PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR has announced the 16-member Player Advisory Council (PAC) for 2023, which will include Canada’s Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes.

The PAC advises and consults with the PGA TOUR Policy Board (Board of Directors) and Commissioner Jay Monahan on issues affecting the TOUR.

Member of the 2023 Player Advisory Council include:

• Ryan Armour
• Sam Burns
• Corey Conners ??
• Rickie Fowler
• Brice Garnett
• Brian Harman
• Max Homa
• Mackenzie Hughes ??
• Shane Lowry
• Maverick McNealy
• Keith Mitchell
• Henrik Norlander
• Scottie Scheffler
• Adam Scott
• Kevin Streelman
• Will Zalatoris

Maverick McNealy, Adam Scott and Kevin Streelman have been selected by the Player Directors to run for PAC Chairman via election which ends February 13. The leading vote-getter will replace Charley Hoffman on January 1, 2024 as a Player Director on the PGA TOUR Policy Board, serving a three-year term (2024-26). The other Player Directors are Peter Malnati (2023-25), Rory McIlroy (2022-24), Webb Simpson (2023-25) and Patrick Cantlay, who is serving a one-year term (2023).

Former Right to Play Chief People Officer to lead Golf Canada’s People & Culture functions in addition to core activities that support the organization’s commitment to DEI & Safe Sport

Golf Canada announced that experienced people and culture executive Niki da Silva has joined the organization as its new Chief People Officer, beginning January 23, 2023.

Da Silva joins the Executive Team of the National Sport Federation after a successful five-year chapter with Right to Play International in Toronto, most recently serving as their Chief People Officer, Global.

In the newly created role, da Silva will collaborate with the Executive Team, Board of Directors, staff, and national volunteer network to lead all people operations strategy, programs and functions including employment practices, recruitment, talent management, performance management, compliance, administration, training, benefits and compensation, and health and safety.

As CPO, da Silva will also work closely with Golf Canada’s Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Safe Sport to advance the organization-wide commitment to DEI and Safe Sport. Da Silva will also have oversight for all staff and HR functions for Golf Canada, the Golf Canada Foundation and First Tee Canada.

“Niki is going to be an amazing partner and resource for every area and department of Golf Canada’s operations. Her infectious enthusiasm and energy will drive a world-class people function for our organization,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Niki is an exceptional leader in global sport and will bring tremendous experience and leadership developed at Right to Play and previous executive roles.”

Da Silva is enthusiastic about reimagining the future of work, inspired by the challenge of developing high-performing organizations and energized by building a world-class employee experience.

“I am thrilled to be joining Golf Canada, supporting our people and the critical work happening across the organization to advance our vision to be a world leader in golf,” said da Silva. “Throughout my career, I have had a first-hand view of the transformative power of sport and I look forward to helping grow the game and make it accessible for even more Canadians.”

As a member of the global executive team at Right to Play, da Silva’s responsibilities included developing the vision for a five-year strategic plan and driving two organizational redesigns that aligned talent and strategic operation from two regional offices to one global office. The Toronto resident led a transformation and scaling of the People and Culture function including talent acquisition and performance management along with learning and talent development programs. During da Silva’s tenure, Right to Play was recognized as “Top for Culture and Values” by Glassdoor and received its first-ever Global Staff Award nomination for “Team of the Year” and three consecutive years of “Great Place to Work” Certifications™.

Da Silva earned a Masters Business Administration with the Rotman School of Management     and BA, Honours Business Administration with the Ivey School of Business. Da Silva is also a Certified Leadership Coach with the Third Factor 3×4 Program and is in progress to become a Certified Human Resource Executive (CHRE) with the Human Resource Professional Association.

Married with two children, da Silva has also contributed to several community groups including the Islington Rangers Soccer Club, Brampton Minor Lacrosse Association, and Toronto Ski Club in addition to past Board positions with Sunnylea Childcare Centre and the YWCA.

Beginning with the 2023 SONY OPEN in Hawaii, TSN has announced the acquisition of rights to PGA TOUR LIVE, featuring exclusive coverage from PGA TOUR events throughout the season.

The acquisition of PGA TOUR LIVE supports the launch of TSN+, a new direct-to-consumer streaming product available on TSN.ca and the TSN app.

PGA TOUR LIVE features more than 4,300 hours of exclusive PGA TOUR coverage, including the TOUR’s Hawaii events in January all the way through the FEDEXCUP PLAYOFFS and into the fall. It includes four full days of coverage and four simultaneous live feeds each day from PGA TOUR events. Coverage includes Featured Groups, Featured Holes, and the new Marquee Group, showcasing every shot from each player in one select group. PGA Tour Live was previously available as part of PGA TOUR’s paid subscription service GolfTV.

In addition to PGA TOUR LIVE, TSN+ includes coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES; new world-exclusive augmented NFL feeds for every playoff game and the Super Bowl; and the re-launch of the XFL, beginning Feb. 18.

TSN+ is available now for a limited-time free preview and is ready to stream exclusively on mobile devices, tablets, and is available on connected TVs, including Android TV, Apple TV, Xbox One, Roku TV, LG Smart TV, Samsung SmartTV, and Amazon Fire TV Stick. Direct-to-consumer pricing and subscription options will be announced in the coming weeks.

TSN+ provides Canadians access to marquee live games and events that are incremental to the premium sports content delivered across TSN’s leading platforms.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON TSN+

Michael Gligic has only taken a few days off since his last PGA Tour event in November. He’s been working hard during the circuit’s six-week winter break, even getting reps in during a heavy snowfall in Kitchener, Ont.

Gligic is one of five Canadians in the field at this week’s Sony Open, the first full-field PGA Tour event of 2023. The Burlington, Ont., native worked closely with coach Sean Foley for the lengthy break between November’s RSM Classic and the Sony Open to ensure that he has a strong start to the new year.

“I wanted to take advantage of that six weeks to try and really put in some good work,” said Gligic on Monday, a day after arriving in Honolulu, Hawaii for the tournament. “I feel like I got a lot better and made some good changes.”

Gligic struggled through the first seven events of the 2022-23 season, missing the cut six times with his best result a tie for 45th at the Sanderson Farms Championship on Oct. 2. He said that the adjustments he made with Foley were minute changes to his swing _ “technical things” _ to find more consistency.

Even during the holidays and with bad weather, Gligic stuck to his program.

“We snuck in about a 10 day trip back to Canada around Christmas with the blizzards and all but I managed to sneak over to my course (Whistle Bear Golf Club),” said Gligic. “They’ve got some hitting bays where they have a garage door that opens up and I was able to hit balls a few times to try and stay sharp.

“Then it was back down to Florida between Christmas and New Year’s. I practised every day until coming (to Hawaii).”

Despite his calm outward demeanor, Gligic has also been working on the mental aspect of his game, trying to remain more balanced. He’s even taken up meditation.

“My brain is always racing. I’m always thinking about a million things,” Gligic said about learning to calm his inner thoughts. “I feel like it can be good, I guess, in the sense that it’s a distraction when it comes to golf a little bit.

“When I get off the golf course I’m usually not thinking that much about golf or the next day. I shut my golf brain off.”

He’ll be joined at the Sony Open by fellow Canadians Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont.

Conners, Hughes, and Svensson all played in last week’s Sentry Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. Conners finished tied for 18th, Hughes tied for 21st and Svensson sat alone at 37th at the limited-field event restricted to PGA Tour winners from the previous season and golfers who qualified for the preceding Tour Championship.

Gligic said he’s looking forward to being reunited with his friends and countrymen in Honolulu.

“It’s always fun to catch up and see how everyone’s holiday went,” said Gligic. “We see each other on such a frequent basis and then go six, seven, eight weeks or whatever it is without seeing each other.

“It’s nice to catch up and see how everyone’s doing. But for the most part, everyone’s getting back to business.”

Montreal – Two professional golf tours in Canada have announced a strategic merger. The East Coast Pro Tour (ECPT), based in Montreal and the Great Lakes Tour (GLT), based in Hamilton have agreed upon terms to merge schedules and events under one umbrella effective immediately.

The new tournament schedule will offer professional golfers and elite amateurs a full set of events across Ontario, Quebec and even the USA and feature one season long point list. Additionally, each event in 2023 will feature a minimum purse amount of $25,000 and an average first prize of $7,500.

The merger will ultimately see all events on both tours in Ontario and Quebec fall under the ECPT brand. The GLT and ECPT will share resources.

Massimo Roch and Luca Greco will remain in Tour Director roles as President and Vice-President of the ECPT and will be based in Montreal. Whereas, Jim Kenesky of the GLT will assume the role as a Tournament Director in Ontario strategically overseeing the operations in key markets of Ontario along with other duties being carried out to assist in tour and tournament operations. Colin Murray, also of the GLT, will be stepping away to focus on his professional senior golf career.

‘’The strategic partnership was formed with one goal in mind; design a national platform for Canadians to access the next level in professional golf.’’ States Massimo Roch. ‘’We both agreed that the unification of both entities under a single banner is the best thing we could’ve done for the players. We’re confident Jim’s previous experience and extensive wealth of knowledge will allow us to collectively reshape professional golf in the north and provide our players with greater playing opportunities.’’

The Great Lakes Tour was established in 2001 and tour alumni inclide David Hearn, David Morland IV, Brad Fritsch, Matt McQuillan, Michael Gligic and Taylor Pendrith.

The ECPT was established in 2019.

The tentative 2023 ECPT schedule will be available in early January. It will feature six events in Ontario, five events in Quebec and one event in Connecticut. Players will gain points at events throughout the season toward the GolfIn Cup Standings where the leader at the end of the season will earn an all expense paid trip and entry fee into the DP World Tour Q-School. Max Gilbert of Saint-Georges, Que., won the inaugural GolfIn Cup in 2021 and Ty Celone of Long Sault, Ont. is the reigning GolfIn Cup Champion.

Visit www.eastcoastprotour.com for the tour’s 2023 schedule and membership options.

There’s an argument to be made that 2022 was the most successful year in Canadian golf.

Brooke Henderson, Mackenzie Hughes, and Adam Svensson’s combined four wins between the LPGA and PGA Tours were highlights of the season. But the achievements of Canadian golfers were not limited to those victories.

Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith became the first two Canadians to compete in the Presidents Cup at the same time, Mike Weir was named the first-ever Canadian captain of the International team for the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club, and the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open both returned after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s only getting better and that’s been shown on the golf course and it continues to show,” said Hughes, who won the Sanderson Farms Championship on Oct. 2 for the second PGA Tour title of his career. “It’s very exciting to be part of that winning group this year and to add to that total.

“I think that in the years to come you’re going to see those records continue to fall. I wouldn’t be surprised to see us eclipse that total, once again, in 2023.”

Henderson won the 11th and 12th tournaments of her career, adding to her all-time Canadian record. She was victorious at the ShopRite LPGA Classic on June 12 and then won her second career major at the Evian Championship on July 24.

Despite playing through the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship with an injured back, Henderson was still in contention to win the LPGA Tour’s player of the year in the tournament’s final round. Although Henderson tied for seventh at that tournament and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko won the annual award, it was still impressive finish to an exceptional year for the Canadian.

“I just love being in contention and being near the top of the leaderboards on the weekend. Hopefully, I can do more of that in 2023,” said Henderson, who won two tournaments each LPGA Tour season in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. After the circuit lost its 2020 season Henderson won once in 2021 and was eager to start a new streak of multi-win years.

“Hopefully, I can do more of that in 2023. I really wanted to get off to a hot start (in 2022) and try to get more top 10s and be in better positions on the weekends, especially coming off a year where I won one.”

The same day Henderson was finishing out her season, Svensson won on the PGA Tour for the first time of his career with a two-stroke victory at the RSM Classic.

On Sept. 22, Conners and Pendrith made their Presidents Cup debuts. The two best friends were the first Canadian duo to play in a Presidents Cup at the same time, with Hughes and Adam Hadwin also considered to make the International team at the best-on-best tournament at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, N.C.

The next Presidents Cup will have even more of a maple flavour as Royal Montreal Golf Club hosts the 2024 edition and Weir serves as the International team’s captain. The Canadian Golf Hall of Famer joked that after his was introduced as the team captain at Bell Centre on Nov. 30 his phone was blowing up with messages from Canada’s PGA Tour players eager to make the team.

“We have a huge country land-wise to try to bring everybody together as best we can and make sure that they feel like this is part of our golf legacy,” said Weir after closing the Toronto Stock Exchange on Dec. 1. “We want people coming from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, from the East Coast, Halifax.

“I’m hoping they want to come and see the best players in the world compete.”

Top-flight professional golf made its return to Canada in 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic put the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open on hiatus for two years.

Golf Canada reported the RBC Canadian Open drew a record 135,000 spectators to Toronto’s St. George’s Golf and Country Club as superstar Rory McIlroy won the national title for the second consecutive time.

The CP Women’s Open drew over 70,000 fans to Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, earning Tournament of the Year honours from the Tournament Partners of the LPGA. Tourism Ottawa said that the event had an expected economic impact of $13.4 million as the National Capital Region’s hospitality sector tried to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-government protests that gridlocked Ottawa in February.

In recognition of the economic benefits of hosting the two national golf championships, Canada’s Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario gave Golf Canada $4.4 million in September. The non-repayable investment is earmarked for the RBC Canadian Open and theCP Women’s Open.

Mona Fortier, president of the Treasury Board and member of Parliament for Ottawa-Vanier, said the investment will help the tournaments stimulate local economies.

The men’s championship is typically held in the Greater Toronto Area and will be at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in 2023, while the women’s event travels across Canada, with next year’s tournament scheduled for Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.

Garrett Ball, Golf Canada’s chief operating officer, said in September that the organization was approached by the federal development agency about the investment in 2021. He said that the money will go, in part, a new double-decker hospitality suite as well as the development of new mobile phone apps for spectators at the two events.

“Simply put these are innovative assets, that will benefit the championships for the foreseeable future,” said Ball. “In fact, at the RBC Canadian Open in June, these assets were major factors in the announcement of record sales, record crowds, and record media impressions.”

If you happened to miss the big-time moments and stories that unfolded in Canadian golf this year, not to worry! We’ve got nine collected right here – plus a handful of honourable mentions, too.

Whether it was major-winning putts, huge tournament returns, or significant announcements, Canadian golf had them all in 2022.

What was your favourite? What did we miss? Let us know!

And here’s hoping 2023 produces plenty more.

BROOKE HENDERSON WINS HER SECOND MAJOR

A slippery final-hole birdie was needed, but Brooke Henderson bent down just as it caught the lip and trundled in – and the Canadian became a major champion again.

Henderson won the Amundi Evian Championship to become the first Canadian (male or female) to win more than one major. Her win at the Evian was her second of the season as she inched ever closer to putting a bow on a fabulous LPGA Tour season.

Thanks to Henderson’s two wins, she ended up third in the LPGA’s Player of the Year standings and will head into 2023 ranked sixth in the world.

THE RBC CANADIAN OPEN RETURNS AND PRODUCES AN ELECTRIC FINISH

After two years of cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a palpable buzz as the RBC Canadian Open returned to the PGA TOUR schedule for 2022.

St. George’s Golf and Country Club was an excellent host, and Rory McIlroy defended his title from 2019 – in thrilling fashion.

McIlroy, Justin Thomas, and Tony Finau were grouped together in Sunday’s finale and oh-my-goodness did they ever deliver. McIlroy and Thomas fired matching 5-under 29s on their opening nine holes before McIlroy pulled away to win by two. He closed with an 8-under 62.

While McIlroy, Thomas, and Finau were battling back-and-forth, Justin Rose had made three eagles of his own and shot a 10-under 60 to finish at 14 under and tied for fourth. Not to mention(!) on the very same Sunday Brooke Henderson was winning the ShopRite LPGA Classic on the LPGA Tour.

Phew.

What a week. What a tournament. We’re sure Oakdale Golf and Country Club will deliver, too.

THE CP WOMEN’S OPEN RETURNS AND WINS ‘TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR’

Some of the biggest names in women’s golf ended up firmly in the mix Sunday at the CP Women’s Open (with world No. 2 Nelly Korda finishing tied for second while world No.1 Lydia Ko would finish tied for fourth) but it was Paula Reto who was the eventual winner of the CP Women’s Open. At 19 under she captured her maiden LPGA Tour title by one shot.

The tournament made its return to the LPGA Tour after two years of cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic (like the RBC Canadian Open on the men’s side) and from start-to-finish it was a special week – so special, in fact, the LPGA Tour rewarded it with plenty of hardware at its year-end awards.

The CP Women’s Open, contested at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, ended up winning a trio of awards at the LPGA Tour’s 2022 Partner Awards including the coveted Tournament of the Year title.

It also won the Best Community and Charity Engagement award for its work with the CP Has Heart community investment program, which raised $2.5 million in support of the CHEO Foundation and $510,000 for Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital Foundation – the largest charitable campaign in the history of the CP Women’s Open.

Finally, the tournament also won Best Sponsor Activation for its Hilton on the Green experience – a first-of-its-kind opportunity for Canadian golf fans to stay in a unique, 1-bedroom pop-up hotel room on the 8th hole at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club. Hilton on the Green included a personal concierge, golf cart, gourmet meals including breakfast in bed, exclusive view of the action, as well as world-class service and hospitality from Hilton.

And in case you forgot, 12-year-old(!) Lucy Lin also Monday Qualified for the event after getting through a 3-for-1 playoff, becoming the youngest person in tournament history to tee it up in Canada’s National Women’s Open.

CANADIANS WIN IN A SPAN OF EIGHT WEEKS ON THE PGA TOUR

While there was much to celebrate for the Canadians on the PGA Tour through the early part of 2022, once we got into the fall season things really picked up.

On October 2 it was Mackenzie Hughes who won for the second time on the PGA Tour, defeating Sepp Straka with a birdie on the second playoff hole at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Seven weeks later it was Adam Svensson’s turn. Svensson won The RSM Classic by two shots for his maiden Tour title. More impressively he opened the week with a 3-over 73 before pressing the gas and shooting rounds of 64-62-64 to win by two shots over Callum Tarren.

MIKE WEIR IS NAMED THE INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENTS CUP TEAM CAPTAIN

With the announcement that the Presidents Cup would be returning to Royal Montreal in 2024, there truly could have been just one person to be at the helm of the International squad – Mike Weir.

Weir, who went 3-1 as a captain’s pick when the matches were previously at Royal Montreal in 2007 including an inspired defeat of Tiger Woods in Sunday singles, was indeed named the leader of the international team in a two-day event in both Montreal and Toronto.

The news was made official on Nov. 30 at the Bell Centre.

And so begins the two-year journey to the matches for Weir, who has long said despite it being contested in Montreal, it is “Canada’s Presidents Cup.”

TPC TORONTO IS NAMED THE NEW HOME FOR CANADIAN GOLF

July saw Golf Canada announce a major partnership with TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley to see the National Sport Federation relocate its base of operations to the fabulous 54-hole facility in Caledon, Ont.

Golf Canada’s national headquarters and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum will relocate, while the new Canadian golf campus on TPC Toronto’s grounds will also feature the national headquarters for First Tee – Canada.

Phase one of the project – set to include the corporate headquarters, Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum, and a 30,000 square foot community putting green – will break ground next year with expected completion by 2025.

MONET CHUN HAS AN ALL-TIME COLLEGE SEASON; MAKES FINALS OF U.S. WOMEN’S AMATEUR

Richmond Hill, Ont.’s Monet Chun had as complete a college campaign as anyone in Canadian golf in recent memory and in 2023 she’ll enter her junior season at the University of Michigan with lots of momentum as she looks to wrap up her college career with a bang.

In April Chun, a Golf Canada National Team member, helped the Wolverines to its first Big Ten Championship – winning by four shots. She also won the Big Ten Tournament as an individual by four shots, leading the field with 16 birdies for the week. She set the school’s Big Ten 54-hole scoring record by five. That win was one of three team titles for the University of Michigan in 2022.

Chun captured the Canadian Women’s Amateur in July thanks to a third-round 66 before having a magical run to the finals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur a month later.

Chun, who was the first Canadian to make the final of the U.S. Women’s Amateur since Brooke Henderson in 2014, fell short in the final but did earn a spot in the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach thanks to her runner-up result.

TWO CANADIANS MAKE PRESIDENTS CUP TEAM FOR THE FIRST TIME

One was a lock, and one came in at the last minute – but both were very deserving.

Canadians Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith – childhood friends, college teammates, and long-time Golf Canada National Team members – became the first Red-and-White pair to find themselves on the Presidents Cup team in the competition’s history when it teed off at Quail Hallow in September.

Both Conners and Pendrith (who had an excellent rookie campaign on the PGA Tour despite missing four months due to a rib injury) had a good experience with the International team – despite the squad’s loss to the heavily-favoured American side – and are more motivated than ever to make the International Team in 2024 when it returns to Canada and will be under Mike Weir’s leadership.

SHELLY STOUFFER WINS U.S. SENIOR WOMEN’S AMATEUR

What a summer it was for Nanoose Bay, B.C.-native Shelly Stouffer, highlighted by a fabulous week in Alaska when she won the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.

Stouffer, who also won the Canadian Women’s Senior and Canadian Women’s Mid-Am title in September (her second-straight Canadian Seniors title), became just the fourth Canadian in history to win the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.

The 52-year-old defeated Australian Sue Wooster 4-and-3 to win the title – an honour she shared with her 15-year-old son, Brett, as her caddie.

Stouffer was buoyed into the final after receiving a text message from Marlene Streit the night prior to her title-winning tilt.

“She said, ‘You’ve got this, good job, keep it going,’” said Stouffer.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

• FIRST TEE CANADA CONTINUES TO GROW
  • Thanks to the Golf Canada Foundation and a generous network of donors, the growth of First Tee Canada has welcomed 23,000 youth across four provincial chapters that includes 112 locations at golf courses, schools, and community centres. Two more provincial chapters and additional program locations are planned for 2023 with a goal to create an accessible, inclusive, and empowering sport environment and make a positive impact on thousands of youth nationwide.
• CANADA GOLDEN IN JAPAN AT TOYOTA JUNIOR GOLF WORLD CUP

The Canadian Junior Boys team – made up of Félix Bouchard (Otterburn Park, Que.), Ethan Wilson (St. Albert, Alta.), Cooper Humphreys (Vernon, B.C.) and Eric Zhao (North York, Ont.) – captured the 2022 Toyota Junior Golf World Cup with a two-stroke victory over Japan in the seven-team competition. Canada’s team victory at the World Cup is its first in the 28-year history of the event. Rob McMillan (1994) and Corey Conners (2009) have previously been crowned individual champions of the tournament representing the Maple Leaf.

• PGA TOUR CANADA’S TOP GOLFER IS A CANADIAN
  • After two wins this season, including one in his hometown of Edmonton and the other at the season finale, Wil Bateman became the first Canadian to top the PGA Tour Canada’s Order of Merit since Mackenzie Hughes in 2013
• TERRILL SAMUEL WINS R&A WOMEN’S SENIOR
  • Not to be outdone by Canadian pal Shelly Stouffer noted earlier, Terrill Samuel of Etobicoke, Ont. completed a Canadian trifecta of National Senior Women’s Amateur championships in 2022 as the Weston Golf Club member became only the third Canadian winner of the R&A Women’s Senior Amateur Championship joining Alison Murdoch in 2007 and Diane Williams in 1994.
• DAYTON AND HAYDEN’S RECOVERY CONTINUES
  • Ontarians Dayton Price and Hayden Underhill were the only two to survive a fatal bus crash that killed nine – including six members of their college’s golf team and a coach – in March. After months of recovery, both Price and Underhill have physically turned corners and are playing golf again (including at a competitive level), enjoyed time at the RBC Canadian Open, and are laser-like on a return to the game – whatever form that may take.
• AARON COCKERILL HAS A NICE YEAR ON DP WORLD TOUR
  • Canada’s lone professional golfer from Manitoba had a solid campaign on the DP World Tour and kicked off the 2023 season (and ended his 2022 year) with a T4 result in South Africa.
• SCORES, SCORES & MORE SCORES
  • The surge in golf interest through the pandemic may be starting to level off as the world returns to normal, but the record-levels of engagement with the sport continues to be massive, as evidenced by a record 9.8M scores posted by Golf Canada members in 2022.
• MADDIE SZERYK RE-EARNS LPGA TOUR STATUS
  • What a grind! Maddie Szeryk, who had an up-and-down rookie season on the LPGA Tour, re-earned LPGA Tour status via the eight-round Q-Series after she finished tied for 17th

DECEMBER 21, 2022 – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the names of the 57 athletes and eight coaches named to Team Canada as major enhancements to Golf Canada’s national team program continue to take effect.

Golf Canada’s 2023 national team system now features three program tiers: Team Canada (both amateur and professionals); Team Canada – NextGen (U21 amateurs); and a national talent identification system aimed at growing the pool of future national team prospects.

The updated program tiers for 2023 including a record-breaking number of athletes and coaches reflect the enhancements to the high-performance program announced last year to accelerate Canada’s position in the global professional golf landscape with a goal to increase the number of Canadians on the LPGA and PGA Tours to 30 by 2032.

The Team Canada tier (formerly the Young Pro Squad and Amateur Squad) now includes both professionals and amateurs with training focused on helping players reach the major tours. Feeding into Team Canada is a new tier called Team Canada – NextGen (formerly the Junior Squad) focused on supporting top juniors and bridging the gap for players transitioning into amateur golf and the U.S. college system.

“Thanks to the Golf Canada Foundation as well as our generous donors and partners, the enhanced Team Canada program structure is well positioned to support more of this country’s top athletes towards our goal of getting 30 Canadians to the major tours over the next decade,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue. “We have continued to evaluate and analyze the current player development system, have made refinements to competition and training environments, and are working collaboratively with athletes, parents and PGA of Canada coaches toward a shared goal of enhanced Canadian excellence on the global golf stage. Canada has made significant progress in the development of world-class golfers and is poised to take another step forward.”

The enhancements to Golf Canada’s high-performance program, which were outlined in a detailed update authored by Blue in 2022, were made possible through major gift funding support from the Golf Canada Foundation’s network of Trustee donors.

TEAM CANADA – MEN                                                  

TEAM CANADA – WOMEN                                                        

The 2023 Team Canada roster is comprised of 35 players who are competing at the highest levels of amateur golf and refining their games on developmental professional tours. The program provides individualized training and competition support by collaborating with players’ support teams, including personal and college coaches, and adding value where gaps are identified. Members of Team Canada have access to The Legacy Golf Club in Phoenix, Ariz. where players can live and train in the winter months.

Salimah Mussani returns as the Stollery Family Team Canada Women’s Head Coach supported by Associate Coach and fellow PGA of Canada professional Jennifer Greggain. Derek Ingram returns as Men’s Team Head Coach and will be supported by Assistant Coaches Louis Melanson and Benoit Lemieux.

The Team Canada coaching staff will be joined by an integrated support team that includes Greg Redman (Strength, Conditioning & Physio, Men’s Team), Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood (Mental Performance & Psychologist, Men’s Team), Andrea Kosa (Strength, Conditioning & Physio, Women’s Team), Lindsay Berard (Mental Performance & Psychologist, Women’s Team), and Kelly Anne Erdman (Performance Dietician).

TEAM CANADA – NEXTGEN (BOYS)                                                    

TEAM CANADA – NEXTGEN (GIRLS)

The 22-player Team Canada – NextGen roster will include both top junior golfers and U21 amateurs in a program to support their transition from junior competition to high-level amateur golf.

The NextGen coaching staff will be led by Head Coach Robert Ratcliffe with support from Assistant Coaches Jennifer Ha and Jeff MacDonald.  The coaches will be joined by an integrated support team that includes Dr. Emily Wiggin (Strength & Conditioning) and Dr. Adam Kingsbury (Mental Performance & Psychologist).

Supporting the overall growth of elite golf in Canada is the national talent identification system, established in 2022 and led by Tristan Mullally, Head of National Talent Identification. The talent identification system provides assistance to younger juniors (11-16 years old) and their existing coaching support teams to grow the pool of future Team Canada prospects.

A key activity within the talent identification system will be the engagement of the National Talent ID Network, a group of more than 80 coaches across Canada working towards collaborative player development initiatives. Additionally, 2023 will see a broader introduction of talent ID camps across the country led by network members to deliver educational and skill-building opportunities to players, parents, and coaches.

The strategic enhancements for Golf Canada’s player development program were shaped by in-depth feedback from numerous stakeholders in Canadian high-performance golf and a global comparative analysis of other countries’ efficiency success in producing world top-200 players. The analysis considered factors such as participation base, culture, and financial investment into high-performance golf, with a particular focus on countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Australia, and England that are geopolitically and culturally similar to Canada.

PGA TOUR Canada announced it will hold six Qualifying Tournaments to determine Tour membership for the 2023 season – five in the U.S., beginning in late-February and concluding with a final qualifier in Canada a week before the Tour’s regular season begins.

PGA TOUR Canada completed its season in September, crowning the Fortinet Cup Points List leader – Edmonton’s Wil Bateman – as Player of the Year. Bateman became the inaugural winner of the Fortinet Cup after winning twice in 2022 and is now a fully exempt member of the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2023 season. Players hoping to follow in Bateman’s footsteps can begin by earning PGA TOUR Canada membership, with playing spots available at the six Qualifying Tournaments. 

“We are coming off a remarkably successful season, and we will continue to build on that momentum in 2023. The first steps are at our Qualifying Tournaments, where players can get on the path that will take them to their ultimate destination, which is the PGA TOUR,” said PGA TOUR Canada Executive Director Scott Pritchard. “Through the years, we’ve been fortunate that so many players are interested in pursuing their professional dreams by playing on PGA TOUR Canada. We anticipate there will be strong demand by players to come to our Tour, as players know about the quality of courses, the cities we visit and the caliber of competition PGA TOUR Canada offers.”

The qualifiers begin with two tournaments in Florida (Weston and Howey-in-the-Hills) on consecutive weeks in late-February, early March. The action starts February 21-24 at The Club at Weston Hills’ Tour Course, as it hosts a Qualifying Tournament for a second consecutive year. The Howey-in-the-Hills tournament is at historic Mission Inn Resort and Club, a long-time host of both PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica tournaments. It has hosted six previous PGA TOUR Canada qualifiers. The following week, the RTJ Golf Trail at Highland Oaks in Dothan, Alabama, is the site for a third consecutive year.

A month later, the qualifiers move west, with events at Wigwam Golf Club in the Phoenix suburb of Litchfield Park, Arizona (April 4-7) and at Soboba Springs Golf Course in San Jacinto, California (April 11-14).

Notable PGA TOUR members to emerge from these sites in recent years include Cameron Young (medalist at Dothan in 2020), Will Zalatoris (runner-up at Wigwam Golf Club in 2019), Alex Smalley (T3 at Howey-in-the-Hills in 2020), Hayden Buckley (T4 at Wigwam Golf Club in 2019), Carson Young (T7 at Howey-in-the-Hills in 2020) and Philip Knowles (T9 at Howey-in the-Hills in 2019).

Bateman finished T5 at the Wigwam Golf Club site in 2021, retained membership for 2022 via the points list and won the Fortinet Cup with his two-win season.

The final Qualifying Tournament is set for June 6-9 in Courtenay, British Columbia. Crowne Isle Resort and Golf Club has previously hosted seven Qualifying Tournaments. PGA TOUR Canada’s season begins the week after this Q-School.

Here is a look at the six tournaments that will all be 72-hole, Tuesday-to-Friday, no-cut events:

“This is a great lineup of tournaments that will test players’ skills and abilities. Those who emerge with Tour cards will have another strong PGA TOUR Canada schedule to play in 2023, with a chance to continue progressing in their professional careers,” Pritchard added.

Among player benefits available, a three-time winner on the Tour would earn automatic promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour. Additionally, the top five players on the 2023 Fortinet Cup Points List will receive 2024 Korn Ferry Tour membership, with the player finishing first earning fully exempt status. The top five players will also be exempt into the Final Stage of the 2023 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament, competing for a PGA TOUR card, which will be awarded to top-five finishers and ties. Those in the sixth-through-25th Fortinet Cup positions are exempt into the Second Stage of the 2023 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. In addition, the top 60 players on the final Fortinet Cup standings will retain their PGA TOUR Canada playing privileges for 2024.

PGA TOUR Canada will announce its complete regular season schedule in early 2023.

Maddie Szeryk played her way onto the LPGA Tour for the second straight year through the Q-Series.

The 26-year-old London, Ont., native finished the eight-round marathon series with a -17, good enough for T-17. The top 45 and ties from the Q- Series receive their cards for the 2023 season. This year saw 46 players advance.

Hae Ran Ryu of South Korea finished first with a score of -29, with American Bailey Tardy two shots behind in second at -27.

Two courses from the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama were the site for the Q- Series this year. The first four rounds occurred at Crossing Course from Dec. 1-4, with the second set of 72 holes hosted at Highland Oaks from Dec. 8-11.

While Szeryk started off the first round of the Q- Series shooting even par, she came out hot in round 2. After starting with a birdie on the first hole, Szeryk would convert seven more birdies and no bogeys to shoot -8. She finished her final two rounds at Crossing Course with scores of -4 and even par.

The second set of four rounds proved to be slightly more challenging, but Szeryk more than rose to the occasion. She shot -2 in the fifth round and -4 with the help of an eagle in the sixth round. Szeryk closed out the seventh and eighth rounds with 1-over par and even.

The T-17 finish for Szeryk improves on her finish in last year’s Q-Series, where she finished T-35. The improvement is significant, as the top 20 finishers this year will receive higher priority than the rest of the field who qualified.

Throughout her rookie season on the LPGA Tour in 2022, Szeryk made five cuts in 14 starts. Her career best finish is T-24 at The Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America. She has made over $47,000 in career earnings on the LPGA Tour so far.

Playing at home for the first time as an LPGA Tour member this year, Szeryk used two bogey-free opening rounds to make the cut for the first time at CP Women’s Open. Szeryk would go on to finish T-26, the second best Canadian in the tournament.

Szeryk turned pro in 2018 after playing collegiately at Texas A&M. While in college, Szeryk was a three-time All-American and holds the SEC record with 32 career top-10 tournament finishes. 

Since turning pro, Szeryk has earned $80,197 on the Epson Tour, where she has five top-10 finishes. She is also a winner on the Women’s All Pro Tour, capturing the 2020 Kingwood Island Championship.

After the tournament of champions kicks off the season in January, the LPGA Tour will go to Thailand for the Asian swing of the calendar. The CP Women’s Open is scheduled for Aug. 24-27 in Vancouver.