by Luke Lacey – Golf NB
For Immediate Release:

Day one of the 2018 RBC Dominion Securities Men’s NB Amateur Championship provided difficult scoring conditions as the wind made many holes unreachable during the opening round.

Posting early scores were 2017 Mid-Amateur and Amateur Champion Darren Roach of The Riverside Country Club who recorded a 1-under 71, 2016 Mid-Amateur and Amateur Champion Michel Landry of Fredericton Golf Club posted a 4-under par 68 along with Westfield’s Nick Earle who also fired a 4-under par 68.

Earle’s first round 68 will put him in a prime position leading into Friday. His 1st round consisted of 5 birdies, 1 bogey and 12 pars. Tied for the lead with Earle is Fredericton’s Michel Landry, the 2016 RBC Dominion Securities NB Men’s Amateur and Mid-Amateur Champion had 8 pars, 6 birdies, 1 eagle, 2 bogeys and a double on route to his 68.

Earle is looking to capture his first ever RBC Dominion Securities NB Men’s Amateur Championship, while Landry aims to add to his previous victories and earn a spot-on Team NB for the 2018 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at Duncan Meadows Golf Course & Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Duncan / Qualicum Beach, British Columbia. With one of the most experienced fields in recent event history, it will not be an easy task to conquer The Riverside Country Club’s fast and firm greens.

Sitting in 3rd place in the Amateur Division and 2nd in the Mid-Amateur Division is 2017 RBC Dominion Securities NB Men’s Amateur & Mid-Amateur Champion, Darren Roach of The Riverside Country Club. Darren recorded a first round 1-under par 71 to put himself in a solid position at the top of the leaderboard. Roach recorded 3 birdies, two bogeys and 13 pars on a windy and firm morning at The Riverside Country Club.

Daniel Kirby of JH Sports currently sits in 4th position after round 1 in the Amateur Division, Kirby’s round included 4 birdies, 4 bogeys and 10 pars on route to an even-par score of 72.

Rounding out the top of the leaderboard in the Mid-Amateur Division is Doug Malcolm of Hampton who shot a 2-over par 74 during round 1.

The second round of the 2018 RBC Dominion Securities NB Men’s Amateur Championship will get underway at 7:30am on Friday July 13^th, with competitors all going off the first tee.

In addition to the NB Men’s Amateur Championship, this week’s event will also see the crowning of the 2018 NB Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion.  Open to players, 25 years of age and older, the NB Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion will be awarded to the low age eligible finisher in the field.

The top three finishers, along with the fourth-place alternate, in the Men’s Amateur section, will earn the opportunity to be members of Team NB and represent New Brunswick in the Willingdon Cup at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, to be held from August 6 to 9, 2018 at Duncan Meadows Golf Course & Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Duncan / Qualicum Beach, British Columbia. In addition to the Provincial Championship and the four positions on Team NB, Golf NB will also be allocating an additional five exemptions into the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship to top finishers at this year’s event.

In addition to the positions on the Willingdon Cup Team, the top two finishers in the NB Mid-Amateur category (25 years and over) will earn positions on Team NB that will represent the province at the 2017 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, to be held from August 21 to 24, 2018 at the Victoria Golf Club in Victoria, British Columbia. The third and final position on Team NB, along with the first alternate position, will be awarded later this month at the 2018 NB Mid-Master Championships, to be held at the Royal Oaks Golf Club from July 23 to 25, 2018.

For more information on the 2018 RBC Dominion Securities NB Men’s Amateur Championship, including results and tee times, please CLICK HERE. 

For more information on the The Riverside Country Club please visit: CLICK HERE.

For more information on RBC Dominion Securities please visit: www.rbcds.com.

The title sponsor of the 2018 NB Men’s Amateur Championship is once again RBC Dominion Securities. RBC Dominion Securities was introduced as the title sponsor for the NB Amateur Championship in 2007.  RBC Dominion Securities has been Canada’s premier provider of Investment Advice since 1901.  With offices in Fredericton, Moncton, Saint John and Sussex, RBC Dominion Securities offers New Brunswick investors and businesses superior access to the most comprehensive wealth management services in the province.

Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB), a not for profit organization founded in 1934, is the official governing body for amateur golf in New Brunswick.  In January of 2006, the New Brunswick Golf Association (NBGA) officially merged with the New Brunswick Ladies Golf Association (NBLGA), resulting in one united governing body for amateur golf in the province.  Programs offered by Golf NB to its 10,000 members include: 12 provincial events, rules of golf education, course rating and handicap services, junior golf development programs and member club marketing initiatives.

For more information on the 2018 RBC Dominion Securities NB Men’s Amateur Championship, including results and tee times, please CLICK HERE.

For more information on The Riverside Country Club please visit: CLICK HERE.

For more information on RBC Dominion Securities please visit: www.rbcds.com.

The title sponsor of the 2018 NB Men’s Amateur Championship is once again RBC Dominion Securities. RBC Dominion Securities was introduced as the title sponsor for the NB Amateur Championship in 2007.  RBC Dominion Securities has been Canada’s premier provider of Investment Advice since 1901.  With offices in Fredericton, Moncton, Saint John and Sussex, RBC Dominion Securities offers New Brunswick investors and businesses superior access to the most comprehensive wealth management services in the province.

Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB), a not for profit organization founded in 1934, is the official governing body for amateur golf in New Brunswick.  In January of 2006, the New Brunswick Golf Association (NBGA) officially merged with the New Brunswick Ladies Golf Association (NBLGA), resulting in one united governing body for amateur golf in the province.  Programs offered by Golf NB to its 10,000 members include: 12 provincial events, rules of golf education, course rating and handicap services, junior golf development programs and member club marketing initiatives. 

Meet Argentina’s Ruben Yorio, the man on the bag for Venezuela’s favourite golfing son, two-time RBC Canadian Open defending champ Jhonattan Vegas

It was a change of plans for Ruben Yorio—one that would hit him in the pocketbook, but certainly not the heart. His boss of three years, Jhonattan Vegas, had just missed the cut at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, and decided to make a schedule adjustment in light of his mediocre play in 2018—a drought mostly borne of short-game woes that ranked him 166th on Tour around-the-green and 147th in putting heading into the end of June.

“We sat down in the locker-room after he finished and he said he’s going to take the next two weeks off—that he wanted to be ready for the Open at Carnoustie and to defend his title in Canada,” Yorio explains. “He said, ‘I’m not playing well. I need to go home. I’m mentally tired. I’m going to see my coach (Kevin Kirk, who also works with Masters champ Patrick Reed).”

That meant an unexpected vacation for Yorio—a welcome return to his wife Mara and seven-year-old daughter Catalina—except that there are no quick and inexpensive jaunts to see the family for Yorio, who, seated at JFK International Airport in New York on June 23rd, was more than 8,500 kms from his hometown of Ezpeleta, on the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“It’s usually a $1,000 round-trip to from Miami,” notes Yorio, who says it without a hint of regret. He is immensely grateful to be a longtime member of the travelling troupe of PGA Tour caddies, a career that has included four victories: the 2009 Masters and 2014 Greenbrier Classic with fellow Argentinian Angel Cabrera, the 2011 Dubai Desert Classic with Alvaro Quiros and last year’s RBC Canadian Open with Venezuelan Vegas.

It’s an unlikely career path for Yorio. His father, a railway station worker, died of a heart attack when Ruben was 14, leaving Yorio’s mother, Emma, to raise he and his younger brother Leo.

“We were from a poor background,” Yorio relates. “My mother was working six days a week at a laundromat—she was our only support. She would leave no later than 7:00 in the morning and not get home until 7:00 or 8:00 at night. She did a fantastic job raising us, and we helped her out where we could.

“I had a good friend in a similar situation and hadn’t seen him in a few days,” Yorio remembers. “Then he showed up one day and had a new bike, new shoes and new clothes. And I said, ‘What are you doing, Fabian?’ And he said, ‘I am caddying at Ranelagh Golf Club.’”

As a 12-year-old, Yorio couldn’t have appreciated the history of the private course seven kilometres to the south—the hallowed ground of World Golf Hall of Famer Roberto De Vincenzo, winner of eight PGA Tour events, including the 1967 Open Championship. De Vincenzo, who lived a couple blocks from the course until his passing last June, had, himself, caddied at Ranelagh, where he’d also honed his game.

“Fabian took me there and I started caddying for the members. I could make $25 US a day, which was a lot of money,” says Yorio, who typically made the long trek on weekends as well as most Wednesdays (Women’s Day) by bus, although, when money was short, he’d take his bike or even walk.

At age 18, Yorio advanced to the professional ranks when he began carrying for a former fellow Ranelagh caddie, Rodolfo Gonzalez. That eventually led to a season on the European Tour with Vincente Fernandez, before a three-year stint on the LPGA Tour. The latter included an extended relationship with a Calgary woman, but when that broke down, Yorio found the true love of his life.

Mara Larrauri, a regular at Ranelagh GC, had returned from Campbell University in North Carolina, where she played on a golf scholarship. Who better than Yorio to shoulder her bag on the Futures (now Symetra) Tour. “Driving to every tournament in an old Mercury—24/7 together and really getting to know each other—was an amazing experience,” recalls Yorio, who married Mara in 2008 and wears out his cell phone staying in touch with his wife and Catalina, while returning to Ezpeleta as often as possible through the golf season.

“I love Mara to death—she’s taught me so much about life, about being kind to people. She made me better—she’s one of the reasons I’m here,” says Yorio of Mara, who now works at her family’s construction business.

Yorio was inspired by her work ethic as well. “When she was picked as Campbell University’s Athlete of the Year, her coach talked about how she was always the first one at practice. One time she didn’t have a car and the range was two miles from her dorm. Her coach saw her walking beside the highway carrying her clubs to practice.”

Yorio, who turns 49 in December, also credits fellow Argentine looper Adrian ‘Coco’ Monteros for his personal and professional development. “I learned a lot from Coco. He’s gone through a lot, but is a super nice, honest, wonderful person. He’s always said, if you do the right thing and keep trying, good things will come to you.”

Those good things have included one Masters crown for Yorio. “Cabrera was good to me, but his son started caddying for him, so they asked me to go part time, but I had a family to support,” he relates.

No hard feelings, especially in light of Tour victories since, including $108,000 US (minus Canadian taxes) for his work at the 2017 RBC Canadian Open—the standard 10% caddie cut for Vegas’ $1,080,000 first-place cheque.

Yorio is, expectedly, excited to be returning to Glen Abbey and the prospect of Vegas attempting to threepeat July 26-29. That 27-pound bag—“I’ve tried but can’t make it lighter than that”— seems a little easier to bear north of the border. “I’ve always had good memories of Canada.”

And he isn’t fretting over Vegas’ recent form. He remembers that his boss missed five straight cuts entering last year’s Open.

And he has life in perspective. Yorio’s 79-year-old mother, Emma, is suffering from Alzheimer’s. “She’s not doing great. She still remembers her phone number from her first house, but forgets stuff that just happened, and doesn’t know things like when to eat or shower. It will be good to see her.”

Yorio was counting the minutes before boarding his plane to Buenos Aires, to playing toy golf with Catalina and some personal time with Mara.

Some missed cuts, he figured, are better than others.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR today unveiled a revamped tournament schedule for next season, providing an exciting change for players and fans as they are able to engage in – and better follow – a cadence of events highlighted by significant championships every month and culminating with the FedExCup Playoffs in August.

Highlights from the new 46-tournament schedule:

• Per last week’s announcement, the RBC Canadian Open is moving from its traditional spot in late July to June 3-9, leading into the U.S. Open. Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Hamilton, Ontario, will host the event for the first time since 2012.
• The FedExCup Playoffs will feature three events, instead of four: THE NORTHERN TRUST, August 5-11 (125-player field); the BMW Championship, August 12-18 (70 players); and the TOUR Championship August 19-25 (30 players). TPC Boston will continue as a Playoffs site every other year, rotating with the New York City area as host of THE NORTHERN TRUST starting in 2020.
• As previously announced, two new tournaments have been added, though now the dates have been confirmed: the Rocket Mortgage Classic June 24-30, the first PGA TOUR tournament to be held in the city of Detroit; and the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities July 1-7, which becomes the first PGA TOUR Champions tournament to transition to the PGA TOUR.
• The Puerto Rico Open returns to the schedule following its cancellation this year due to the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Puerto Rico is slotted for February 18-24, the same week as the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship.
• As previously announced, THE PLAYERS Championship moves from May to March (11-17) and the PGA Championship moves from August to May (13-19).
• Also announced previously is the final World Golf Championships event of the season, until now staged in Akron, Ohio, will be held July 22-28 at TPC Southwind in Memphis as the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational (replacing the FedEx St. Jude Classic).
• The Houston Open and A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier are moving to the fall and will be played next as part of the 2019-20 schedule.

“We are extremely pleased with the way the schedule has come together, particularly with the number of changes that were involved and the strength of the partnerships required to achieve this new look,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “It’s been our stated objective for several years to create better sequencing of our tournaments that golf fans around the world can engage in from start to finish.  And by concluding at the end of August, the FedExCup Playoffs no longer have the challenge of sharing the stage with college and professional football. This will enhance the visibility of the FedExCup Playoffs and overall fan engagement with the PGA TOUR and the game as a whole.”

Monahan credited FedEx, umbrella sponsor of the FedExCup, title sponsors and host organizations for their crucial role with the revamped schedule.

“Beginning with our 10-year extension with FedEx last May and continuing with many recent, long-term title sponsor commitments, as well as new sponsors and host organizations joining the PGA TOUR, our key constituents have validated our vision and the direction for our future,” he said. “Our thanks to these tremendous partners for their flexibility and support during this process. We feel strongly that together, we have created a schedule that will heighten interest in all tournaments while further elevating the FedExCup Playoffs.”

The season also features venue rotations for several tournaments, including the first two FedExCup Playoffs events. THE NORTHERN TRUST returns to Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, where it was last held in 2013, while the BMW Championship returns to Medinah Country Club near Chicago for the first time since 1966.

The three rotating major championships add historical notes to the schedule. Coinciding with the PGA Championship’s first May dates since 1949 will be its debut at Bethpage Black on New York’s Long Island. The Open Championship, meanwhile, will be held at Royal Portrush July 15-21, marking its return to Northern Ireland after nearly 70 years. And the U.S. Open (June 10-16), last held at Pebble Beach Golf Links in 2010, returns next year when the club celebrates its 100^th anniversary.

Canadian Pacific (CP), Golf Canada and the LPGA Tour officially announced today that CP has extended its title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open for five years, beginning in 2019 through 2023. Terms of the partnership were not disclosed.

Since becoming title sponsor of the CP Women’s Open in November of 2013, CP has worked closely with Golf Canada to enhance Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship including the overall experience for players and fans. CP has also established a meaningful charitable legacy through CP Has Heart, which has raised nearly $6.5M for heart health initiatives in the event’s host communities.

“Extending our partnership with Golf Canada as title sponsor of the CP Women’s Open will enable CP to continue to make a significant difference in communities across Canada through our community investment program, CP Has Heart,” said Keith Creel, CP President and Chief Executive Officer. “Partnering with these world-class athletes and this wonderful tournament enhances pride across our company, while building deeper, stronger relationships within the host communities. Since our first CP Women’s Open in 2014 we have raised close to 6.5 million dollars for children’s hospitals and pediatric cardiac care systems across the country, and we look forward to supporting even more young hearts and families in the years to come.”

FIVE. MORE. YEARS. – @CanadianPacific , @TheGolfCanada and the @LPGA Tour officially announced today that CP has extended its title sponsorship of the #CPWO for five years, beginning in 2019 through 2023.

A post shared by CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) on Jul 9, 2018 at 6:00am PDT

In addition to being title sponsor of the CP Women’s Open, CP is extending its role as a premier partner of Golf Canada’s National Team Program (Team Canada) and the Young Pro Squad which supports emerging Canadian professionals in their transition to the LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR. CP also proudly supports Canadian golf legend Lorie Kane and major champion Brooke Henderson as CP Ambassadors.

CP will also continue its investment as title sponsor of the CP Women’s Leadership Summit which will make its debut on August 21 during tournament week of the 2018 CP Women’s Open at Wascana Country Club in Regina, Sask.

For Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum, CP’s extended relationship with the CP Women’s Open further solidifies CP’s standing as a champion supporter of golf in Canada.

“Canadian Pacific has been an incredible partner supporting excellence in Canadian golf for the past five years and we are honoured to have them continue their title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open,” said Applebaum. “CP is among Canada’s most respected corporations and as a deeply invested golf partner under the leadership of Keith Creel, their commitment to delivering a world-class experience for players, caddies, fans and charitable beneficiaries, has elevated the status of Canada’s National Women’s Open to one of the premier events on the LPGA Tour.”

As part of CP’s title sponsorship renewal, the purse for the 2019 CP Women’s Open will be $2.25M US beginning in 2019 with a commitment to be among the top-tier purses on the LPGA Tour for the term of the agreement.

“For our players, this championship is a must-play event with great hospitality as well as great history,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan.  “The LPGA’s success is made possible through partnerships like the ones we enjoy with CP and Golf Canada. I’d like to congratulate both CP and Golf Canada on this five-year sponsorship extension.  With CP’s help, we’re proud to continue showcasing the LPGA Tour to millions of golf fans in Canada, across North America and around the world.”

MAGNA GOLF CLUB TO HOST 2019 CP WOMEN’S OPEN

In addition to announcing the title sponsorship renewal, Golf Canada and CP also confirmed today that the 2019 CP Women’s Open will be conducted at the prestigious Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ontario.

The naming of Magna Golf Club as host of the 2019 CP Women’s Open kicks off an east-west venue rotation over the five-year term to bring the event to world-class facilities in host communities in which CP employees live and work across its network. The 2019 event marks the first time since 2001 that Canada’s National Women’s Open has been contested in the greater Toronto area.

“Magna Golf Club is a truly magnificent facility which will prove to be a world-class experience for the stars of the LPGA Tour,” added Applebaum. “The CP Women’s Open is one of Canada’s premier sporting events and we are thrilled to return to the Toronto area for the first time in nearly 20 years so that golf fans and partners can experience the incredible Magna Golf Club as well as the global excitement of the LPGA Tour.”

In 2019, the #CPWO will be heading to the beautiful @MagnaGolfClub in Aurora, Ont. ??⛳️

Read ➡️ https://t.co/zxE71wEFxw pic.twitter.com/GXL9ZW17WB

— CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) July 9, 2018

“When presented with the opportunity to host the 2019 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open Championship, we were immediately excited,” said Magna Golf Club General Manager and Director of Golf, Stuart Brindle. “The event will allow some of the world’s greatest golfers to experience Magna Golf Club, while making a tremendous impact on our local community.”

The 2019 charitable beneficiary for the CP Has Heart campaign is support of pediatric heart health initiatives will be announced in the coming months.

First conducted in 1973, Canada’s National Women’s Open Championship has allowed the brightest stars of the LPGA Tour to shine on Canadian soil and inspire the nation’s next generation of female golfers.

The 2018 CP Women’s Open will be held August 20-26 at Wascana Country Club in Regina. Additional information regarding tickets, sponsorship or volunteer opportunities can be found at www.cpwomensopen.com.

For more information on the 2018 Golf NB Ladies Provincials including results and tee times please CLICK HERE.

For more information on Miramichi Golf & Country Club please CLICK HERE.

Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB), a not for profit organization founded in 1934, is the official governing body for amateur golf in New Brunswick.  In January of 2006, the New Brunswick Golf Association (NBGA) officially merged with the New Brunswick Ladies Golf Association (NBLGA), resulting in one united governing body for amateur golf in the province.  Programs offered by Golf NB to its 10,000 members include: 12 provincial events, rules of golf education, course rating and handicap services, junior golf development programs and member club marketing initiatives.

Kids across the county are getting treated to some free golf this summer through an initiative from the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) Canada.

Starting July 3, 700 Canadian golf courses will offer free golf to junior golfers under the age of 16 during the Take A Kid To The Course program.

Not only does the program promote the game of golf at the grassroots level, but it promotes something much more valuable: family time.

“Golf provides kids with valuable life skills, such as perseverance, patience, and respect,” states Jeff Calderwood, CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada. “They will enjoy quality time with family and friends and experience an activity that takes them away from the computer and into the great outdoors.”

Along with providing junior golfers with free green fees, many of the clubs participating in the event offer free range balls, junior lessons and many other specials.

The program is entering its 16th season, during which it has allowed over 350,000 golfers an opportunity to golf for free.

For more information on the event and a complete list of participating courses visit kidsplaygolf.ca