Last year, Canadian golf fans were treated to a truly momentous year in Canadian golf.

Highlighted by Nick Taylor cementing his place in Canadian sports history with his unforgettable 72-foot winning putt to become the first Canadian to win the RBC Canadian Open in 69 years. The silhouette of Taylor’s iconic putter toss now finds it’s permanent place as the tournament’s official logo.

While there is much to celebrate from this year’s on-course performances, milestones off the course deserve as much attention.

Year end is often time for pause and reflection on moments and experiences that helped to shape our past season. 2024 is no different, with much to reflect upon and celebrate that was simply, good for the game.

Golf, It’s Good For You – Ahead of World Health Day, Golf Canada launched a season-long campaign that highlights the many health benefits that the sport can provide. The campaign – Golf, It’s Good for You – focused on golf’s positive physical, mental and social benefits to significantly improve one’s quality of life.

All of the World Health Organization’s key criteria for health enhancing physical activity can be achieved through golf. It is an activity that incorporates strength, balance, endurance and cognitive challenges, and has also been shown to improve cardiovascular fitness, enhance mental agility and foster social connections. In recent studies, it’s even been found to combat over 40+ chronic diseases.

Along with the launch of the campaign a golf and health website along with enhancements to Golf Canada’s Mobile App were introduced. For more information on the many health benefits the game can provide, please click here.

Expansion of She Plays Golf Festivals and introduction of new Championship Series – She Plays Golf was first piloted in Calgary in 2023 and expanded to the Greater Vancouver Area and Greater Toronto Area in 2024 providing more programming and opportunities for women to try golf. She Plays Golf festivals feature inclusive programming for women and girls, addressing gaps in the participation pathway and introducing new women and girls to the game in a safe, fun and judgement-free environment.

Three week-long festivals featured 23 events at 18 golf facilities with over 800 women and girls engaged in She Plays Golf programming. Over 580 festival participants who were new to golf experienced activities led by close to 90 women coaches and volunteers.

In addition to the festivals, a new championship series was introduced featuring three enhanced 54-hole tournaments. The Peloton Glencoe Invitational, GOLFBC Group BC Women’s Open and the ORORO PGA Women’s Championship of Canada were part of the She Plays Golf Championship Series in 2024. In addition to prize money, the top two finishers at each event earned direct exemptions into the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open. Team Canada members Lauren Kim and Anna Huang (Peloton Glencoe Invitational), Ellie Szeryk and Brooke Rivers (GolfBC Group BC Women’s Open) and Michelle Xing and Katie Cranston (ORORO PGA Women’s Championship) earned exemptions.

Plans for She Plays Golf in 2025 will be announced in the new year, for more information, please click here.

First Tee – Canada fully operational coast-to-coast – 2024 officially marked First Tee – Canada programming being available in every province across the country. In addition to this significant advancement, First Tee – Canada achieved another milestone by surpassing 100,000 participants since its inception in 2021. This year alone, First Tee – Canada provided programming to over 84,500 participants at 386 facilities (golf facilities, schools and community centres) led by 239 coaches across Canada. Seventy per cent of programming was offered at no cost to participants and 74 per cent of partnered schools and community centres serve equity-deserving communities with 45 per cent of participants identifying as BIPOC and 41 per cent identifying as female.

The continued growth of First Tee – Canada reflects the sustained impact of corporate and champion donors driving the philanthropic excellence of the Golf Canada Foundation which experienced another banner year with more than $11.2 million in funds raised in support of the game of which $5.487 million was for First Tee – Canada.

Youth On Course will be fully national in 2025 – In 2024, over 32,900 rounds of golf at $5 or less were played with 5,382 unique participants marking significant increases for both. Youth On Course programming was available across nine provinces and 105 golf courses participated in the program that saw expansion to Manitoba and Saskatchewan. 2025 will see planned expansion into Quebec, making the program fully national.

Inaugural BDO National Golf League champions crowned – The BDO National Golf League was launched ahead of the 2023 season as a nationwide, season-long competition to enhance weekly recreational league experiences for men, women and junior golfers. The inaugural season saw 10,000 participants from 107 leagues from coast-to-coast. Scoring followed a 9-hole net stableford format that took place during a six-week period of a club’s league season. Within those six weeks, the best four scores were used to determine the individuals that would advance to the provincial championships for a chance to be one of 52 pairings that would compete for the league championship at Hamilton Golf and Country Club the weekend before the RBC Canadian Open.

Storyline twists occurred during the championship round thanks to inclement weather that halted play on two occasions, resulting in a re-formatting of play. To complete the championship, pairings played their respective nine holes, with the top teams from the back and front nine then meeting in a playoff for the championship.

Tim Charles and Peter Morse were crowned the inaugural champions of the BDO National Golf League following a playoff win over Reid Middleton and Brian Thorne. Morse drained a lengthy putt to claim the championship for the Nova Scotia duo.

Along with becoming the inaugural champions, Charles and Morse travelled to Royal Troon in Troon, Scotland to represent Canada in The R&A 9 Hole Challenge one-week prior to the 152nd Open Championship as part of winning the national championship. For more information on the league and how to get involved, click here.

Golf – the number one participation sport in Canada – This past year saw an increase in public playing members with a Golf Canada membership. This year also marks back-to-back years of 10 million+ scores being posted by Golf Canada members. Last year marked the first time that the 10 million milestone had been reached and Golf Canada members surpassed that number in 2024 with 10.6 million scores posted to the Golf Canada Score Centre! For more information on a Golf Canada membership, click here. For more information or to download Golf Canada’s Mobile App, click here.

Canadians competing with the world’s best – Canadians continued to find themselves on the world’s biggest stage as Nick Taylor, Corey Conners, Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp wore the Maple Leaf at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Henderson and Sharp were competing in their third consecutive Olympic Games since golf was re-introduced at Rio 2016. In three games, Henderson has earned finishes of 7, T29 and T13. Conners earned the best men’s finish since golf returned with a T9 finish in Paris.

Canadian Golf Hall of Famer, Mike Weir was named Captain of the International Team for the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Que. Joining Weir were Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith who were Captain’s picks for the International Team. After a difficult opening day, the International Team responded by winning all five foursome matches on Friday to sit tied heading into the weekend. In the end, Team U.S.A. retained the title, winning 18.5 – 11.5 over Team International. Conners and Pendrith both earned two full points for their team during the biennial event. The 2026 Presidents Cup will take place at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, Ill.

Canadian golf fans set new records in Hamilton and Calgary – Canadian golf fans took in both National Open Championships in record numbers this past year. Over 209,000 fans combined attended the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open setting new attendance records for both tournaments.

The success of Canada’s National Open Championships was recognized by both the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour in their season-ending tournament recognition awards. The RBC Canadian Open took home the PGA TOUR’s Best Marketing Initiative award for the logo and branding of the tournament changing to Nick Taylor’s iconic putter toss silhouette. Originally designed to be a one-year tribute, the change will now be permanent.

The CPKC Women’s Open was awarded the Gold Driver Award for Best Volunteer Appreciation. Volunteerism was a critical part of the success of the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, Alta. The tournament was conducted for the first time at Earl Grey and saw 1,300 dedicated volunteers, whose positions were filled ahead of schedule, help to deliver an exceptional experience in Calgary. To recognize the work of its volunteers, the tournament hosted a Volunteer Appreciation Day which included a complimentary breakfast, happy hour and gifts that were given to all volunteers to celebrate the 50th playing of Canada’s National Women’s Open.

Offering more tournaments and pathways for Canadian amateur golfers – This season saw the introduction of a new championship added to the amateur championship calendar with the debut of the Canadian U15 Championship. The tournament provided young players the opportunity to compete for a national championship while receiving information about the high-performance journey through an educational summit following play.

Golf Canada also introduced the inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational, bringing some of the best NCAA Division I Men’s teams north of the border. The event will expand to include a women’s competition in 2025.

In total, 12 national amateur championships, 16 qualifiers, six NextGen tournaments and two Team Canada NextGen selection camps provided Canadians with opportunities to compete coast-to-coast from the junior level all the way to the senior ranks. The season concluded with the World Junior Girls Golf Championship which showcased some of the brightest upcoming golfers from around the world.

Lisa Meldrum becomes the 86th inductee into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame – In keeping with the importance of celebrating Canadian golf excellence, Lisa Meldrum of Montreal, Que. was named the 86th member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in February.

Meldrum enjoyed an accomplished junior and amateur career, having won 12 championships between 1997 and 2003.

Her successful competitive run was highlighted by winning the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship three consecutive years in a row from 2001 to 2003. During that time SCOREGolf recognized her as the Best Female Amateur Golfer in Canada all three years. Prior to the Canadian Women’s Amateur three-peat, Meldrum won the 1998 Canadian Juvenile Girls Championship and the 2000 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, later earning SCOREGolf’s Best Female Junior Golfer recognition in 2000.

For more on Meldrum’s incredible career, please click here.

A new home for Canadian Golf – Phase one of construction on a new home for Canadian golf is well underway at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. Originally announced in July 2022, the 26,000 sq. ft. facility will be the national headquarters of Golf Canada along with the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum. Elements of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame can already be found in the main clubhouse and locker rooms at TPC Toronto. Lockers and memorabilia highlighting Canadian golf legends and significant moments in both the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open history are now part of the fabric at TPC Toronto. The new facility will also be the national headquarters for First Tee – Canada and will include an 18-hole publicly accessible community putting green. To follow the progress and for more information on the new home for Canadian golf, please click here.

From the season’s opening drive to the final putt and the many volunteers, partners and stakeholders who support Canadian golf, there is much to celebrate and reflect upon that was simply, good for the game in 2024.

The Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) has announced its Golf Story of the Year, along with various Player of the Year awards for the 2024 season.

“GJAC is pleased to recognize Canadian professional and amateur golfers again this year with our year-end Player and Canadian Golf Story of the Year awards,” said Mike Johnny, president of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. “The competitive golf landscape in Canada continues to thrive, with successes across multiple tours and levels of competition. At home, participation in the game remains high, and grassroots initiatives to expand engagement in golf are flourishing. From the Presidents Cup to the World Junior Girls Championship, to name just two, Canada is always proud to showcase the best players coming to compete on the world stage.”

Here are the Story of the Year and Players of the Year for the 2024 season:

Presidents Cup Return to Royal Montreal Named GJAC Story of the Year

The Presidents Cup returned to the Royal Montreal Golf Club, the site of Canada’s first time hosting the event in 2007. Under the leadership of International Team captain Mike Weir, two Canadians—Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith—were selected to join Canadian qualifier Corey Conners.

The Americans won the biennial competition 17–10 for their 10th straight victory.

While hosting this event in Canada was significant, it was Weir’s leadership and the numerous storylines of Canadian player participation that created positive energy among Canadian golf fans.

Taylor Pendrith Named Male Professional of the Year

Pendrith’s most successful year on tour was capped with his first PGA Tour victory at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, along with seven top-10 finishes in 2024. Advancing to the Tour Championship, Pendrith finished tied for 14th in the season-long FedEx Cup standings.

Pendrith was named to his second Presidents Cup team, playing in all five sessions and tying for the International Team lead with two points.

He ended the year ranked 47th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Brooke Henderson Named Female Professional Player of the Year

Canada’s most accomplished professional golfer was named Female Professional Player of the Year for 2024. With nine top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour and her selection to Canada’s Olympic golf team, Henderson continued to lead as Canada’s top female golfer. She ended the season ranked 13th in the CME Race to the Globe standings on the LPGA Tour.

Henderson finished the year ranked 25th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.

Ashton McCulloch Named Male Amateur of the Year

McCulloch, a sophomore at Michigan State University and a member of Team Canada, had a standout season. He did not finish lower than tied for seventh in all 2024 competitions, including a victory at The Johnnie-O at Sea Island. He also qualified for the U.S. Amateur and advanced to the round of 16, while finishing second at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

McCulloch competed in the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst, shooting 75-75.

Lauren Kim Named Female Amateur of the Year

Kim, a sophomore at the University of Texas, capped off a successful season with a collegiate victory at the Glencoe Invitational, earning an exemption to compete in the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open. She also finished tied for third at the Big 12 Women’s Golf Championship and fifth at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

Kim, a member of Team Canada, is currently ranked 25th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

For more info about GJAC, visit www.gjac.ca.

South Korea’s Si Woo Kim missed a birdie putt on No. 18 to lose to Keegan Bradley as the United States clinched an 18 1/2 to 12 1/2 win over the International team at the Presidents Cup.

Bradley’s victory gave the Americans the 15 1/2 points required to win the tournament with five matches still on the course Sunday at Royal Montreal Golf Club.

It’s the U.S.’s 10th consecutive win at the elite biennial tournament.

The Presidents Cup sees 12 Americans play 12 golfers from around the world, excluding Europe. 

All 24 golfers played in individual matches in the final round, with the Internationals entering the day trailing by four points.

Each match is worth a point and a score of 15 1/2 is needed to win the tournament. The Americans held an 11-7 lead heading into the final round, meaning the Internationals needed to take at least eight matches and earn one tie out of the 12 pairings to win.

The largest final-round comeback in Presidents Cup history was when the Americans rallied from a two-point deficit at Australia’s Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 2019.

Medinah Country Club outside Chicago will host the next Presidents Cup in 2026.

Xander Schauffele got the first match of the day done quickly, beating Australia’s Jason Day 4&3.

South Korea’s Tom Kim, easily the most outspoken member of the International team, backed up his words with a birdie on No. 15 to earn a draw with Sam Burns.

World No. 7 Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, the highest-ranked member of the Internationals, eked out a 1-Up win over world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. 

At almost the same time, Russell Henley completed a 3&2 victory over South Korea’s Sungjae Im.

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., breathed life into the Internationals’ cause with a 5&3 win over Tony Finau in the Canadian’s best performance of the week.

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., conceded to Patrick Cantlay on the 16th green for a 3&1 loss to move the Americans to within a point of winning the tournament.

Si Woo Kim could have tied his match against Bradley if he’d sunk his birdie putt on No. 18, but he missed for the 1-Up loss.

After the Americans clinched their victory, play continued. 

Australia’s Min Woo Lee birdied the par-4 No. 18 to earn a tie with Wyndham Clark. Sanith Theegala missed his birdie putt on the 18th green to tie South Korea’s Byeong Hun An.

Collin Morikawa then earned a 2&1 victory over Australia’s Adam Scott before South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout topped Brian Harman 2&1.

Max Homa beat Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., 2&1 in the tournament’s final match. It was the first time that three Canadians played in the event.

The line between showmanship and bad sportsmanship was blurred a little more on the third day of the Presidents Cup.

Si Woo Kim ran on to the 16th green after he drained a chip in from the deep rough, cradling his head on folded hands, emulating the go-to-sleep celebration of Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry, as he celebrated he and fellow South Korean Tom Kim tying their match with Americans Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.

Two holes later, Cantlay drained a birdie putt to help the United States build an 11-7 lead over the International team in a long day at the Presidents Cup. Tom Kim — no stranger to exuberant celebrations — said a line was crossed by his American opponents during the match.

“Towards the end, it got a little feisty out there,” said Tom Kim. “I could hear some players cursing at us. I don’t think there was good sportsmanship there.

“But it’s all part of the fun. I understand it.”

Cantlay’s nearly 17-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th hole at Royal Montreal Golf Club gave the U.S. back-to-back 3-1 rounds on Saturday and a four-point lead on the overall scoreboard.

The elite biennial tournament sees 12 Americans face 12 golfers from around the world, excluding Europe. The final round will have all 24 golfers playing individual matches.

Each match is worth a point and a score of 15 1/2 is needed to win the tournament. The Internationals have lost nine Presidents Cups in a row.

Whipping the fans at Royal Montreal into a frenzy has been one of the strategies employed by the Internationals as they try to end their losing skid and overcome a stacked American roster that features five of the top 10 players in the world.

Tom Kim has been the International team’s conductor on the course, playing to the fans the most of any of the tournament’s golfers. Still, he maintained a line was crossed Saturday.

“I do it, too. You see me out there throwing fist pumps and jumping on the green. It’s all part of it, I get it,” he said. “I just don’t think there’s a need to look at someone and curse at them. I just don’t think there’s a need for it.”

Schauffele and Cantlay said they didn’t swear at their opponents and didn’t hear any of their American teammates — trailing behind the group in golf carts — curse either.

“I felt like Pat and I, we treated the Kims with the utmost respect,” said Schauffele, adding that he and Cantaly both tried to quiet the crowd whenever they or their opponents were about to swing.

“I have no clue if anyone was doing any of that. I don’t believe any of our guys would do something like that. So I’m not sure what he was hearing.”

A fog delay that lasted nearly 100 minutes early in the morning session backed up the entire day’s proceedings. Players were on the course for more than 12 hours.

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Australia’s Adam Scott were starting their second match of the day with Max Homa and Brian Harman as Cantlay and Sam Burns were on No. 17, finishing a 2&1 victory over Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and South Korea’s Sungjae Im from the first wave.

The other afternoon matches were delayed 30 minutes to allow the golfers time to refresh after playing all morning.

Pendrith and Scott traded holes with Harman and Homa to emerge with a 2-Up win for the Internationals’ only point of the afternoon’s fourth round.

“It was a quick turnaround, but we all knew that we were potentially going to play 36 today,” said Pendrith. “It was a long day out there. I’m pretty tired, yeah.

“I was happy to put a point on the board this afternoon for the International Team, but it’s been a long day.”

Collin Morikawa and Burns eked out a 1-Up win over the all-Canadian duo of Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., in the afternoon. That match was tied after 17 holes, with Conners and Hughes combining for a bogey on the final hole.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley won their final three holes for a 3&2 victory over Matsuyama and Im.

The score was tied 5-5 at the start of play Saturday and the U.S. recaptured the lead after a 3-1 third round of four-ball play in the morning.

Scheffler and Morikawa earned a 2&1 win over Scott and Pendrith, then Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim picked up the lone point for the Internationals in the morning session with a 4&3 victory over Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark.

Tony Finau and Schauffele then dispatched Conners and Hughes 3&2. Cantlay and Burns earned the Americans’ third point of the day with their win over Matsuyama and Im.

South Korea’s Tom Kim and Canada’s Taylor Pendrith called on International team fans to be louder at Royal Montreal Golf Club after a disappointing first round at the Presidents Cup.

The spectators answered that call on Friday.

A boisterous gallery chanted “I-N-T,” sang “O Canada!”, and generally made their presence known at virtually every hole as the Internationals stormed back with a 5-0 second-round shutout to tie the United States 5-5 in the overall score at the elite biennial men’s golf tournament.

Resounding wins by Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and South Korea’s Sungjae Im, Australia’s Adam Scott and Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., and the all-Canadian pairing of Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., whipped the crowd into a frenzy.

“The fans really brought it. We felt that from the get-go,” said Hughes, who did not play in Thursday’s first round. “Corey mentioned that the first tee felt a lot different today than it did yesterday. Just electric all day.

“I joked to Corey on No. 2 tee, I said ‘how many times will we hear ‘O Canada’ today? What was the over-under?'”

Whatever line Hughes and Conners settled on, the galleries at Royal Montreal almost certainly were over. Kim and Pendrith had both said on Thursday that fans needed to make as much noise as possible to boost the International squad against a U.S. lineup that features five of the top 10 players in the world.

A day later, Kim said the fans were “unbelievable.” 

“I think the reason why we were able to play so good today, other than these guys going out and performing, was our fans backed us up,” said Kim, who did not play on Friday. “I think that gives you momentum, that gives you energy. 

“They played a huge factor in our win today.”

The elite biennial tournament sees 12 Americans face 12 golfers from around the world, excluding Europe. International team captain Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., selected four-ball as the first-round format and alternate ball foursomes for Friday. Saturday will have two rounds, four-ball and foursomes.

Each match is worth a point and the first team to 15 1/2 wins the tournament, which made the U.S. 5-0 first-round lead seem insurmountable before the comeback.

“No doubt yesterday was a tough day for us,” said Scott. “The scoreboard, which is the only thing that matters, looked terrible.

“It was closer than the scoreboard showed. Our spirits were high going back on the bus last night, some time together in the team room last night, kept the energy going, the spirits high.”

Hughes agreed.

“We’re just having fun. This is like the most fun group to be a part of. We sang. We laughed the whole way home last night,” said Hughes, grinning. “We were on the bus this morning, and the vibe was great. We just knew we had a lot of golf in front of us.”

Unlike the Americans’ 5-0 four-ball sweep in Thursday’s first round, the Internationals’ victories were not close.

Matsuyama and Im set the tone early with a 7&6 win over Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in the day’s opening match.

Pendrith and Scott kept things rolling with a 6&5 victory over Sahith Theegala and Collin Morikawa.

Although the fourth match of the day, the all-Canadian team of Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., won next with a 6&5 triumph over Wyndham Clark and Tony Finau.

“It obviously helped that a few guys went out early and got some leads,” said Hughes. “It just felt like the momentum was really infectious. You hear the cheers around the golf course, and you knew which cheers were for which team, which was really cool today.

“It felt like the crowd really pulled us through those matches. We need more of that the rest of the week.”

Nearly an hour later, Australia’s Jason Day made a 55-foot chip shot to get partner Christiaan Bezuidenhout to within 17 inches of the 18th hole. The South African made the putt to preserve their 1-Up win over Max Homa and Brian Harman.

“I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to be able to hit a shot like that under those conditions because what we’re doing right now, playing in this team format, is going to help us in the future playing down the stretch in other tournaments,” said Day. “So this is great experience for me.”

A 15-foot putt by South Korea’s Si Woo Kim sealed the fifth match of the day. He and fellow Korean Byeong Hun An beat world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley 1 Up.

By John Chidley-Hill

The United States has jumped out to a 5-0 over the International team at the Presidents Cup.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and partner Russell Henley earned a 3&2 victory over the South Korean pairing of Sungjae Im and Tom Kim in 16 holes in a match that featured lots of gamesmanship.

After Kim loudly celebrated a birdie putt, Scheffler made a point of pumping his fist and yelling in a similar way, glaring at the South Korean. On the next hole, Kim and Im walked off the green and went to the next tee before the Americans had finished their putts.

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., and South African partner Christiaan Bezuidenhout were the closest International team to earning a tie but ultimately lost to Americans Wyndham Clark and Keegan Bradley 3&2.

The Presidents Cup is a biennial best-on-best tournament that sees 12 American golfers face 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe. Three Canadians are playing in it for the first time ever.

Conditions were soft and wet to start the day at Royal Montreal Golf Club but the course quickly dried as the sun came out during the noontime tees.

There were five four-ball matches in the first round. Each match is worth one point and the first team to get up to 15 1/2 points in total wins the tournament.

World No. 2 Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau gave the U.S. an early lead with an 1 Up victory over Australia’s Jason Day and Byeong Hun An in the opening match. 

Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala added to the American lead with a 1 Up win over the all-Australian pairing of Adam Scott and Min-Woo Lee.

Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns finished off Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama in 17 holes for a 2&1 win.

The Presidents Cup begins on Thursday at Royal Montreal Golf Club. The best-on-best match-play tournament sees 12 American golfers take on 12 players from around the world, excluding Europe.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the elite men’s golf event:

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME — Despite the high quality of the golfers in the tournament, the Presidents Cup is unique on the PGA Tour because there is no prize money. Mackenzie Hughes, one of three Canadians on the International team and a member of the PGA Tour’s player advisory council, said he is OK with that arrangement.

“I love these competitions. I love the game,” said Hughes, who is playing in the Presidents Cup for the first time. “If you said, ‘hey, you have to pay to play in this,’ I would love to pay to play in this. 

“There would be guys, I’m sure, on the other side that have won multiple majors and maybe feel like they deserve to be paid to be here. I never feel that way. I feel like it’s an honour that doesn’t need to come with any monetary value.”

POUTINE IS UNREAL — The International team is made up of golfers from five countries: Canada, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and South Africa. To overcome the cultural and linguistic differences, captain Mike Weir has introduced the golfers to Canadian culture, like hockey and poutine. Australia’s Min Woo Lee tweeted that Quebec’s signature dish was “unreal” and elaborated at a news conference on Wednesday.

“It looked amazing, and I tried it, and it was even better than it looked,” said Lee. “I thought it was a bit more complicated, but it was just fries, cheese curds, and gravy. It was unbelievable.”

DARK CLOUDS — A thunderstorm is forecast for the Montreal area on Thursday, with heavy rain expected through the daylight hours at Royal Montreal on L’Ile Bizard, Que. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 21 Celsius, despite the rain. The weather is expected to clear on Friday, but the temperatures will remain relatively cool.

SCOTT IS DUE — Australia’s Adam Scott had been a mainstay on the International team, participating in 11 Presidents Cups. However, the Internationals are winless in that span, last winning in 1998.

“I absolutely do not feel bad for Adam Scott,” said American Xander Schauffele. “I like Adam Scott a lot, but I do not feel bad for him at all. 

“I’m stubborn, and the more I get knocked down, the harder I push back up. If I had lost 10 times in a row, I’d come back champing at the bit even harder than ever. I’m sure that’s what they’re doing.”

PRIME MINISTER’S CUP — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was named the honorary chair of the Presidents Cup on Sept. 9. It’s expected that he’ll be at Royal Montreal on Sunday to hand the trophy to the winning team as part of the tournament’s championship ceremony.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 25, 2024.

Rahontsá:waks Albany’s father had already planned to take his son to watch Thursday’s opening matches of the Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club.

Little did he know, the 12-year-old would end up being part of the day’s festivities, one of four First Tee participants selected to carry the flags of the United States, Canada, Quebec and the International Team at the event’s Opening Ceremonies.

“It was just like, what are the odds of having this opportunity?” Rahontsá:waks’ mother, Lacey Paul, says.

Rahontsá:waks, Nashtyn Mayo and Aronhiakèn:ra Martin were chosen from the Kahnawá:ke Mohawk Territory First Nations reserve and First Tee – Quebec’s partner, Club 24 Athletics. Club 24 seeks to build future leaders in the indigenous community through educational support and sports participation.

The fourth flag bearer, Jarred Pompey, is from nearby Montreal and a member of First Tee – Quebec, too. Earlier this year, he caddied at a charity shootout in conjunction with the Presidents Cup media day where First Tee – Canada received a $250,000 donation from the biennial match-play competition.

The other charitable beneficiaries of the Presidents Cup are McGill University Health Centre Foundation, One Drop Foundation and Montreal Children’s Hospital.

On a recent Zoom call, it was hard to tell who was more excited – Rahontsá:waks, whose name in Kanien’kéha, which is the Mohawk language, means “He shakes the Earth” – or his mother.

Paul, who works for the Kahnawá:ke Tourism office, was about to go into a strategic planning meeting when she was notified that her son had been chosen. She remembers bursting with pride and telling anyone who would listen.

“To see our little guy represent Kahnawá:ke on the international stage, it truly is an honor, to have and see indigenous representation at the Presidents Cup,” Paul says.

Kahnawá:ke, which comes from the Mohawk word meaning “place of the rapids,” is located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, about an hour from Royal Montreal.

Paul is fiercely proud of her son and other indigenous athletes like Notah Begay III, a Native American and five-time winner on the PGA TOUR. Performers like Lily Gladstone, an actress raised on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana who was nominated for an Academy Award last year, have also raised awareness of the indigenous community.

“We have so many children who excel in sports that we’re going places,” Paul says. “The world is opening up, and seeing all the indigenous – the actors, the soccer players, the lacrosse players, the hockey players, even Brandon Montour who played for Florida Panthers. He’s from Six Nations.

“So, I think right there, it’s opening up a world like this international stage.”

Rahontsá:waks expects to be nervous on Thursday at Royal Montreal. But he is hoping for a chance to see his favorite player, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, and pick up any pointers he can during his visit to the prestigious competition that began in 1994. He’s been a member of the Club 24 program since it started three years ago and recently started competing in nine-hole events.

Club 24 Athletics seeks to build future leaders in the indigenous community through educational support and sports participation. (Courtesy Lacey Paul)

“It’s really nerve-wracking,” says Rahontsá:waks, flashing an engaging smile. “I never really played competitive golf, but I liked it. I made new friendships with other kids, and I want to go back to playing them next year, too, or even the 18-hole tournaments.”

Rahontsá:waks, who also plays lacrosse and hockey, started going to the golf course with his older brother, Tehorahkwaneken, during the COVID-19 lockdown. Tehorahkwaneken, who was recently invited to play in an amateur tournament in Dubai, attended the Hernan Rey Golf Academy in Orlando for the last two years.

Paul has seen her younger son grow beyond simply mastering the rules and fundamentals of the game. At 12, he’s become more self-confident and mature than he once was.

“But you’re still a kid,” she says. “(He’s learned) to play the game of golf and to have patience. … And that also golf is a mental game. And just for the love of golf to keep pursuing the game.”

According to Martin Barnard, CEO of the Golf Canada Foundation, the return of the Presidents Cup to Royal Montreal was the catalyst for the launch of First Tee – Canada. In a partnership announced in 2020, the PGA TOUR committed $250,000 to the effort, and the first chapters were created in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic a year later. There are now six chapters serving all 10 Canadian provinces.

“It is really a three-way partnership between Golf Canada, PGA TOUR and the Golf Canada Foundation, and that announcement really spurred all of this tremendous growth that’s happened since 2020,” Barnard said. “When we launched, we had to sort of set about saying, ‘Okay, we need the support of the philanthropic community. We needed the support of some of the corporate partners that we had as well.’ …

“And last year we were thrilled to announce that we’ve reached more than 100,000 kids through the program in Canada and more than 19 million raised since that time.”

Barnard says First Tee, which uses the game of golf to develop character and life skills, works with its local chapters to make sure they bring kids from a variety of backgrounds into the program to “better represent the fabric of Canada.” The partnership with the Presidents Cup will only add to that legacy.

“It’ll be hundreds of thousands of kids, to be honest, that’s affected by this announcement and by this tournament coming to Canada,” he says. “As you know, International Team Captain Mike Weir is an advocate for this. He’s been amazing. He’s given a ton of his time and energy into promoting First Tee. And so really at the end of the day, because the TOUR and the Presidents Cup got behind us, we were able to raise a lot of money.”

And many more kids like Rahontsá:waks will benefit.

Mackenzie Hughes might just be what the International team needs as this year’s Presidents Cup.

Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., is one of three Canadians on the squad competing in the match-play event at Royal Montreal Golf Club next week. 

His putting skills, cool demeanour under pressure, pre-existing connections with teammates and clubhouse leadership could help the team — made up of non-American players outside Europe — end a nine-tournament losing skid to the United States at the biennial event.

“I’ve had this one circled on the calendar for a few years now,” said Hughes on joining fellow Canadians Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners as captain’s picks on the 12-player International team. “I pretty much knew that when it was announced the tournament would be in Canada and that Mike Weir was going to be the captain, you pretty much knew where that was going to go.

“To get that call from (Weir) is really special because he’s the guy that I looked up to, we all looked up to, as Canadian golfers.”

Pendrith and Conners are returning to the team after a disappointing 17 1/2 to 12 1/2 loss to the United States at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C. in 2022.

Hughes was ranked 14th on the International team standings in 2022 and could have easily been included on that squad after Australia’s Cameron Smith and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann were ruled ineligible after jumping ship to the rival LIV Golf circuit.

However, captain Trevor Immelman of South Africa instead chose the lower ranked Christiaan Bezuidenhout (16th) of South Africa, Pendrith (18th), South Korea’s Kim Si-woo (20th) and Australia’s Cameron Davis (25th).

“I certainly wanted to be on that team but also I understood the picks,” said Hughes, who lives in Charlotte and plays at Quail Hollow regularly. “I think that like a lot of guys that don’t get picked you more so look back on your own play and I wish I had made that selection easier for them.

“I didn’t do myself any favours in the six weeks leading up to it and that’s a hard pill to swallow.”

It may have been a costly oversight on Immelman’s part, as finishing holes was an issue for the International team in 2022 and Hughes is one of the best putters on the PGA Tour. This season he’s third in shots gained around the green and fifth in shots gained from putting.

“It doesn’t mean that just because I was there it would have turned the tide, but I’d like to think maybe I could have helped,” said Hughes. “That’s why you play the matches. You have to get out there and do it.”

This year Hughes made it easier for Weir, the Canadian golf legend from Brights Grove, Ont., to choose him. Hughes is 51st in the FedEx Cup Fall standings and has made the cut seven tournaments in a row, including a tie for fourth at last week’s Procore Championship.

“Mac played very solidly all year. Really like his short game, an all-around short game,” said Weir on Sept. 3 after announcing his captain’s picks. “He’s one of the elite and best short game guys on the PGA Tour 

“I also love Mac’s grit. So that was the reason I picked him.”

Hughes’s intangible qualities go beyond grit. 

He, Pendrith and Conners will arrive at Royal Montreal as a unit within the International squad, having become close friends while playing on Kent State University’s men’s golf team before turning pro. They’re also part of a group of Canadians, including Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., that regularly practice together before PGA Tour events.

“To have those guys with me is really icing on the cake, it’s very special,” said Hughes. “Opportunities like this don’t come around very often: to play this kind of team competition, which is already hard to do, but to play with some of your best friends, it almost seems scripted.”

An 11-year professional, Hughes has also been a member of the PGA Tour’s player advisory council the past two years and has been an outspoken advocate for making professional golf more accessible to fans.

Although Weir relied heavily on analytics to make his captain’s selections, Hughes’s character came up again and again when asked why he was named to the team.

“I just have a gut feeling with Mac that he has what it takes in these big moments,” said Weir. “They’re big pressure moments, and I have a feeling he’s going to do great in those moments.”

DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., continues his chase for a spot in the Europe-based DP World Tour’s playoffs. The top 50 players on the Race to Dubai standings make the DP World Tour Championship and Cockerill moved eight spots up to 39th in the rankings after tying for ninth at last week’s Irish Open. He’ll be back at it on Thursday at the BMW PGA Championship at the Wentworth Club in Surrey, England.

KORN FERRY TOUR — Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S., is ranked 38th on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour’s points list. He leads the Canadian contingent into this week’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. He’ll be joined at Ohio State University Golf Club — Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio by Edmonton’s Wil Bateman (53rd), Etienne Papineau (65th) of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju (99th) of Mississauga, Ont.

CHAMPIONS TOUR — Calgary’s Stephen Ames is the lone Canadian at this week’s Pure Insurance Championship. He’s No. 2 on the senior circuit’s points list. The event will start Friday and be played at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course in Monterey, Calif.

LPGA TOUR — There are four Canadians in this week’s Kroger City Championship. Savannah Grewal (97th in the Race to CME Globe Rankings) of Mississauga, Ont., Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (115th), and Maude-Aimee Leblanc (142nd) of Sherbrooke, Que., will all tee it up at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio.

EPSON TOUR — Vancouver’s Leah John is the low Canadian heading into the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout. She’s 54th in the second-tier tour’s points list. She’ll be joined by Maddie Szeryk (118th) of London, Ont., and Brigitte Thibault (119th) of Rosemere, Que., at Mystic Creek Golf Club in El Dorado, Ark.

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.”