Winter Park, Fla. – Global Golf Post today announced its sixth annual All-Amateur teams for men and women.

This annual effort is intended to recognize individual performance during the past 12 months for men and women amateurs, mid-amateurs, and senior amateurs.

All told, 199 players from 24 nations are honoured. And among all those players, two stood out as The Post’s Amateurs of the Year – Matt Parziale, 31, and Jennifer Kupcho, 21.

Nine Canadians were honoured in the 2018 list:

Men’s Mid-Amateur

• Garrett Rank (Elmira, Ont.) – Second team

Women’s Amateur

• Jaclyn Lee (Calgary, Alta.) – Honourable mention

Women’s Mid-Amateur

• Julia Hodgson (Unionville, Ont.) – First team

Women’s Senior

• Mary-Ann Hayward (St. Thomas, Ont.) – First team
• Judith Kyrinis (Thornhill, Ont.) – First team
• Jackie Little (Proctor, B.C.) – First team
• Terrill Samuel (Etobicoke, Ont.) – First team
• Allison Murdoch (Victoria, B.C.) – Second team
• Marie-Thérèse Torti (Candiac, Que.) – Honourable mention

Among the 199 players, there were five golfers to have won Canadian national championships in 2018:

• Zach Bauchou (Forest, Va.) – 2018 Canadian Men’s Amateur | Second team
• Joseph Deraney (Lexington, Ky.) – 2018 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur | First team
• Brady Exber (Las Vegas, Nev.) – 2018 Canadian Men’s Senior | First team
• Sue Wooster (Australia) – 2018 Canadian Women’s Mid-Am & Senior | First team
• Atthaya Thirikul (Thailand) – 2018 World Junior Girls Championship medallist – First team
• Yealimi Noh (Concord, Calif.) – 2018 Women’s Amateur Champion – Honourable mention

Click here for the full list.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry of Belgium lifted the World Cup of Golf trophy on Sunday. They may have won it on Friday.

The Belgians had a few anxious moments on the back nine Sunday but held on to shoot a 4-under 68 and claim a three-stroke win, despite a determined late run by Australia and Mexico.

The sunny skies and lack of wind on Sunday was a far cry from Friday, when driving rain and gusty winds meant there were more scores in the 80s than in the 60s.

Belgium shot 71 on Friday, tied for the low score of the day and one of only four scores under par, and shared the lead going into the third round. Many golfers said the Friday conditions were the worst they had ever played in.

Pieters and Detry shot 63 in much-improved weather on Saturday in the fourballs (best ball) and took a five-stroke lead into the final round of foursomes at Metropolitan.

From there, it was a case of hanging on for the $1.12 million in prize money they each received.

“It was a long back nine” Pieters said while surrounded by family, friends and fans, some with Belgian flags stuck on their heads, just off the 18th green.

Australia’s Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith pulled to within two strokes late in the round, thanks to holing out from the bunker for a birdie by Smith and a 12-foot par save on the next hole by Leishman.

If there was any doubt, Pieters’ approach to four feet on the 18th set up a final birdie by Detry to give the Belgians a 23-under total of 265.

“We were both nervous at times, but to finish with a birdie was special,” said Pieters.

Leishman and Smith shot 65. Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, who won last week’s Australian Open, and his partner Roberto Diaz, playing in the last group with Belgium, shot 66 and also pulled to within two strokes of the lead but finished tied with the Australians for second.

Defending champions Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark shot a 65 to finish tied for fourth with Canada’s Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, who shot 66. They were six strokes behind.

The performance marks the best finish for Canada since Dave Barr and Dan Halldorson won it for Canada in 1985.

Americans Matt Kuchar and Kyle Stanley shot a final-round 68 and finished at 9-under, 14 strokes behind the winners and tied for 16th among the 28 teams.

Jan Dowling, a native of Bradford, Ont., was selected to coach the international team at the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup in Roland, Ark., from June 7-9.

The former Canadian Women’s Amateur champion (2000) is in her sixth year of coaching the Michigan University Wolverines, having led the team to two appearances in the NCAA championship in 2016 and 2017.

“I’m grateful the WGCA, GCAA and the Arnold Palmer Cup have entrusted me with this incredible honour to coach the International Team this summer,” Dowling told the University of Michigan. “With the addition of women last year, the tournament is unique and creates an incredible arena of world-class golf and competition.”

As a collegiate golfer, Dowling led the Kent State Golden Flashes to four straight Mid-American Conference Titles. She also represented Canada at the World Amateur Team Championships in 2002.

MEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Positive moves for all but two of the players in the Top 10, led by Josh Whalen who picked up three places in the world rankings. Whalen along with top ranked Joey Savoie, No. 6 Chris Crisologo and No. 9 Brendan Macdougall were all named to Golf Canada’s National Team for the upcoming season.

Biggest move: Carter Lewis of Calgary picked up 311 spots in the world rankings after finishing 15th at the Firestorm Invitational. Lewis was coming off back-to-back medalist honours including becoming the first individual national champion at the NCCAA Championship for Ottawa University – Arizona.

WOMEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Top ranked Jaclyn Lee headlines the Golf Canada National Team for the coming year. The Ohio State senior, who has the option of turning pro in 2019 after earning her LPGA Tour card, is joined on the squad by fellow Top 10 players Brigitte Thibault and Naomi Ko.

The Golf Canada Development Squad includes a pair of Top 10 players, No. 4 Celeste Dao and No. 8 Ellie Szeryk.

Biggest Move: Alexandra Naumovski of Halton Hills, Ont., and Brooke Rivers of Brampton, Ont., each gained six places in the world rankings.

Click here for the full World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR)

MEN’S TOP 10

David Hearn made the biggest move among the Top 10, picking up 32 spots in the world rankings after finishing tied for 15th at The RSM Classic. The result was worth 1.86 world ranking points – his first points-paying finish in seven events. It was also just his second top 20 result in his last 11 tournaments and enabled the former top ranked Canadian to move up to No. 9 in the Canadian rankings.

Corey Conners climbed 10 places in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for 23rd at The RSM Classic. The result was worth 1.25 world ranking points, just his second points-paying finish in five events since the new golf season began. Conners also takes over the No. 2 ranking in Canada.

Notable mention goes to Russell Budd, who joins the Canadian world rankings at No. 22 after finishing in a tie for second at the Open de Argentina on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica.

Other notable results: No. 3 Benjamin Silverman finishes tied for 46th at The RSM Classic; No. 5 Mackenzie Hughes and No. 8 Adam Svensson both missed the cut at The RSM Classic; No. 10 Roger Sloan finished 70th at The RSM Classic

Click here for the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR)

WOMEN’S TOP 10

Top ranked Brooke Henderson maintained her Top 10 world ranking, remaining at No. 9 after finishing in a tie for 10th at the LPGA’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. The result was worth 6.89 world ranking points – the best points-paying finish in her last seven tournaments. For a brief period in the final round Henderson was leading the yearlong Race to the CME Globe and the million dollar prize it carries before surrendering the honour to Ariya Jutanugarn.

Click here for the Rolex Women’s Golf Rankings.

Golf Canada is proud to announce the 17 athletes who have been chosen to represent Team Canada as part of the 2019 National Amateur and Junior Squads.

In all, seven athletes comprise Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad including four players on the men’s team and three on the women’s team. The 10-member Junior Squad will include five women and five men.

“Golf Canada is pleased to select this outstanding group of elite athletes based on their remarkable performances this past season,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. “These squads are a product of an immersive training environment led by our head coaches alongside sport science staff, parents, the provincial high-performance programs along with member clubs. They will be fantastic representatives of Canada on the global golf stage.”

From February through early June, the 10-member Junior Squad will be based out of Golf Canada’s National Training Centre at Bear Mountain Golf Resort in Victoria—the second year the program has provided centralized training, accommodation and education for athletes during their high school second semester. Team members will be immersed in a focused centre of excellence, surrounded by world-class technical coaching staff and experts in the areas of mental performance, physiotherapy, biomechanics and nutrition.

The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2019 Amateur Squad:

WOMEN’S NATIONAL AMATEUR SQUAD

• Jaclyn Lee, Calgary, Alta., Glencoe Golf & Country Club (21)
• Naomi Ko, Victoria, B.C., Royal Colwood Golf Club (21)
• Brigitte Thibault, Rosemère, Que., Club Laval-sur-le-Lac (19)

MEN’S NATIONAL AMATEUR SQUAD

• Joey Savoie, La Prairie, Que., Pinegrove Country Club (24)
• Chris Crisologo, Richmond, B.C., Marine Drive Golf Club (22)
• Josh Whalen, Napanee, Ont., Napanee Golf & Country Club (23)
• Brendan MacDougall, Calgary, Alta., Glencoe Golf & Country Club (20)

Complete National Amateur Squad bios can be found here.

The following athletes have been selected to Team Canada’s 2019 Junior Squad:

WOMEN’S JUNIOR SQUAD

• Céleste Dao, Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., Summerlea Golf & Country Club (17)
• Ellie Szeryk, Allen, Tex., Ontario Public Player (17)
• Emily Zhu, Richmond Hill, Ont., National Pines Golf Club (14)
• Sarah Beqaj, Toronto, Ont., Toronto Golf Club (16)
• Monet Chun, Richmond Hill, Ont., Summit Golf & Country Club (17)

MEN’S JUNIOR SQUAD

• Laurent Desmarchais, Longueuil, Que., Club de golf La Vallée du Richelieu (17)
• Christopher Vandette, Beaconsfield, Que., Summerlea Golf & Country Club (17)
• Jeevan Sihota, Victoria, B.C., Gorge Vale Golf Club (14)
• Olivier Ménard, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que., (18)
• Kai Iguchi, Banff, Alta., Banff Springs Golf Club (18)

Complete Junior Squad player bios can be found here.

 Team Canada coaching staff announced

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 2019 Team Canada coaching staff that will support both the National Amateur and Junior Squads.

On the men’s side, Derek Ingram of Winnipeg, Man. returns as Men’s Amateur Squad Head Coach. Robert Ratcliffe of Comox, B.C. will be leading the Men’s Junior Squad.

On the women’s side, Tristan Mullally of Waterdown, Ont., returns as Women’s Amateur Squad Head Coach. Matt Wilson, from Newmarket, Ont., will oversee the Women’s Junior Squad.

Wilson, who also works as Golf Canada’s director of next generation performance, will resume leadership of the Junior Squad centralized program at Bear Mountain alongside Ratcliffe.

“Derek and Tristan have had tremendous success with Team Canada athletes and the evolution of our national team program will see Robert and Matt play a more significant role through the centralized training environment at Bear Mountain,” added Thompson. “We are excited to build on the success of Team Canada’s new centralized program in helping our young stars make the jump to the next level in their careers.”

Mullally, Ingram, Ratcliffe and Wilson are all Class “A” professionals with the PGA of Canada.

The 2019 Team Canada Young Pro Squad athlete selection is expected in December.

MEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Josh Whalen made the biggest move among the Top 10, picking up 14 places in the world rankings after finishing fifth at the Campeonato Nacional por Golpes in Argentina. It’s the second top 15 result at a South American amateur event for the Golf Canada National Team member. Whalen finished 13th last week at the Tailhade Cup event.

Biggest move: Hunter Thomson of Calgary gained 463 spots in the world rankings after finishing 10th at the MJT National Championship.

WOMEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Jessica Ip made the biggest gain among the Top 10, picking up six places in the world rankings while a couple of junior golfers – Tiffany Kong and Ellie Szeryk – gained four and two places, respectively in what was a quiet week, competition wise, among collegiate golfers.

Biggest Move: Rose Morissette gained 220 spots in the world rankings after finishing 36th at the Rollins Legends Invitational.

Click here for the full World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR)

MEN’S TOP 10

Adam Hadwin maintained his No. 61 world ranking after a tie for 10th at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. That result was worth 4.80 world ranking points, the third consecutive tournament he’s had a points-paying finish since missing the cut in the 2018-19 season opener.

Austin Connelly moves past Graham DeLaet to take over the No. 6 ranking in Canada. The former Golf Canada National Team member recently completed his first full season on the European Tour, finishing 134th on the Race to Dubai list. He entered the final Q-School stage but failed to make the four round cut to determine the 25 tour cards to be handed out for 2019.

Other notable results: No. 3 Corey Conners, No. 4 Nick Taylor, No. 5 Mackenzie Hughes, No. 8 Adam Svensson and No. 9 Roger Sloan all missed the cut at PGA Mayakoba Golf Classic;

Click here for the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR)

WOMEN’S TOP 10

Anne-Catherine Tanguay was the only member of the Top 10 to make a positive gain this past week, picking up two places in the world rankings.

Other Notable Results: No. 2 Alena Sharp finished tied for 33rd at Blue Bay LPGA; No. 3 Brittany Marchand finished 61st at Blue Bay LPGA;

Click here for the Rolex Women’s Golf Rankings.

The USGA and The R&A will administer a global ranking for golfers with disabilities, which will help to grow participation and competition around the world and to promote inclusivity within the sport.

The World Ranking for Golfers with Disability will launch on Jan. 1, 2019 and will be administered in tandem with the World Amateur Golf Ranking™ (WAGR™) for both men and women via www.WAGR.com.

The USGA and The R&A will assume responsibility for the ranking following agreement with EDGA, which created the comprehensive and independent Ranking for Golfers with Disability in 2014.

Further information for golfers and tournament organizers wishing to register their details with the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability will be made available later this year.

“One of golf’s best benefits is that it can be played by everyone, and it can be played for a lifetime,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA Senior Managing Director of Championships.

“We are pleased to administer this ranking in partnership with The R&A, as it elevates an important population of the golf community that clearly loves the game and enables a variety of competitive opportunities around the world. Together with the modifications to the Rules of Golf for golfers with disabilities and the USGA’s work to make golf courses more accessible, we are working to create meaningful and lasting change to make golf more welcoming.”

Duncan Weir, Executive Director – Golf Development and Amateur Events at The R&A, said, “There is an accelerating growth in the number of events around the world for golfers with disabilities to compete in so it makes absolute sense that there is a global ranking to provide a robust measurement of an individual’s skill and ability.
“It is another important step towards ensuring that golf is more inclusive of people of all ages and abilities. Along with our colleagues at the USGA we will continue to support EDGA’s drive to grow participation and competition in the sport among all disability groups.”

Tony Bennett, President of EDGA and Director of Education for the PGAs of Europe, said, “This is a crucial step forward for the growth and development of the sport for golfers with disabilities and we believe it will act as a catalyst for encouraging more people into playing golf, both competitively and recreationally, around the world.”

The announcement of the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability coincides with the playing of the Australian All Abilities Championship, which is being organized by Golf Australia and will see 12 golfers compete at The Lakes in Sydney this week alongside the professionals at the Emirates Australian Open.

No matter how many times we talk about the benefits and amenities included with a Golf Canada Gold-level membership (most recently, here), it doesn’t strike home until, well, it strikes home.

A little while ago, I saw a tweet from a member at a local golf club.

“Somebody stole my putter out of my bag while I was at the range right before my match. My red TaylorMade Spider…,” he lamented, adding a few expletives directed at the thief.

At last check, that putter retails for close to $400. He thought he was out of pocket for a replacement.

The club responded immediately.

“So sorry this happened,” messaged the director of golf. “But glad you are a member of @golfcanada which includes reimbursement for these situations.”

He was unaware of that. And, most likely, so are you.

Golf Canada’s Incident Protection provides up to $2,500 reimbursement for damaged, lost or stolen equipment, among several other advantages you may not be aware of.

Like the fellow mentioned previously, you may think it will never happen to you. But it can. And will.

Like the guy at my club who placed his clubs and bag behind his car and then backed over them.

And if you’re travelling this winter or any time for that matter, your Golf Canada membership protects you.

For example, airlines may or may not reimburse you for accidental or intentional incidents but that’s small consolation.

Team Canada member Maddie Szeryk was on her way to her first tournament of the year at Texas A&M when her clubs came down the airport carousel. The heads of her driver, 3-wood and 5-wood were snapped off.

Golf and travel writer Ted McIntyre has a similar story. “As a frequent traveler, I am a master club packer but had the head fall off my driver when I opened my travel case. Can’t imagine how far they must have fallen upside down for that to occur.”

There are myriad examples. Prior to the Ryder Cup, Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen lost not one but two sets of clubs in 10 days. This summer, Graeme McDowell’s clubs disappeared during a flight and he was forced to withdraw from final qualifying for the Open Championship. Another PGA TOUR pro’s clubs went missing thanks to the airline and were discovered for sale at a used sporting goods store.

Do you play a course with adjacent homes? Do you occasionally miss a tee shot? (Rhetorical question.) If you break a window, you’re covered up to $1,000 for the damage you caused.

Golf carts are convenient but as motorized vehicles, they come with risks. If you have an incident while driving one, a Gold-level membership covers you for damages up to $2,500.

As a Gold-level member, you also receive a set of identification labels to affix to your clubs in the event that you misplace one.  Anyone finding it can report it through an online notification system. You will receive an email immediately and be reunited with your club.

Along with providing an official Handicap Factor, these are the main benefits of your Golf Canada membership.

To learn more about Golf Canada membership, click here.

Think it can’t happen to you?

Most likely, these folks didn’t either but when it did, they were relieved to find that their Golf Canada Gold-level membership was there to protect them.

So far this year, according to stats provided by Golf Canada, there were 189 claims for which almost $115,000 was paid out in restitution. Of those claims, 119 were for clubs and other equipment, 39 for window damage and the remainder for various other deductible incidents.

Some examples from claimants:

“Driving cart and strap that holds bag onto cart broke and bag fell off. My driver was in two pieces.”

“Cart containing wallet, car keys, cell phone and golf equipment rolled into lake. Range finder and box of balls lost.”

“The remote-control caddie went into a pond. Retrieved right away but has not worked since.”

“Hit a drive and the ball hit a cart path and went through a residential window.”

“Push cart with clubs rolled down a steep slope and ended upside down in a water hazard.”

MEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Myles Creighton made the biggest gain among the Top 10, picking up nine places in the world rankings.

James Song picked up two places after finishing 18th at the Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic. Song equalled the best round of his collegiate career, shooting 67 on the final day.

Despite slipping 15 places in the world rankings, Golf Canada National Team member Josh Whalen finished in a tie for 13th at the Tailhade Cup.

Biggest move: Marc Sweeney from Saskatoon gained 514 spots in the world rankings after finishing fifth at the Dave Adamonis Sr. Invitational.

WOMEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Positive moves by every member of the Top 10 including top ranked Jaclyn Lee, who has a decision to make after earning her LPGA Tour card this past week. Lee finished sixth at the Q-Series qualifying tournament and can finish her senior year at Ohio State before joining the tour on July 1 or she can turn pro immediately once the 2019 LPGA season begins in January.

Biggest Move: Alyssa Getty gained 98 places in the world rankings after finishing 61st at the Jim West Challenge.

Click here for the full World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR)

MEN’S TOP 10

Nick Taylor picked up seven places in the world rankings after finishing tied for 36th at the PGA’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. It was his second points-paying result, worth 1.48 world ranking points and marked the third consecutive tournament since the new season began that he has made the weekend cut.

Other notable results: No. 3 Corey Conners, No. 5 Mackenzie Hughes, No. 8 Adam Svensson and No. 9 Roger Sloan all missed the cut at PGA Shriners Hospitals for Children Open;

Click here for the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR)

WOMEN’S TOP 10

Top ranked Brooke Henderson recorded her 14th consecutive points-playing finish of the year, finishing in a tie for 41st at the LPGA Toto Japan Classic. Henderson slipped a spot in the world rankings, down to No. 9 after Nasa Hataoka moved into the Top 10 with her victory at the event.

Christina Foster picked up two spots in the world rankings and moved up to No. 9 in the Canadian rankings.

Click here for the Rolex Women’s Golf Rankings.