MEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Josh Whalen made the biggest move among the Top 10, picking up 17 places in the world rankings to move past fellow Golf Canada National Team member Chris Crisologo and into No. 4 in the Canadian rankings.

Crisologo closed out the season at Simon Fraser University by finishing 11th at the Mustang International. It was the first tournament this year that the Golf Canada National Team member failed to record a top 10 result and just the second time that he finished outside the top 3.

No. 10 Matt Williams made the second biggest gain among the Top 10, picking up 13 spots in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for 19th at The Aggie Invitational. It was his third top 20 result of the season.

Some significant movement outside the Top 10. Maxwell Sear jumps 74 spots after finishing in a tie for 24th at the Irish Creek Intercollegiate. Henry Lee climbs 30 spots after finishing in a tie for 13th at the Western Intercollegiate and Zach Anderson jumps 46 spots to move into the Top 20.

Biggest move: Noah Steele of Kingston, Ont., gained 453 spots in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for sixth at the Bearkat Invitational at Walden. It was his second top 10 result this season for the sophomore at Sam Houston State.

Complete World Amateur Golf Rankings can be found here.

WOMEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Maddie Szeryk moved up two places in the world rankings to within two spots of her career best after picking up her third career collegiate title at the Bruzzy Challenge. The Golf Canada National Team member opened with a tournament low round of 70 and never looked back, taking the wire-to-wire victory by four strokes. It was her sixth top-5 result this season and earned the Texas A&M senior SEC Golfer of the Week honours for the fourth time in her career. Szeryk is expected to get another boost in the rankings after winning her second straight event this past week. Those results won’t be factored into the weekly rankings until next week.

Fellow National Team member Naomi Ko jumped 24 spots after taking runner-up honours at the Bryan National Collegiate. It was the best finish of the season for the junior at NC State and the fifth top 10 of her career.

Vanessa Ha led the way among the Top 10, climbing 28 spots after finishing in a tie for 15th at the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic.

Biggest Move: Brooke Hill of Regina, Sask., climbed 296 spots in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for 24th at the Harvard Invitational.

Complete World Amateur Golf Rankings can be found here.

MEN’S TOP 10

Adam Hadwin climbs two places in the world rankings following a tie for 24th at the Masters, his best career finish at a major. The result was worth 5.30 world ranking points, the ninth straight event he has managed a points-paying finish, collecting points in every tournament he has played in this year. It also moves him up to a career-best No. 41 in the world.

Adam Svensson made the biggest gain among the Top 10 as the No. 7 ranked Canadian picked up 15 spots in the world ranking. Benjamin Silverman jumped seven spots while Roger Sloan gained five places.

Click here for Men’s Official World Golf Rankings.

WOMEN’S TOP 10

Despite the fact every one of the Top 10 ranked players lost ground in the world rankings, it was not reflective of the results this past week.

No. 4 Brittany Marchand finished in a tie for 22nd at the Symetra Tour event in California. The result was worth 0.10 world ranking points for the Golf Canada Young Pro team member.

Other Notable Results: No. 6 Augusta James finished tied for 46th at the Symetra Tour event in California; No. 7 Samantha Richdale and No. 8 Jennifer Ha both missed the cut at the Symetra Tour event; No. 9 Elizabeth Tong finished tied for 58th at the Symetra Tour event;

Click here for full Women’s Rolex World Rankings.

OAKVILLE, ONT. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2018 championship schedule which includes a record-30 amateur and professional competitions plus qualifiers hosted at golf facilities in communities across Canada.

The 2018 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s premier professional championships—the RBC Canadian Open from July 23-29 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., and the CP Women’s Open at Wascana Country Club in Regina, Sask. from August 20-26.

The 2018 competition calendar includes eight National Amateur Championships, six Future Links, driven by Acura regional junior competitions and the World Junior Girls Championship.

Golf Canada will also host 11 qualifying events in 2018 including qualifiers for prestigious international competitions such as the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup and the U.S. Open (Local Qualifying), as well as the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur.

As the National Sports Federation and governing body of golf in Canada, Golf Canada conducts the country’s premier amateur and professional golf championships as part of its mandate to promote the sport and support the development of the nation’s top talent through world-class competition.

“Competing in a national championship is an incredible accomplishment for each of the more than 3,000 talented Canadian and international golfers who take part in our competitions,” said Golf Canada’s CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “The depth of talent, engagement among thousands of volunteers, the quality of our host venues and the committed support of corporate partners who have aligned their respected brands with our properties have been core to our competitions for more than a century. We are excited to welcome the next wave of Canadian golf champions.”

#GolfCanada is proud to announce our 2018 competitions schedule, with 30 events taking place from coast to coast ??⛳️ • • • #CDNAm #CDNWAm #CDNJrBoys #CDNJrGirls #CDNMidAm #CDNWMidAmSr #CDNUniCollege #CDNSr #FutureLinks #golf

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Apr 9, 2018 at 11:51am PDT

Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off April 9-12 with the Toyota Junior Golf World Qualifier at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C. (home to Golf Canada’s National Training Centre) and concludes in September with the World Junior Girls Championship at Camelot Golf and Country Club in Cumberland, Ont.

“We’re proud to be working with many of Canada’s most renowned golf clubs from coast to coast,” said Adam Helmer, Director of Rules, Competitions and Amateur Status with Golf Canada. “Our 2018 venues are set to showcase an exciting season of competitive golf in communities across Canada and we thank our host clubs for their support.”

To view Golf Canada’s 2018 championship schedule including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities please click here.

Golf Canada’s Championship Season at a Glance…

British Columbia will be a hotbed for Canadian golf in 2018, with the province hosting 11 Golf Canada events including the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships as well as the Canadian University/College Championship and the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.

The 114th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship will be contested at Duncan Meadows Golf Course in Duncan, B.C. and Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach, B.C., August 4-9. A field of 240 players will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 36 holes, with the final two rounds contested at Duncan Meadows. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2018 U.S. Amateur Championship. Additionally, the winner will receive an exemption into local qualifying for the 2019 U.S. Open, and if applicable, the U.S. Junior, U.S. Mid-Amateur or USGA Senior Amateur Championships.

The 105th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship takes place July 23-27 at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver with the champion earning an exemption into the 2018 CP Women’s Open, as well as an exemption into the 2018 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. Additionally, the winner will receive exemptions into the U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championships, if applicable.

The 16th Canadian University/College Championship will be held May 28 to June 1 at Chilliwack Golf Club in Chilliwack, B.C. The national championship features both a team and individual component and will serve as the Canadian team qualifier for the 2018 FISU World University Golf Championship.

The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur will be held August 20-24 at Victoria Golf Club in Victoria, B.C. with the champion earning entry into the 2019 RBC Canadian Open.

On Saturday, July 21, as a kick-off event to the 2018 RBC Canadian Open, Glen Abbey will also open its fairways to junior competitors from across Canada for the 10th annual Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge National Event. Click here for qualifying info.

The 2018 RBC Canadian Open on the PGA TOUR will be contested July 23-29 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. and will mark the 109th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship. As part of a two-stage qualifying process, a trio of RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifiers will take place in British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario. The regional qualifying event in B.C. will be held at Ledgeview Golf Club, home course of Canadian PGA TOUR stars and Team Canada alumni Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor.

The CP Women’s Open will make its first-ever stop in Saskatchewan as Wascana Country Club in Regina will host the stars of the LPGA Tour from August 20-26.

At the junior level, the 80th Canadian Junior Boys Championship will be contested from July 29 to August 2 at Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club in Medicine Hat, Alta., with the winner earning an exemption into the 2018 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. That same week the 64th Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be contested at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, B.C.

Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst, N.B., will host the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship September 3-7 with the winner earning an exemption into the 2018 USGA Senior Amateur. The Canadian Women’s Mid-Am and Senior Championship will be held August 27-30 at Lookout Point Country Club in Fonthill, Ont., with the champion earning an exemption into the 2018 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.

Ottawa’s Camelot Golf & Country Club will open its fairways to elite talent from across the globe when it plays host to the World Junior Girls Championship from September 9-14, 2018. This year marks the fifth playing of the annual event. Camelot has previously hosted the Canadian Junior Girls Championship as well as qualifying for the CP Women’s Open. Admission and parking for the World Junior Girls Golf Championship is free. For more information, visit www.worldjuniorgirls.com.

For the second straight year, Golf Canada, in collaboration with the USGA, will host a U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Beacon Hall Golf Club in Aurora, Ont. The 18-hole event conducted on May 7 will be one of 112 local qualifiers across 45 states and Canada which serve as the first of a two-step process to qualify for the U.S. Open.

The U.S. Women’s Amateur Local Qualifier will run June 27 at the Weston Golf & Country Club in Toronto, while the U.S. Amateur Local Qualifier will take place July 16 at Pitt Meadows Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, B.C.

The Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru National Event will be held at The Thornhill Club on September 24. The one-day event is a celebration of the success of all Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru events held nationwide during the 2018 season. To date, the fundraising efforts of thousands of golfers have totaled more than $6 million for breast cancer research since the program’s inception in 2003. The program’s goal is to drive women’s participation in the game of golf through the use of fun, non-intimidating activities. Click here to learn more about Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru.

GOLF CANADA AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Golf Canada annually conducts championships nation-wide which play host to more than 3,000 domestic and international athletes from all corners of the world. In partnership with our host clubs, thousands of volunteers, provincial golf associations and our proud sponsors, Golf Canada is dedicated to supporting player development through world-class competition since our inception in 1895. Officiated by certified Canadian Rules of Golf officials, Golf Canada’s amateur competitions are fully compliant with golf’s international governing bodies and include marquee events such as the Canadian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships, as well as the Canadian Junior Girls and Junior Boys Championships. Golf Canada’s amateur championships are proudly supported by RBC, Canadian Pacific, Sport Canada, Levelwear, Titleist and FootJoy. For more information and scheduling visit www.golfcanada.ca/competitions.

FUTURE LINKS, driven by Acura
Future Links, driven by Acura is Canada’s national junior golf program conducted by Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and Canada’s provincial golf associations. Proudly supported by Acura, Puma, The R&A, NGCOA Canada, ClubLink and Sport Canada, the program is designed to forge a link between Canada’s youth and golf to ensure the future of the game in Canada. The program features three core areas of focus—in-school programming, facility programming and community outreach—including elements such as Golf in Schools, Learn to Play, Girl’s Club, Mobile Clinics, Junior Skills Competition and Community Golf Coach, along with six regional Future Links Junior Championships.  Since the inception of the program in 1996, more than 1.3 million young Canadians have taken part in Future Links. For more information, visit golfcanada.ca/futurelinks.

Almost everyone who has picked up a golf club knows the feeling.

Shanking shot after shot into the woods. Approach shots continuously landing in the drink. Repeatedly trying to get your ball out of the bunker from hell.

Many a weekend hacker could relate to what Sergio Garcia went through during his disastrous turn on the 15th hole in his opening round at the Masters. The defending champion put five balls into the water on the par-5 hole and took a whopping 13 on the scorecard.

“I think that was a very, very unique situation yesterday where we witnessed one of the best players in the world kind of looking like a 30-handicapper for a minute there,” said former PGA Tour player Ian Leggatt.

Clearing hurdles that the golf gods put in place can be a stiff challenge on the local nine-hole track or in the bright spotlight at Augusta.

Either way, when emotions and stress levels run high, decision-making and performance can be affected. Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, a sport psychologist with Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba, said it’s important to back away a little when things start to go sideways.

Her advice for Garcia in that situation would be to get the mind and body in tune.

“If he’s able to breathe and calm his body down, then he’ll be able to think more rationally and slow things down on the course,” she said Friday from Winnipeg. “So I would definitely just tell him to breathe and calm your body down. We want to buy him some time to let him think of different options.”

Canadian women’s team head coach Tristan Mullally also preaches a mindset of re-evaluation over persistence.

“Good players naturally go to try and make up for their mistake,” he said from Westover, Ont. “That can lead to trying to hit the same perfect shot again and again.”

After Garcia’s first shot went in the water, he took a sand wedge from inside 100 yards and watched four more balls get wet. The Spaniard said he didn’t miss his shots – the ball just simply didn’t stop on the green.

Make no mistake: this wasn’t a duffer’s display with balls being sprayed in every direction. Garcia was burned by a pool table-fast green and just a little too much spin.

“Even the best players, having a mistake like that, there’s a little bit of shock,” Mullally said. “Their natural instinct and why they’re probably so good in the first place is to hit the next shot closer and move on.

“In an attempt to hit it really close, the margin for error is smaller especially at a place like Augusta.”

There comes a point for many players – whether you’re a top pro or just playing a casual round – where you simply have to try a different club or change the approach.

But as Leslie-Toogood notes, armchair quarterbacks aren’t living in that moment on the course.

“It just happens so quickly and he’s in such a different place as he’s processing it,” said Leslie-Toogood, who has worked with Golf Canada for years. “It’s not until later when he reflects back and realizes what other people are seeing, because we can see it very differently when we’re from afar.”

When Garcia eventually got a ball to stick, he hit the 10-foot putt for a rare octuple bogey.

“I think great players are guilty of the same things as an amateur,” Mullally said. “Sometimes the situation can take over and decisions get harder.”

Leggatt, a native of Cambridge, Ont., who won the Tucson Open in 2002, said players avoid laying up on that hole because they know the pitch shot can be very difficult.

“Sergio didn’t really hit any bad shots into that green,” he said from Richmond Hill, Ont. “It’s just the severity of it and being able to pick and choose the right type of shot you need to hit on that particular hole is going to be the most important (thing). But it was all set up by ultimately hitting that second shot in the water and then having to play that pitch shot into the green.

“It’s probably the most difficult shot on the whole golf course.”

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Adam Hadwin is one of those rare Canadians who never played hockey.

Like all Canadians, he was rocked by a tragic bus crash that claimed 15 lives in his home country.

Hadwin, a native of Saskatchewan who now lives near Vancouver, shot an even-par 72 Saturday in the third round of the Masters after learning of the catastrophic wreck involving the Humboldt Broncos, a junior hockey team on its way to a playoff game.

“It shows you how short life is,” Hadwin said minutes after walking off the course, just as the rain started falling again on a grey, overcast day in Georgia. “You need to appreciate every moment. You need to appreciate the people around you.”

A tractor-trailer truck slammed into a bus carrying the Broncos, a wreck of such devastating proportions that a doctor compared it to an airstrike . The impact was especially profound in a vast but close-knit country united by its love of hockey.

“We obviously don’t have that many people,” Hadwin said. “When something like this happens, a lot of people are enveloped in that hockey world. It touched a lot of people, a lot of friends of people. It’s difficult.”

Hadwin, who was born in the western Canada town of Moose Jaw, did not play hockey growing up. He said his small size – even now, at age 30, he’s just 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds – prompted his parents to steer him away from the rough, fast-paced game.

“I’m actually not considered Canadian,” he quipped. “But they still accept me sometimes.”

As a youngster, Hadwin stuck mostly to baseball and soccer. He didn’t get serious about golf until he was a teenager, taking lessons from his father, who is a teaching professional. He went on to play U.S. college golf at Louisville, earning his spot on the PGA Tour in 2015.

But Hadwin certainly understands the place that hockey holds in Canada, and how much the country is impacted by a crash that also left 14 people injured. The staggering toll is even more poignant on a team where the players are between 16 and 20 years of age, presumably with most of their lives still in front of them.

“It puts hockey into perspective,” said Hadwin, a Vancouver Canucks fan who is playing the Masters for the second time. “It puts golf into perspective.”

Other sports joined the hockey world in a state of mourning .

“Obviously this is something that transcends just one nation and one sport,” said John Axford, a reliever for the Toronto Blue Jays, who were in Texas to play the Rangers. “There are people all over the world that are feeling for these kids and their families and their friends and the entire community of Humboldt. It’s hard to talk about, in all honesty.”

Axford remembered plenty of long bus rides playing youth baseball and as he moved through the minor leagues. Even in the majors, teams need buses to get between the hotels and the stadiums while on the road.

“I was thinking about it last night on the bus on the way home from the game,” Axford said. “As an athlete, you spend a lot of time travelling to and from events, and when you start playing in higher leagues, you’re taking longer bus trips. That bus becomes a second home, a second locker room, a second place for you and your teammates and your brothers in arms there to learn, about each other, about the game, to talk, to laugh, to just enjoy life.

“It really hits home.”

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Patrick Reed became famous playing for his country. He won for himself Sunday and became a Masters champion.

It was never easy, just the way Reed likes it.

Rory McIlroy came after him early. Jordan Spieth roared to life with a final-round charge and briefly caught Reed with a 35-foot birdie putt. The last challenge came from Rickie Fowler, who birdied the last hole to leave Reed no room for error.

Reed never flinched throughout a raucous afternoon at Augusta National.

Clinging to a one-shot lead, his 25-foot putt down the slippery slope on the 18th green ran 3 feet by the hole as Reed pressed down both hands, begging it to stop. From there, the 27-year-old Texan calmly rolled in the par putt for a 1-under 71 and a one-shot victory.

“To have to par the last hole to win my first major, it definitely felt right,” Reed said from Butler cabin, right before Sergio Garcia helped him into a green jacket.

The loudest cheers were for everyone else. Reed earned their respect with two big birdie putts on the back nine, one crucial par putt and plenty of grit. He also had a little luck when his 80-foot putt across the 17th green hit the hole, keeping it only 6 feet away. He made that for par to stay in control.

Reed won for the sixth time in his PGA Tour career, though he was best known for the trophies he shared at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. He is ferocious in match play, especially the team variety, and his singles victory over McIlroy at Hazeltine in the 2016 Ryder Cup led to the nickname of Captain America.

The clinching putt.

Congratulations to @PReedGolf, 2018 #themasters Champion. pic.twitter.com/zEkWleSeRK

— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 8, 2018

Captain America is now the Masters champion.

“He’s not scared. I think you guys have seen that previous from the Ryder Cups and the way he plays,” said Fowler, who closed with a 67. “He won’t back down. I don’t necessarily see him as someone that backs up and will let you come back into the tournament. You have to go catch him.”

Fowler did his best with three birdies in a four-hole stretch, and an 8-foot birdie on the final hole. It still wasn’t enough. Fowler was runner-up for the third time in a major. He left the scoring cabin when Reed tapped in for par.

“Glad I at least made the last one, make him earn it,” Fowler said with a grin as he waited to greet the newest major champion.

“You had to do it didn’t you?” Reed told him as they exchanged a hug. “You had to birdie the last.”

Spieth put up the most unlikely fight and was on the verge of the greatest comeback in Masters history. He started nine shots behind going into the final round, and was inches away on two shots from a chance at another green jacket.

His tee shot on the 18th clipped the last branch in his way, dropping his ball some 267 yards from the green. His 8-foot par putt for a record-tying 63 narrowly missed on the right. He had to settle for a 64.

“I think I’ve proven to myself and to others that you never give up,” Spieth said. “I started the round nine shots back and I came out with the idea of just playing the golf course and having a lot of fun doing it and try to shoot a low round and finish the tournament strong and see what happens, if something crazy happens.”

McIlroy, meanwhile, will have to wait another year for a shot at the career Grand Slam.

Trailing by three shots to start the final round, he closed to within one shot after two holes. That was as close as he came. McIlroy’s putter betrayed him, and he was never a factor on the back nine. He closed with a 74 and tied for fifth.

The gallery was clearly behind McIlroy, even though Reed led Augusta State to a pair of NCAA titles and briefly lived in Augusta.

He was met with polite applause on the first tee. The throaty cheer was for McIlroy, and it looked as though the 28-year-old from Northern Ireland atone himself from shooting 80 in the final round and losing a four-shot lead.

Reed scrambled for a bogey on the opening hole. He failed to get up-and-down from a bunker on the par-5 second as McIlroy had a 4-foot eagle putt to tie for the lead. McIlroy missed badly, a sign of what would to come. He missed four putts inside 10 feet on the front nine, and he missed a 3-foot par on the 14th.

Different about this victory for Reed was the fuchsia shirt he wore as part of a Nike script. Reed always wears black pants and a red shirt because that’s what Tiger Woods does, and Reed has long modeled his mental game after Woods. “Be stubborn,” he once said about learning by watching Woods.

Reed went to the back nine with a four-shot lead over four players, and they all had their chances. That included Jon Rahm, the 23-year-old from Spain, whose chances ended when he went after the flag on the par-5 15th and came up short in the water. He shot 69 and finished fourth.

Reed’s only bogey on the back nine was at No. 11 from a tee shot into the trees. He answered with a 25-foot birdie on the 12th, and a shot into 8 feet at No. 14 for a birdie that broke the tie with Spieth. He made all pars from there. That’s all he needed.

He became the fourth straight Masters champion to capture his first major.

Reed once claimed after winning a World Golf Championship at Doral that he was a top 5 player in the world, which subjected him to ridicule. This victory moves him to No. 11. It also comes with a green jacket, which earns far more respect and notoriety.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., shot an impressive 3-under 69 on Thursday in the first round of the Masters to enter into a seven-way tie for fourth, three shots back of leader Jordan Spieth.

Here are three things to know before he tees off at 2 p.m. Eastern time for the second round at Augusta National.

BACK NINE HIGHS AND LOWS

Aside from a birdie on the par-4 No. 9, Hadwin was at even par through the front nine in the first round at historic Augusta National. The back nine, however, was more eventful. He birdied the 10th and 12th holes, then bogeyed the par-4 No. 14, but followed it up with back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16. A bogey on 18 dropped him into the tie for fourth. Had he made that shot, he would have been in a three-way tie for second with Americans Tony Finau and Matt Kuchar.

HEART IN VANCOUVER

Despite playing in the first major PGA event of the season, Hadwin was focused on the last game in Vancouver for Canucks superstars Henrik and Daniel Sedin. The Swedish twins announced their retirement earlier in the week.

“If it werent for this tournament called The Masters, I would be there to send off the Sedins. Guess this view will have to do! Congrats on an incredible career on the ice and for being even better people off of it! The city of Van was lucky to have you!” tweeted Hadwin late Thursday, adding a photo of the game on his laptop computer.

If it werent for this tournament called The Masters, I would be there to send off the Sedins. Guess this view will have to do! Congrats on an incredible career on the ice and for being even better people off of it! The city of Van was lucky to have you! pic.twitter.com/r5MY4DXTj4

— adam hadwin (@ahadwingolf) April 6, 2018

SECOND TIME’S THE CHARM

This is Hadwin’s second consecutive year at the Masters. Last season he finished tied for 36th at 6-over par. His best round was the fourth where he fired a 2-under 70 to move up the standings. On Friday he’s playing with Patrick Reed, who missed last year’s cut, and Charley Hoffman, who tied for 22nd at 2 over.

Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum phoned in from Augusta National on Thursday to chat all things Masters with Bob McCown from Sportsnet Prime Time.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta National went nearly 80 years before having female members. Now the club is inviting its first female competitors.

The Augusta National Women’s Amateur begins next year, a 54-hole event for top amateurs from around the world who will become the first women to play a tournament at the home of the Masters.

Fred Ridley, who took over as club chairman in October, said the new tournament will expand Augusta National’s goal to inspire young people, following in the footprint of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, the Latin America Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt competition for children.

He said the Augusta National Women’s Amateur was for a “segment of our sport that is … vital to the future of golf.”

“We believe this event will have a long-lasting impact on the game,” Ridley said.

Women have long played at Augusta National, but it wasn’t until the fall of 2012 that the club invited its first women as members _ former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina financier Darla Moore. The latest member is former USGA president Diana Murphy.

“I’ve said many times that our country is a story of our great institutions evolving and becoming more inclusive over time,” Rice said. “This is one of the great institutions, not just American institutions but international institutions, so it’s evolved and it’s become more inclusive, and that’s very exciting.”

Ridley said the opening two rounds would be held at Champions Retreat in Augusta, with the final round moving to Augusta National on Saturday, April 9, extending the week at the Masters. The finals of the Drive, Chip and Putt would be on Sunday, followed by practice rounds for the Masters.

But the announcement caused one conflict.

The first LPGA Tour major of the year, the ANA Inspiration, typically is the week before the Masters in Rancho Mirage, California. The tournament invites leading amateurs, meaning they would have to choose between playing with the best on the LPGA Tour or a tournament with a final round at Augusta National.

“We have no intentions of competing or taking away from the ANA Inspiration,” Ridley said. “We think that to have one week where the future greats of the game and the current greats of the women’s game are all competing on a big stage, it’s just very exciting.”

He said he has spoken to LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan, and that Whan “understands our motivations for doing this.”

Whan was on site at Augusta National, where cellphones are prohibited, and unable to respond to a request for comment. But the LPGA issued statement.

“We have a real opportunity currently to make the weekend prior to the Masters a celebration of women’s golf unlike anything we have experienced previously,” the LPGA said. “While this announcement may create some initial challenges for our first major, navigating multiple opportunities for women’s golf is a good problem to have.”

The 72-player field will be determined by winners of recognized amateur events around the world and by the women’s world amateur ranking. There will be a 36-hole cut to the low 30 scores before moving over to Augusta National.

Ridley said tickets would be sold by lottery, which is sure to attract by some margin the largest crowd for an amateur event simply for the opportunity to walk the grounds of Augusta National in the spring.

The winner will get a five-year exemption to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, provided she remains an amateur.

But she won’t get a green jacket.

“The green jacket certainly is an iconic part of the Masters,” Ridley said. “We plan to have a very distinctive award for the winner of this event, and we think in time that will become iconic. I can assure you it will be very, very nice.”

Annika Sorenstam was among those in the audience when Ridley announced the new tournament.

“Look at the big picture,” Sorenstam said. “Little girls knowing they have a chance to play on the biggest stage? That would send me to the range.”

MEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Golf Canada National Team member Joey Savoie was the only player in the Top 10 to maintain his ranking over the course of the last week.

Myles Creighton slipped two places in the world rankings despite posting his eighth straight top 10 finish in spring tournaments, finishing tied for ninth at the Kingsmill Intercollegiate.

No. 9 Lawren Rowe finished in a tie for fourth at the Desert Intercollegiate, finishing behind a trio of teammates as the University of Victoria dominated the event. It was his fifth top five finish in seven tournaments this season.

Some changs outside the Top 10. Jeevan Sihota making one of the biggest moves, climbing 188 spots after finishing in a tie for eighth at the AJGA Bishops Gate Golf Academy Boys Junior Championship to make his top 20 debut, settling in at No. 19 in the Canadian rankings.

Tony Gil moves up 38 spots to take over the No. 20 spot in the rankings.

Biggest move: Angelo Giantsopoulos of Richmond Hill, Ont. gained 438 spots in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for 51st at the Kingsmill Intercollegiate.

Complete World Amateur Golf Rankings can be found here.

WOMEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Top ranked Maddie Szeryk maintained her No. 28 world ranking in what was a relatively quiet week, results-wise for the Top 10. Szeryk picked up her third collegiate win earlier this week, a result that won’t be factored into the rankings until next week.

Fellow Golf Canada National Team members Naomi Ko and Grace St-Germain were among the five players who made positive gains this past week with Ko and St-Germain each picking up four places in the world rankings.

Valerie Tanguay made the biggest gain, climbing five places in the world ranking following her tie for fourth last week at the Clemson Invitational.

Outside the Top 10, Ellie Szeryk, sister to top ranked Canadian Maddie Szeryk, moves up to take over the No. 20 ranking in Canada.

Biggest Move: Mackenzie Butzer of Chatham, Ont. gained 300 places in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for eighth at The Babs Steffens Invitational, her fourth top 10 result of the season.

Complete World Amateur Golf Rankings can be found here.

MEN’S TOP 10

Corey Conners climbed three places in the world rankings despite missing the cut at the PGA’s Houston Open. The former Golf Canada National Team member was the only Top 10 player to make a positive move in the weekly rankings. So far this year, Conners has gained 201 places in the rankings.

Top ranked Adam Hadwin heads into the first major of the year, the Masters, as the No. 43rd ranked player in the world. He’ll be looking to improve upon his finish from a year ago, when he ended up tied for 36th in his inaugural visit to Augusta National Golf Course.

Mike Weir, who has worked his way back up to the No. 19 ranked pro in Canada, is the only other Canadian at the Masters, celebrating the 15th anniversary of his 2003 championship.

Other notable results: No. 3 Mackenzie Hughes and No. 4 Nick Taylor both missed the cut at PGA Houston Open; No. 6 Benjamin Silverman finished tied for 80th at PGA Houston Open; No. 7 Adam Svensson missed the cut at the Web.com Tour Savannah Golf Championship; No. 10 Roger Sloan finished tied for 33rd at the Web.com Tour Savannah Golf Championship;

Click here for Men’s Official World Golf Rankings.

WOMEN’S TOP 10

Alena Sharp gained two spots in the rankings after finishing in a tie for 37th at the ANA Inspiration – the first major of LPGA season. The result was worth 2.52 world ranking points and it was her best result of the season since the season opening event in the Bahamas back in January.

Other Notable Results: No. 1 Brooke Henderson finished tied for 48th at LPGA ANA Inspiration

Click here for full Women’s Rolex World Rankings.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — A look at some of the anniversaries this year at the Masters:

75 years ago (1943)

Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts decided after the 1942 Masters to stop the tournament for the rest of World War II. According to the Augusta Chronicle, the club’s greenskeeper raised turkey and cattle on the grounds while the club was closed. Roberts said in his autobiography that the cattle destroyed several azalea and camellia bushes and ate the bark of several young trees. There were plenty of WWII connections to the Masters. Jones was commissioned as a captain in the Army Air Corps, and his unit landed at Normandy a day after the D-Day invasion. Leading the Normandy invasion was Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who later became a member at Augusta National during his two terms as U.S. president.

50 years ago (1968)

The 1968 Masters is best remembered for five words: “What a stupid I am.” Roberto de Vicenzo birdied the 17th hole in the final round to take a one-shot lead over Bob Goalby, only to bogey the last hole. The Argentine was so angry at his bogey that he didn’t properly check his card, which was kept by Tommy Aaron, and he signed for a 4 on the 17th instead of a 3. Under the rules, he had to accept the higher score, giving him a 66 instead of a 65. And instead of an 18-hole playoff the next day, Goalby was the winner by one shot. Goalby closed with a 66 to finish at 11-under 277. De Vicenzo had won the British Open a year earlier, but this scorecard blunder remained his most famous moment until his death last year.

25 years ago (1993)

Bernhard Langer won the 1993 Masters for his second green jacket, closing with a 2-under 70 for a four-shot victory over Chip Beck. His first Masters victory in 1985 was remembered for Curtis Strange twice going for the green when he had the lead and finding water. The 1993 Masters featured Beck choosing to lay up when he was trailing. Langer had a three-shot lead when Beck laid up on the par-5 15th from 236 yards away. He made par, while Langer followed with a birdie to stretch the lead. There was one other similarity to Langer’s victories. He was harshly criticized in 1985 for saying “Jesus Christ” in the Butler Cabin interview while expressing surprise at Strange’s lead. The controversy led to Langer becoming a Christian, and when he won in 1993, he said it again because it was Easter. “I sometimes joke that I’m the only one to mention ‘Jesus Christ’ in Butler Cabin twice,” he said.

20 years ago (1998)

Mark O’Meara became the first player since Arnold Palmer in 1960 to birdie the last two holes for a one-shot victory in the 1998 Masters, which also was the last year the Augusta National gallery witnessed a Jack Nicklaus charge. O’Meara holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 67 to beat Fred Couples and David Duval, and at 41 he became the oldest first-time winner of the Masters. Couples had a wild back nine with a double bogey on No. 13 and an eagle on the 15th. Duval missed birdie chances on the 17th and 18th for a 67. He was in Jones Cabin watching O’Meara when Augusta National chairman Jack Stephens told him: “Don’t worry, David. Nobody ever makes that putt.” O’Meara made the putt. Nicklaus, 58, birdied four of his first seven holes and pulled within three shots of the lead, causing so many roars that even Tiger Woods in the group ahead backed off putts. But he had to settle for a 68 and tied for sixth.

15 years ago (2003)

“The Green Jacket is going north of the border!”

Mike Weir of Sarnia, Ont., captivated an entire country, becoming the first Canadian and left-handed golfer to win The Masters tournament. The Canadian Golf Hall-of-Famer missed the cut a week prior to The Masters, which eventually helped him get back to his fundamentals.. Playing over a condensed three days due to rain, Weir leaned on his accuracy and short game to put himself in position to win. Weir forced a playoff with Len Mattiace, a then two-time TOUR winner, back at the 10th hole. With Mattiace struggling, Weir had a safe two putts to win, becoming the 2003 Masters champion.

Weir captured the ’03 CareerBuilder Challenge as part of a three-win season — including the Masters — en route to being named the Lou Marsh Award winner as Canada’s athlete of the year. He’s the last golfer to win the honour.

10 years ago (2008)

Four months after Trevor Immelman had a tumor removed from his diaphragm, the South African won the 2008 Masters by three shots over Tiger Woods. And it wasn’t even that close. Immelman had a five-shot lead with three holes to play until hitting into the water for double bogey at No. 16. He closed with a 75 and joined Arnold Palmer in the record book with the highest closing round by a Masters champion. Only four players broke par in the final round. For Woods, it was his second straight year finishing as the runner-up at Augusta National in his bid for a fifth green jacket. Among those who had a chance were Brandt Snedeker, who briefly tied for the lead with an eagle on No. 2, and Steve Flesch, whose hopes ended with a tee shot into Rae’s Creek at No. 12.

5 years ago (2013)

Adam Scott won the 2013 Masters in a playoff over Angel Cabrera, and Australia had a Masters champion after more than a half-century of trying. Scott thought he had it won with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, only for Cabrera to stuff his shot into 3 feet for birdie as Scott was signing his card. They both made par on the first extra hole, and Scott ended it with a 12-foot birdie putt at No. 10 on the second playoff hole. Greg Norman, who knew nothing but hard luck at Augusta National, was watching from Florida and said when it was over, “I’m over the moon.” It was a wild week for Tiger Woods, who was on the verge of taking the lead on Friday when his wedge into the 15th hole hit the pin and went back into the water. Woods took his penalty drop in the wrong place, which was pointed out by a rules expert watching on TV. The rules committee at the Masters failed to act on the information, and when it was clear a penalty was involved, the committee gave Woods a two-shot penalty and allowed him to stay in the tournament despite having signed for an incorrect score. Woods finished four shots behind.