbrook Golf Club, the host facility for the Valspar Championship.

When the two pitchers were told they had the option of trailing Hadwin for the day, the choice was obvious.

“We’ve got to go with Hadwin. Obviously, Canadian guy, we know that he’s a huge Blue Jays fan. We have to support our guy,” said Borucki. “The minute we met him, he’s such a good guy, so friendly.

“He was so good to us while we were out there and it was really a pleasure being able to follow him the entire round.”

Hadwin, from Abbotsford, B.C., started the fourth day of the event in contention but shot a 1-over 72 in the final round to tie for seventh. He finished at 12 under overall five shots back of eventual winner Sam Burns, who beat Davis Riley in a playoff.

“I hope they enjoyed the day,” said Hadwin of the Blue Jays pitchers. “I wish I had played a little bit better in front of them but it was amazing having a couple guys from the team that I root for support me during that final round.”

Borucki, who had only attended one PGA Tour event in person before, loved his time on the course with Hadwin.

“Being able to walk inside the ropes is just an experience in itself.” said Borucki. “It was definitely one of the best days of my life as a baseball player, and as a PGA Tour fan. Oh, I was in heaven out there.”

Although he was disappointed in his final result, it was Hadwin’s second consecutive top-10 finish. He tied for ninth at the Players’ Championship the previous week. The two strong showings elevated him up to 44th in the FedEx Cup rankings on Monday.

“I was able to do that the last couple of weeks through some golf courses that aren’t exactly easy in some situations.”