MEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Hugo Bernard begins his fourth consecutive week as the No. 1 ranked amateur in Canada. The Quebec golfer, coming off a tie for 40th at the Jones Cup event, sits at No. 72 in the world rankings.

Chris Crisologo, coming off his win at the South American Amateur, also finished in a tie for 40th at the Jones Cup event. The Richmond, B.C. golfer also moved up a spot to take over the No. 4 spot in the Canadian rankings.

Charles Corner made the biggest gain among the Top 10, picking up 17 places in the world rankings.

Biggest move: Zach Anderson gained 104 spots in the world rankings. The Nanaimo, B.C. golfer is currently completing his senior campaign at Washington State University.

Complete World Amateur Golf Rankings can be found here.

WOMEN’S AMATEUR TOP 10

Positive gains among nine of the 10 players ranked in the Top 10 this past week.

Golf Canada National Team member and top ranked Canadian amateur Maddie Szeryk maintained her No. 24 world ranking.

No. 8 Michelle Kim made the biggest move among the Top 10, picking up 13 places while No. 9 Valerie Tanguay picked up 11 places.

Biggest Move: Hannah Lee gained 12 places in the world rankings.

Complete World Amateur Golf Rankings can be found here.

MEN’S TOP 10

Adam Svensson made the biggest gain of the week to move back into the Top 10, climbing 317 spots in the world ranking after picking up his first professional win at the Web.com Tour event in the Bahamas. Last year, Svensson missed the cut at both Web.com Tour Bahamas events and ultimately came up one spot short of earning his PGA Tour card. He becomes the 18th Canadian to win on the Web.com Tour. The victory was worth 14 world ranking points and it moved him from No. 11 to No. 8 in the Canadian rankings. At No. 379 in the world, Svensson is just three spots shy of matching his career-best standing in the world.

Svensson’s move up knocked Corey Conners out of the Top 10 for the first time in over a year. Conners himself made a jump of 50 places in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for 29th at the PGA Farmers Insurance Open. That was worth 2.35 world ranking points – his second points-paying finish in the last three tournaments.

Outside the Top 10, Ryan Yip gained 224 spots in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for 10th at the Web.com Tour event in the Bahamas. It was just his fourth career top 10 result on the development tour and enabled him  to move from No. 21 up to No. 15 in the Canadian rankings.

Other notable results: No. 1 Adam Hadwin finished tied for 35th at PGA Farmers Insurance Open; No. 3 Mackenzie Hughes and No. 7 David Hearn both missed the cut at PGA Farmers Insurance Open; No. 4 Nick Taylor finished tied for 75th at PGA Farmers Insurance Open; No. 5 Austin Connelly missed the cut at European Tour Omega Dubai Desert Classic; No. 6 Benjamin Silverman finished tied for 67th at PGA Farmers Insurance Open; No. 9 Richard T Lee finished tied for 48th at the Asian Tour/Japanese Tour Myanmar Open; No. 10 Roger Sloan missed the cut at the Web.com Tour event in the Bahamas.

Click here for Men’s Official World Golf Rankings.

WOMEN’S TOP 10

Alena Sharp gained two places in the world rankings after finishing in a tie for 18th at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. The No. 2 ranked Canadian pro gained 1.46 world ranking points, moving her to No. 103 in the world.

Top ranked Brooke Henderson maintained her No.14 world ranking after finishing in ninth at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic.

Other Notable Results: No. 3 Maude-Aimee Leblanc finished tied for 66th at the LPGA event in the Bahamas; No. 4 Anne-Catherine Tanguay missed the cut at the LPGA event in the Bahamas;

Click here for full Women’s Rolex World Rankings.

The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum is proud to announce former LPGA Tour player Gail Graham and renowned golf course architect, the late Arthur Vernon (A.V.) Macan, have been elected as Canadian Golf Hall of Fame’s 2018 inductees.

Graham will be inducted in the player category while Macan will be inducted as a builder for his career accomplishments in golf course architecture. With their inductions, the pair become the 80^th and 81^st honoured members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame recognizes the accomplishments of outstanding individuals and their tremendous impact on the game of golf and it is an honour to welcome Gail Graham and the late A.V. Macan as our newest honoured members,” said Sandra Post, Chair of the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee. “Gail was both an accomplished player who transitioned to a successful post-playing career as a tournament and LPGA administrator while Macan’s deep contribution to golf course design including notable redesign efforts have become synonymous with excellence in golf course architecture.”

“I am, to say the least, blown away, excited and humbled,” said Graham. “I admire and respect all of the Hall’s members and to join these amazing people who have contributed so much to Canadian golf is an absolute honour.”

With his induction, Macan, who was affectionately referred to as “Mac”, becomes the 5^th golf course architect inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“Mac was my grandfather and although I never had the pleasure of meeting him, I feel he is a part of our lives even today,” said Matthew Macan, one of Macan’s seven grandchildren. “This is a tremendous honour for our family and we look forward to making the trek from Britain to join you in Canada for the ceremony later this year.”

The induction of Gail Graham and the late A.V. Macan into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame will take place on Tuesday, July 24^th, 2018 during Hall of Fame Day and Opening Ceremony of the 2018 RBC Canadian Open on the grounds of Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

Gail Graham

Born January 16, 1964 in Vanderhoof, B.C., Gail Graham (nee Anderson) was an accomplished amateur and professional golfer who went on to succeed off the course as an executive and broadcaster.

During her accomplished playing career, Graham, a member of the LPGA Tour for 15 years from 1990-2005, amassed a pair of LPGA Tour victories—the 1997 Alpine Australian Ladies Masters and the 1995 Fieldcrest Cannon Classic. Other professional victories included the 1988 Manhattan Futures Classic on the (former) Futures Tour along with the 2016 Wendy’s Charity Classic on the Legends Tour. Graham also won the 1988 PGA of Canada Women’s Championship and competed in Canada’s National Women’s Open (now the CP Women’s Open) on 17 occasions, her best finish a tie for 4^th in 1998.
Internationally, she helped Canada win the 1987 Commonwealth Championship and represented her country at the Handa World Cup (2009-2013) and Nations Cup (1999-2000).

As a standout amateur with ties to British Columbia and Manitoba, Graham got her start in golf at the St. Charles Country Club in Winnipeg. She won the 1982 Manitoba Junior Women’s Championship, a pair of Manitoba Women’s Amateur titles (1983 & 1985) and was named Manitoba Amateur Golfer of the Year in 1983. She also represented Manitoba on several junior and amateur interprovincial teams during her amateur career. In 1986, her family moved to Kelowna, B.C. and she would later be named to represent Canada on the 1986 World Amateur Team. She also represented BC on provincial amateur teams in 1986 and 1987 and was named an All-American in 1986 playing for Lamar University in Beaumont, TX (where she was teammates with fellow Canadians Jennifer Wyatt and the late Dawn Coe-Jones, a fellow honoured member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame).

Aside from her playing career, Graham also achieved success as a golf executive, administrator and broadcaster having served on the LPGA Executive Committee (1994-1997 & 1999-2002) including a two-year term as President (2001-2002). She also worked as President of the LPGA Tournament Owners Association (2007-2013) and has served on the Board of the Legends Tour since 2016, being named their 2018 President. Graham has also worked with various outlets as a broadcaster and greenside reporter for the LPGA Tour.

In 2002, she was voted by her fellow LPGA Tour members as the recipient of the William and Mousie Powell Award as the player who whose behavior and deeds best exemplifies the spirit, ideals and values of the LPGA. She was also elected to the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame in 2009 and British Columbia Golf Hall of Fame in 2015.

A.V. Macan

Born 1882 in Dublin, A.V. Macan’s contribution to Canadian golf is deeply rooted in defining excellence in Canadian golf course architecture.  Macan learned golf at a young age and soon developed into one of Ireland’s top players. While studying law at Dublin’s Trinity College, Macan competed in top-flight championships throughout the British Isles. It was during this time he would visit many highly touted golf courses in England, Scotland and Ireland, gaining inspiration for the much-admired courses he would later design.

In 1908, he emigrated to Canada with his young family. By 1910, he had settled in Victoria and joined the Victoria Golf Club. Macan won the B.C. Amateur in 1912 & 1913. In 1913, he also won the Pacific Northwest Amateur and the Washington State Amateur Championships.

Macan’s architectural career was launched in earnest when his 1913 design at Colwood (now Royal Colwood), in Victoria hosted the 1922 Pacific Northwest Golf Association championship. Reportedly, Colwood was a hit among competing golfers and soon after, Macan was accepting offers to design courses throughout the region.

In his early 30s, Macan volunteered for service in World War I in 1916 as an officer in the Canadian Expeditionary Force of the Canadian Army. He was wounded by a shell casing fragment in 1917 at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in France. Blood poisoning in his left foot resulted in the amputation of his lower left leg. After the war, he returned to Canada and continued to play competitive golf and design golf courses.

Macan revolutionized golf architecture in the Pacific Northwest region over a career which spanned five decades. In addition to Royal Colwood, Macan’s distinguished designs in Canada include Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club (Vancouver), Marine Drive Golf Club (Vancouver), University Golf Club (Vancouver) and Richmond Country Club (Richmond, B.C.), among others. He also renovated several notable golf course layouts as Vancouver Golf Club, Victoria Golf Club, Capilano Golf and Country Club and Point Grey Golf and Country Club.

Macan also invented the Herringbone drainage system which eliminated the accumulation of water around, on and under the putting surfaces which was an important development in dealing with the west coast rainy weather.

Outside of Canada, Macan’s design work includes Fircrest Golf Club (Tacoma, WA), Columbia-Edgewater Country Club (Portland, OR), California Golf Club (San Francisco, CA), Broadmoor Golf Club (Seattle, WA) and Overlake Golf and Country Club (Bellevue, WA).

In 1964, at the age of 82, A.V. Macan succumbed to a heart attack while redesigning Sunland Golf Course in Washington. In 1989, he was Inducted to the Pacific Northwest Golf Association Hall of Fame.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the eight athletes—four female and four male—who have been selected to the 2018 Team Canada Young Pro Squad.

Comprising the 2018 Women’s Young Pro Squad is Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec City), Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.), Augusta James (Bath, Ont.), and Jennifer Ha (Calgary) while Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.), Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver), Albin Choi (Toronto) and Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.) will represent the Men’s Young Pro Squad.

The focus of the Team Canada Young Pro Squad—now in its fifth year—is to bridge the gap for top-performing amateurs transitioning into the professional ranks. Since the inception of the Young Pro Squad in 2014, current and former team members have accounted for 31 wins across various professional golf tours including LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR wins by Young Pro graduates Brooke Henderson and Mackenzie Hughes, respectively.

“The depth of talent in this group of young professionals is a great reflection of our commitment to producing elite-level champions at all levels of Canadian golf,” said Golf Canada’s chief sport officer Jeff Thompson. “We are pleased to provide a number of services to these talented up-and-coming athletes including world-class coaching, sport science, and financial support as they strive to reach their full potential in the professional ranks.”

Heading up the female contingent is Quebec City native Anne-Catherine Tanguay, a graduate of Team Canada’s Amateur Squad. Tanguay, 27, returns to the team after a banner year that included eight top-15 performances on the Symetra Tour en route to finishing No. 8 on the money list. Tanguay earned full status on the LPGA Tour as one the top-10 Symetra Tour athletes in 2017.

“I’m excited for the year ahead on the LPGA Tour and am grateful for the Young Pro Squad’s support in a season that will feature some new challenges in my professional career,” said Tanguay, an Oklahoma State graduate.

Brittany Marchand rejoins Team Canada after graduating from the Amateur Squad in 2015. The Orangeville, Ont., product enters her sixth year with Team Canada following a successful 2017 campaign on the Symetra Tour that featured seven top-20 finishes including a victory at the PHC Classic. Marchand went on to add a victory at the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada. The 25-year-old also impressed at the CP Women’s Open in August, finishing tied for 30th after four strong rounds at Ottawa Hunt.

Long-standing Team Canada member Augusta James of Bath, Ont. returns for her seventh year as part of Team Canada including the past two with the Young Pro Squad. The 24-year-old looks to continue her ascension through the professional ranks as she embarks on a fourth consecutive Symetra Tour campaign. The former Canadian Women’s Amateur champion boasts 13 top-10 finishes on the Symetra Tour, including a win at the 2015 Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial Classic.

“Team Canada has played an integral role in my career since the beginning and I’m thrilled to be back working with everyone again,” said James. “I’ve developed very close relationships with Tristan (Women’s Team Coach Tristan Mullally) and the support staff and I’m looking forward to more success in 2018.”

Rounding out the women’s squad is Calgary’s Jennifer Ha. The 23-year-old Kent State alumna will play on the Symetra Tour in 2018 with hopes to regain the full LPGA status she held in 2017. Ha is also familiar with the Team Canada program as a member of the Amateur Squad from 2014-15 and Development Squad in 2013. She is a former Alberta Ladies Amateur and Junior Girls champion.

“I’m grateful for Golf Canada’s continued support in my career,” said Ha. “I have big goals for 2018 and am looking forward to putting in some hard work to achieve the results I know I’m capable of.”

On the men’s side, four Team Canada Amateur Squad graduates will form the Young Pro Squad in 2018.

Albin Choi, a member of the Young Pro Squad since its inception, will return for his fifth year representing Team Canada in the professional ranks. Choi recorded three top-25 finishes on the Web.com Tour in 2017 to finish the year at No.95 on the money list. Entering his ninth year with the Team Canada program, the 25-year-old former Canadian Men’s Amateur champion has full status on the Web.com Tour this season and recently finished T13 at the season-opening event.

“The Young Pro Squad program has provided invaluable support for both my career and personal development during a full professional season on Tour,” said Choi. “Team Canada is like a family to me; I can’t wait to make great strides in 2018.”

Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C., will make his debut on the Young Pro Squad after two successful seasons with Team Canada’s Amateur Squad. Du Toit posted seven top-25 finishes in 11 events on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada in 2017 en route to taking home Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year honours. The Arizona State alumnus made a captivating run at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open which saw him finish tied for 9th playing out of final group on Sunday.

“Knowing that I have the Young Pro Squad in my corner is extremely valuable during the many challenges of a full professional season,” said du Toit. “I know what I want to accomplish in 2018 and look forward to working hard with the coaching staff to achieve my goals.”

Also making his debut on the Young Pro Squad is Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald. The Purdue University graduate earned Web.com Tour status through Qualifying School in December. Macdonald, 23, is coming off a season highlighted by two top-25 finishes on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada. Macdonald was a member of Team Canada’s Amateur Squad in 2016-17.

Rounding out the male contingent is Richmond Hill, Ont., native Taylor Pendrith, who split time between the Web.com Tour and Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada in 2017. The 26-year-old Kent State alumnus has been battling wrist and hand injuries since earning top-five honours on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada Order of Merit in 2015. Pendrith is also a former member of Team Canada’s Amateur Squad.

“I’m thankful for the continued coaching and advice from Derek (Men’s Team Coach Derek Ingram) and the sport science team, and I look forward to getting back to full health in 2018,” said Pendrith.

Men’s and Women’s National Squad coaches Derek Ingram and Tristan Mullally—both PGA of Canada Ben Kern Coach of the Year recipients—will provide coaching to their respective Young Pro athletes. In addition to funding and coaching support, the athletes will have access to Team Canada’s sport science staff which includes Psychologist Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood and Physiotherapist & Strength Coach Greg Redman.

#TeamCanada Head Coaches @tmullallygolf & @dingramgolf speak to the success of the Young Pro Squad and how it has helped translate into 31 professional wins ?? pic.twitter.com/1rmbS5Mdr3

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) January 31, 2018

The Team Canada Young Pro initiative was developed in partnership with the PGA of Canada. Funding is received in large part from the Golf Canada Foundation with generous contributions from founding partners Canadian Pacific and RBC, as well as supporting partners Citi Canada and Bear Mountain Golf Resort, the official training centre of Golf Canada’s National Team program.

“We’re extremely proud of what Young Pro has been able to accomplish as we enter the fifth year of developing Canada’s up-and-coming professional golfers,” said Martin Barnard, Golf Canada Foundation CEO. “Driving funds for the athletes will continue as a priority item for the Foundation and we look forward to helping shape the next generation of Canadian golf.”

Throughout the season, Golf Canada will closely monitor the performance of elite Canadian amateurs transitioning to professional golf with the possibility of program expansion.

Click here to read Team Canada Young Pro Squad player bios.

It is with great sadness that Golf Canada, mourns the loss of Mary Drummie – an honorary life governor & past president of the former Canadian Ladies Golf Association (CLGA), who passed in a Fredericton, NB, hospice Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018 from complications from cancer. Drummie,  was 78.

Throughout her relocations, Drummie was a member of Fredericton Golf & Country Club, Ashburn Golf Club, Kanata Golf Club, Irish Hills Golf Club and the Canadian Golf & Country Club.

Read Drummie’s full obituary here.

Sad to hear of the passing of past CLGA President Mary Drummie after a lengthy battle with cancer. Here is Mary with @maryannhayward after winning her 1999 Women’s Am title. pic.twitter.com/cBfDgAF9fP

— Can Golf Hall Fame (@CGHF) January 29, 2018

Saddened to hear Mary Drummie has passed away in New Brunswick. Mary served as VP/President for the CLGA Quebec Zone Ottawa District (1982-1985) / CLGA Quebec Zone VP/President (1988-1991 & CLGA VP/President (1994-1997) @TheGolfCanada @the_ovga @Golf_Quebec @flagstick pic.twitter.com/zNzdNM4r4s

— Joe McLean (@FlagstickJoe) January 27, 2018

2017 Annual Report & Financial Statements are now available online

Tom Zariski Honoured with 2017 Volunteer of the Year Award;

Golf Canada presents Distinguished Service Awards to long-time golf volunteers Fran Marsden and Florin Bergh as well as golf historian Ron Lyons; Renowned golf columnist Cam Cole to be honoured in June;

CALGARY – Golf Canada’s 2018 Annual Meeting culminated on Saturday, January 27^th with the election of Leslie Dunning to serve as the National Sport Federation’s volunteer President.

Dunning succeeds 2016-2017 President Roland A. Deveau in leading Golf Canada’s Board of Directors while Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Que., becomes 1^st Vice-President and Liz Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont. assumes the role of 2^nd Vice-President. The group will work closely to support new Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum who joined the association in last July.

“I am humbled and extremely proud to assume this post as the 114^th president of Golf Canada,” said Dunning. “There is a great enthusiasm in the game right now and I believe we have a real opportunity to connect with more of Canada’s current golfers and make the game more welcoming and accessible for new potential enthusiasts. Together with the Board of Directors, I am looking forward to working closely with Laurence (Applebaum) and our committed staff, volunteers and partners for the betterment of golf in Canada.”

Dunning spent more than 36 years in a variety of senior leadership roles for the Canadian Red Cross including 13 years as Director General for Western Canada and most recently as Director General, Violence and Abuse Prevention for Canada prior to her retirement in 2014. She is past president (2007-08) of Alberta Golf and has volunteered with Golf Canada since 2008 across a variety of committees including the past nine years on the Board of Directors. A distinguished alumna of the University of Waterloo, she also earned an MBA from Queen’s University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant and Certified Management Accountant registered in Alberta. Dunning has served several local, provincial and national organizations in various governance roles and is a member of Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary as well as Bigwin Island Golf Club in Muskoka.

Dunning, Beaulieu and Hoffman will lead Golf Canada’s 2018 Board of Directors which also includes Dale Jackson of Victoria, B.C., Rob MacDonald of Winnipeg, Man., Tom Sears of Port Hope, Ont. and David Atkinson of Vancouver, B.C. as well as new Directors Ben Cowan-Dewar of Toronto, Susan MacKinnon of Calgary and Adam Daifallah of Montreal. Also remaining on the Board is immediate past President Roland A. Deveau (2016-2017), only the fifth President to serve multiple or consecutive terms since the association’s formation in 1895. More information including bios for Golf Canada’s 2018 Board of Directors is available here.

Annual Report & Financial Statements:

Click here to read Golf Canada’s 2017 Annual Report, which includes a recap of the past season, as well as the association’s 2017 Financial Statements, which were both released during Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting.

Tom Zariski Honoured with Volunteer of the Year Award:

Tom Zariski of Drumheller, Alta. was recognized as Golf Canada’s 2017 recipients of the Volunteer of the Year Award. This marks the 12^th year in which the association has honoured volunteers for their efforts and commitment to grow the game in their community.

Click here for more on Volunteer of the Year honourees Tom Zariski.

Florin Bergh, Fran Marsden, Ron Lyons and Cam Cole Honoured as Recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award(s):

Created in 1993, Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually to recognize individuals for their outstanding contributions to the game of golf in Canada. This year’s recipients include long-time golf volunteers Florin Bergh and Fran Marsden of Edmonton along with golf historian Ron Lyons and acclaimed golf columnist Cam Cole.  Bergh, Marsden and Lyons were recognized during Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting dinner on Saturday, January 27 while Cole will be honoured as part of Golf Canada’s National Team media day on Monday, June 4^th at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria.

Click here for more information on the four honourees.

Images from Golf Canada’s 2018 Annual Meeting:

A snapshot of photos from Golf Canada’s 2018 Annual Meeting is available here.

In addition to appointing its new President and members to the Board of Directors, the association gathered with stakeholders from the provincial golf associations and volunteers as well as national and international association partners including the R&A, USGA, LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR.

Golf Canada’s 2018 Annual Meeting took place January 25-27 at the Grey Eagle Resort and Casino in Calgary, Alta.

As the first two-term Golf Canada president since 1931, you might expect Roland Deveau to heave a huge sigh of relief as he hands the mantle to Calgary’s Leslie Dunning.

You would be wrong.

While Deveau, 56, looks forward to getting back to “real life,” as he puts it, he is justifiably proud of the 24 months he spent at the helm of the association. It was a span that encompassed a change of CEOs of the organization as well as experiencing the return of golf to the Olympics and Canada’s 150^th anniversary celebration.

CEO Laurence Applebaum (left) and Roland Deveau at Golf House in Oakville, Ont.

“It wasn’t all smooth sailing, but that’s an integral part of leadership in challenging times,” Deveau said in an interview with Golf Canada a couple of weeks before the association’s annual general meeting in Calgary where Dunning takes over. As past-president, he will remain on the Golf Canada board of directors.

“When I look back, and I want to emphasize that nothing gets accomplished without the support of my fellow directors, staff and volunteers, I think we met many objectives. We stabilized our finances, we delivered our entire suite of programs as promised, some of which are recognized world-wide as best in class. We’re well on our way to delivering our new membership model, which will be completed next year.”

Deveau’s term in office was also marked by memorable performances on-course. Canadian golfers, both amateur and professional, showed well around the world.

But for Deveau, the singularly “surreal” moment came as he watched young Canadian pro Austin Connelly at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in England.

“Being there on the tee at that last round, seeing Austin in the penultimate group with Brooks Koepke, who had won the U.S. Open just a month before, and teeing off just ahead of the final group of Matt Kuchar and Jordan Spieth, it was unbelievable. Surreal. That’s the only way I can describe the feeling.”

Connelly spent summers playing and practising at Deveau’s home course, Clare Golf and Country Club, a few hours from Halifax, where Deveau, a lawyer, is the vice-chair of the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

“To see him grow up during the summers, living less than a mile from my parents’ house and to follow him in the final round of the Open Championship and see his name on the leaderboard … Absolutely incredible.”

He said that experience, for him, encapsulated what golf is all about: Seeing a promising youngster supported by the golf community rising to the world stage.

Most golfers don’t understand the role of Golf Canada’s president. Many may think of the office as a ceremonial one, a figurehead akin to our country’s governor-general. In Deveau’s case, nothing could be further from the truth.

There are unrelenting governance and organizational responsibilities and myriad demands on personal time that must be juggled with the “real job” of the president who is, in the final analysis, just the “first among equals” of Golf Canada’s many volunteers.

“It’s not all about handing out trophies,” says Deveau. “People wouldn’t believe how much goes on behind the scenes. We’re entrusted with the game in Canada as the National Sport Organization and we have never taken our role lightly.”

The gregarious Deveau was the first Golf Canada president to use social media to stay in touch with Canadians and kept his “feet on the ground” as a Rules of Golf official at some significant events, including the RBC Canadian Open and the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in 2016 and 2017, the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur and Canadian Junior Boys Championship, and others.

Deveau says it gave him a chance to interact with players and, most importantly, spectators.

“It showed me just how many people in Canada love this game so much. Not that I would say it gave me ‘credibility’ as such but it gave me a lot of insight.”

As he leaves his historic role, Deveau departs not just with hard-earned credibility and insight, but with other emotions. Regret is definitely not one of them.

“These past two years have definitely been a challenge, but they’ve been so very rewarding and worthwhile. I enjoyed every minute of the experience.”

SAN DIEGO – Alex Noren of Sweden has all the credentials to be on the fringe of the elite in golf. He is a nine-time winner on the European Tour, including the flagship BMW PGA Championship, and he cracked the top 10 in the world when he won four times in 2016.

Now he has a chance to make his mark in America.

Noren surged on the closing stretch as so many challengers crumbled Saturday in the Farmers Insurance Open. He bounced back from a double bogey with three birdies over the final six holes for a 3-under 69 and a one-shot lead going into the final round at Torrey Pines.

“To win would be very, very big for my confidence, I think,” Noren said. “And playing around these courses … we’re going to have the U.S. Open here in a few years, so it would be massive.”

But even as he took his first 54-hole lead in his first PGA Tour event as a member, it was easy to overlook the 35-year-old Swede.

For starters, Tiger Woods takes up almost all the attention. Woods was at his scrambling best in the third round, and he had to be. He hit only three fairways, only had a birdie putt on nine holes and still managed a 70. Woods was eight shots behind.

Beyond golf’s top attraction was the long list of players chasing Noren.

Two dozen players were separated by five shots going into the final round. That started with Ryan Palmer, who lost momentum from his 45-foot eagle by making two late bogeys and a lazy swing with a wedge that kept him from a good chance at birdie on the 18th.

And it still includes Jon Rahm, who hit into the water front the green on the par-5 closing hole and took double bogey for a 75. He was still just four shots back – Rahm was three behind when he won last year – and still in range of a victory that would give the 23-year-old Spaniard the No. 1 ranking.

It most likely doesn’t include Woods, who was no less entertaining.

Woods was so wild off the tee that he hit only one fairway on the back nine at the start of his round. Without a deft short game, Woods figures he might have shot something in the 80s.

“It’s not the driver, it’s my swing,” said Woods, who has hit only six fairways since Thursday. “Some of my go-to shots aren’t there. Some of the shots I like to hit under certain circumstances aren’t there, either. The only thing I have is my short game and my heart, and that got me through today.”

Corey Conners (70) from Listowel, Ont., was the low Canadian at 6 under. Adam Hadwin (72) of Abbotsford, B.C., is 3 under, Ben Silverman (76) of Thornhill, Ont., was even and Nick Taylor (79) of Abbotsford, was 6 over.

Noren, who played his college golf at Oklahoma State, ran in a long eagle at the par-5 sixth and closed out his round by drilling his second shot over the pond and to the back fringe on the 18th for a two-putt birdie. He was at 11-under 205.

Not being as well known in these parts was the least of his concerns.

“All I’m trying to do is play some good golf and my goal is to win a tournament,” Noren said. “I don’t care too much if they know me or not. It’s quite nice if they don’t know me. But they’re very nice to me.”

Palmer began the third round with a one-shot lead and had two bad stretches. He made consecutive bogeys late on the front nine, and then after stretching his lead to two shots with his eagle, he made two bogeys over the next three holes.

Even so, he’ll be in the final group Sunday going for his first victory in eight years. He is in a good place, on the leaderboard and at home, with his wife getting clean scans in her battle with breast cancer and Palmer taking off the fall to get bone spurs removed from his shoulder.

“Wasn’t the best year last year, and taking the fall off, but my game is in good shape,” Palmer said. “It’s ready. If we hit the ball a little bit better, a little more consistent, we’re going to have a chance.”

J.B. Holmes had a 65 to reach 9-under 207 and joins Palmer and Noren in the last group. Michael Kim also was two shots behind and has some course knowledge from going to Torrey Pines High School and playing the South more times than he can remember.

Left out of the mix was Phil Mickelson, who was three shots out of the lead until he shot 41 on the back nine. Mickelson had a 4-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that would have put him in the same group as Woods on Sunday. He missed.

Woods again tees off on the back nine for the final round and is too many shots behind with too many players ahead of him to have a realistic chance. But it’s been a good week for someone playing the PGA Tour for only the second time since August 2015 because of his three back surgeries. And he certainly gave his back a good test as many times as he was thrashing out of the rough.

“A good 12 months away from playing out of the rough, I don’t know what this body is going to do,” he said. “But I think it did great today.”

One goal for Sunday is to give his back a rest, and maybe even try to break 70.

“See if I can shoot something in the 60s,” he said with a smile, “but make it a little bit easier on myself than today.”

– National Sport Federation for golf to join other NSF’s preventing bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination by mandating Respect Training –

Calgary, Alta. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is proud to announce it is working to combat and prevent abuse, bullying and harassment in golf by adopting Respect in Sport and Respect in the Workplace as part of its deepened commitment to the Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM).

Respect in Sport and Respect in the Workplace are online resources used to prevent bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination (BAHD). The program’s mission is to empower participants to recognize signs of BAHD and eliminate it from the game and workplace, through a global culture of respect.

Golf Canada will be joining other National Sport Federation’s in Canada offering Respect Training to coaches, support staff, parents of Team Canada athletes, directors, staff and other key stakeholders. The association is also encouraging training at the provincial golf association level.

“We are very proud to be joining other National Sport Federations in adopting and facilitating this important training among our golf community,” said Laurence Applebaum, CEO, Golf Canada. “Our commitment to integrating the Responsible Coaching Movement and Respect programming into the core areas of our organization will strengthen our efforts to build a culture of respect, and further instill a safe, fun and positive environment in golf.”

Applebaum, along with Kevin Thistle, CEO of the PGA of Canada, officially signed the Responsible Coaching Movement pledge in mid-December as part of annual Sport Development Meetings between coaches and administrators from the PGA of Canada, Golf Canada and all the Provincial Golf Associations.

The Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM) is a multi-phase system-wide movement, coordinated by the Coaching Association of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. The RCM is a call to action for organizations to implement realistic change based on their individual state of readiness. Golf Canada’s long-term commitment to Respect Training is an important and meaningful step forward for golf in Canada.

The Respect Group—those behind Respect in Sport and Respect in the Workplace, was co-founded by former NHLer and Order of Canada recipient Sheldon Kennedy in 2004. It partnered with the Canadian Red Cross to create a best-in-class e-learning curriculum for mass consumption.

“Respect Group is pleased to partner with Golf Canada in support of the Responsible Coaching Movement,” said Wayne McNeil, President of Respect Group. “Golf Canada is showing great leadership in taking the issues of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination seriously, and wanting to take positive steps to ensuring a positive sport/workplace culture.”

Golf Canada has also updated several of its policies to help combat BAHD, including its Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics, Junior Code of Conduct, Parent’s and Spectator Code of Conduct, Recognition and Prevention of Abuse Policy, Recognition and Prevention of Discrimination Policy, Harassment & Violence Policy, Whistleblower Policy, as well as its Volunteer and Staff Screening Policy.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Lorne Rubenstein, who spent 33 years as a golf columnist while writing 14 books and contributing to magazines around the world, has been named the recipient of the 2018 PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism.

Rubenstein, a native of Toronto, will be honored on April 4 at the ISPS HANDA 46th Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA) Annual Awards Dinner at Savannah Rapids Pavilion in Augusta, Georgia.

Rubenstein, 69, is the 29th recipient of the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism, which recognizes members of the media for their steadfast promotion of golf, both locally and nationally.

“We celebrate Lorne Rubenstein’s outstanding career, a study in gracefully capturing the joy of the game while connecting readers to many of golf’s often underappreciated players,” said PGA President Paul Levy. “Through his work, Lorne also strengthened a bond with our extended golf family in Canada – home to an association born five years before the PGA of America. Together, we work to make golf the best game and we welcome Lorne among the most honored journalists in our sport.”

Rubenstein’s work spans more than 50 major championships, Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups as well as some 40 Canadian Opens.

Born in Toronto, Rubenstein began playing golf at 12 while continuing to compete in hockey, football and baseball. A graduate of York University in Toronto in 1970, Rubenstein earned an M.A. in psychology from the University of Guelph (1974). He worked as part-time curator-librarian for the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA, now Golf Canada), while pursuing a doctoral degree in psychology. He withdrew to focus on writing about golf. In 1980, Rubenstein became the first editor of SCOREGolf Magazine and a weekly columnist for The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper.

Personal golf experiences enriched Rubenstein’s work, including caddying in the 1970 Canadian Open for former U.S. and British Amateur Champion Bob Dickson, with whom he developed a long friendship that led to more connections with professional golfers. He caddied on tour part-time for Dickson and then for two-time Canadian Amateur champion Jim Nelford until 1982.

During that period, Rubenstein led the club championship at the Uplands Golf Course in Toronto after 54 holes. He was unable to fend off multiple swing thoughts and struggled to a 78 in the final round. He lost and went home to write about the experience, and sent the article to Golf Digest.

The editor was encouraging, but didn’t publish his offering. Still, the encouragement kick- started his writing career. Two years later, in 1979, he previewed the Canadian Open for Toronto Life magazine – “Psychology of the Swing,” focusing on Canadian great George Knudson.

After publication, Knudson left a voice message, “You have your foot in the door. Just keep writing and good things will happen.” One of the “good things” was The Natural Golf Swing, the book he co-authored with Knudson, an eight-time PGA Tour winner.

“I’ve made many friends around the world because of golf,” said Rubenstein. “Forty years have come and gone since my club championship debacle at Uplands. But the experience led me to write, and a world opened up. Even now I can hear George Knudson’s voice on my answering machine. I am most grateful for this honor. I join a group of past recipients, many of whom I have known as friends and long respected.”

Rubenstein is a four-time award-winner for magazine features/newspaper columns in the Golf Writers Association of America (1988, ’93, ’94, and 2003); won the 1985 Canada National Magazine Award; and has three first-place awards from the Golf Journalists Association of Canada (2009, ’16, and ’17). He was inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame (2006), the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame (2007), and is a recipient of Sports Media Canada’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2009) and the PGA of Canada’s Distinguished Service Award (2013).

From 1992-2005, Rubenstein was TSN television host of “Acura World of Golf,” and hosted “Looking Back” from 2014-15 on SiriusXM. His books include A Season in Dornoch: Golf and Life in the Scottish Highlands; Mike Weir: The Road to the Masters; and Moe & Me: Encounters with Moe Norman, Golf Mysterious Genius. He collaborated with Nick Price on The Swing: Mastering the Principles of the Game, and with David Leadbetter on The Fundamentals of Hogan.  His most recent work, published in 2017, is a collaboration with Tiger Woods on his memoir, “The 1997 Masters: My Story.”

Rubenstein lives in Toronto and Jupiter, Florida, with his wife, Nell.

Alberta Golf President and Level 4 Rules Official to be recognized during Golf Canada’s 2018 Annual Meeting

Golf Canada is pleased to announce that Tom Zariski of Drumheller, Alta. has been named the recipient of Golf Canada’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year Award.

A Level 4 Rules of Golf Official and past President of Alberta Golf, Zariski will be acknowledged during the closing dinner of Golf Canada’s 2018 Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 27^th at the Grey Eagle Resort and Casino in Calgary.

“Volunteers are the driving force behind the success of golf in this country and we are proud to recognize Tom Zariski for his leadership and extensive contributions to support the game of golf in his home province of Alberta,” said Golf Canada President Roland Deveau. “Tom has given back to the game at the provincial and national level and it is fitting that his leadership, commitment and contributions are being recognized.”

Each year in Canada, tens of thousands of committed volunteers help to support the game of golf in communities from coast to coast.

Now in its 12^th year, candidates for Golf Canada’s Volunteer of the Year Award are put forth for consideration by the respective provincial golf associations in acknowledgment of significant contributions to the game of golf in their community.

 Tom Zariski, Drumheller, Alta. 

Reading through Tom Zariski’s bio on the Alberta Golf website provides a glimpse of the credentials and contributions that brought the Drumheller, Alta. native to serve as (past) President of the provincial golf association.    

His commitment to support Alberta Golf and grow the game across the province is outstanding, and it is that commitment and leadership that validates his selection as Golf Canada’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year.

The credentials speak for themselves—a Level 4 Rules of Golf Official for the past 10 years who was elected to Alberta Golf’s Board of Directors in 2010. 

After graduating from the University of Alberta 35 years ago, he began a teaching career in Drumheller. He would later obtain a Masters’ Degree at the University of Calgary and became Principal of Drumheller Composite High School, retiring in 2010.

He also sits on the Drumheller Town Council where he is serving his second term in office. He co-founded and was President of the Drumheller Community Football Association and was also Vice President of the Dinosaur Trail Golf and Country Club, where he is a member.

Zariski also serves on several volunteer boards including the Drumheller and District Seniors Foundation, the Royal Tyrrell Museum Cooperating Society, the Drumheller R.C.M.P. Citizen’s Advisory Committee and others.

As one of Alberta’s top Level 4 Rules Officials, he plays a leading role in conducting most provincial golf championships and works to foster a strong dialogue amongst Rules Officials across the province.   

At the Board and committee level, he is forthright in sharing his opinions and expertise with a commitment to strong governance protocol and a concerted effort to run efficient and effective meetings.  

A proponent of golf and giving, Zariski also sits as President of the Alberta Golf Association Foundation Board which awards over $50,000 in scholarships annually.

He is also a member of Golf Canada’s Rules Committee and the founder of the provincial Volunteer Engagement Committee—which has since seen its work for volunteers embedded into Alberta Golf’s annual business plan. 

As an administrator, Zariski believes in a big picture approach to Alberta Golf’s working relationship with Golf Canada, and has been a driving force behind the provincial implementation of the joint membership model. 

He was named the Town of Drumheller “Citizen of the Year” in 2005 and when he is not golfing or volunteering, he has come to enjoy the game of pickle-ball.

Congratulations to Tom Zariski of Drumheller, Alta., on being named Golf Canada’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year!