RBC Canadian Open

Four amateurs, two others advance to RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier

MICKELSON NATIONAL GOLF CLUB (PHOTO: @MICKELSONNGC / TWITTER)

CALGARY, Alta. – Brady McKinlay of Lacombe, Alta., was the lone golfer to shoot even-par or better on a unforgiving day at Mickelson National Golf Club in Calgary, Alta.  

The amateur, who plays his collegiate golf at Utah Valley University, rolled in birdies on holes no. 1, 5 and 16 to offset a bogey on no. 3 and a double bogey on no. 11 for an even-par 72 and medallist honours at the fourth and final RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier in Alberta.

As there were less than 100 competitors at the Regional Qualifier, McKinlay did not earn a direct exemption into the 2022 RBC Canadian Open but will be vying for a spot in the tournament at the Final Qualifier at Oakdale Golf & Country Club on June 6.

Five others in the starting field of 54 added their names to the tee sheet at the Final Qualifier next Monday in Toronto, Ont.:

  • Jeffrey Kang (Anaheim, California)
  • Carter Code (Calgary, Alta.)
  • David Durbeniuk (Calgary, Alta.)
  • Carter Lewis (Calgary, Alta.)
  • Dane Thorogood (Calgary, Alta.)

Kang’s 1-over par 73 placed him alone in second. The American pencilled not one, not two but three eagles to his scorecard after starting the day +4 through the first three holes.

Code and Durbeniuk each had eagles of their own on holes no. 4 and no. 9, respectively, en route to a 2-over par 74. The amateur duo finished T3 and will be travelling east later this week to compete for a chance to play in Canada’s National Open.

It was a grind to the finish line for Lewis, but the Calgary, Alta. native prevailed. After 11 holes, Lewis was 3-under par and atop the leaderboard, but four bogeys and a double coming in pushed him back to T5 in the standings – a result that stood up for the former college player.   

Joining him to round out the top-five was Dane Thorogood who, opposite to Lewis, struggled out of the gates before ending his round in style. The former South Alabama Jaguar recorded birdies on holes no. 15 and no. 18 to make the cut on the number and book his spot into the final stage of qualifying.

A minimum of four players from the 18-hole stroke play Final Qualifier at Oakdale Golf & Country Club will gain entry into the RBC Canadian Open field.

For the full leaderboard click here.

For past 2022 results of RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier: QuebecOntario and British Columbia.

Tickets to the RBC Canadian Open are available at www.rbccanadianopen.com/tickets.

Checking In With Team Canada Media Release Team Canada

Stollery family makes major gift of $2M in support of Team Canada women’s coaching position

Photo credit: Jeff Vogan/SPORTDAD Sports Photography

Golf Canada in partnership with the Golf Canada Foundation and the Canadian Olympic Foundation have announced a major gift from the Stollery Family that will see the official title of the women’s national team head coach renamed as the Team Canada Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach and Stollery Family Olympic Women’s Head Coach.

The Stollery Family, long-time supporters of Canadian golf and especially the women’s game including junior girls and high-performance activities, have donated a total $2M to the Golf Canada Foundation and the Canadian Olympic Foundation in support of the Team Canada program to help fund the Women’s Head Coach position over a 30-year term.

“We are so honoured that the Stollerys, a family with such a long history of philanthropy and promoting sport, has chosen to make this meaningful gift in support of women’s golf,” said Golf Canada President Liz Hoffman, who also sits as a Board Member on the Golf Canada Foundation. “We are excited for what this means for the growth of the women’s game, and the powerful statement it makes in support of coaching across Canada.”

Salimah Mussani, recently promoted by Golf Canada to lead the women’s team will be the inaugural Team Canada Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach.

Seven sisters –Cailey, Victoria, Gillian, Lindsay, Claire, Sarah, and Hannah – have proudly carried on the family legacy of support for the game initiated by their late father Gordon Stollery. Among other successful business ventures, the Stollery Family are the owners and operators of Goodwood Golf Club in Goodwood, Ont. as well as Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont. which has played host to numerous major golf championships including the CP Women’s Open (2001), the Telus Skins Game (2001), the RBC Canadian Open (2002, 2007) and the golf competition of the 2015 Pan Am Games.

Salimah Mussani
SALIMAH MUSSANI, TEAM CANADA WOMEN’S HEAD COACH (GOLF CANADA)

Angus Glen is also proud host of the annual World Junior Girls Golf Championship, presented by Sargeant Farms, set to return October 12-15, 2022. The Stollery Family have also been long-time supporters of the Golf Canada Foundation including events such as the popular Wine, Women’ & Shoes Fundraiser. The generosity of the Stollery Family has supported numerous charitable legacies including a $5M donation to Markham Stouffville Hospital which named the Stollery Family Centre for Childbirth and Children in their honour.

“Our family recognizes and values the critical role that women’s golf and high-performance coaching can have on the overall growth of a sport that has meant so such much to us all,” said Cailey Stollery who sits on the Board Directors of both the Golf Canada Foundation as well as the Canadian Olympic Foundation.

“In making this gift, we believe in the renewed vision of Golf Canada’s high-performance program and hope that others will come forward to join us in this journey.”

The Stollery Family’s major gift to fund the Women’s Head Coach position is the first of its kind for a Canadian National Sport Federation head coaching position.

The Team Canada Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach will also be a first for a Canadian Olympic Team coach as the Team Canada Stollery Family Women’s Head Coach will also guide Women’s Golf Team that is named by the Canadian Olympic Committee to represent Team Canada at future Olympic Games.

“This gift from the Stollery Family is remarkable, and a clear indication of the entire family’s shared belief in the transformational power of sport,” says Jacqueline Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation. “This contribution is truly inspiring and will help shape the exciting future of women’s golf in Canada for years to come.”

The continued expansion of the National Team Program through major donor gifts is a driving force behind Golf Canada’s enhanced support of the High-Performance Program with a goal to advance 30 Canadian athletes to the LPGA and PGA TOUR by 2032.

Amateur Nextgen Championships

MacLean, Nagayo win the NextGen Ontario Championship

PORT SEVERN, Ont. – There wasn’t much for Ben MacLean and Alessandra Nagayo to worry about on Saturday at Oak Bay Golf Club in Port Severn, Ont. 

MacLean (Niagara Falls, Ont.) led wire-to-wire and Nagayo (Toronto, Ont.) made a final round comeback to capture the titles in their respective divisions at the NextGen Ontario Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards.

MacLean carded rounds of 69, 69 and 70 for an 11-stroke victory for his second championship in as many weeks, after bringing home the 2022 Ontario Junior Spring Classic (U19) Boys Championship last week. 

“I made a huge jump in my game last year and I took most of the stuff I did last year and added to that,” said MacLean on his recent success. “[I’m] finding better shots off the tee and hitting my shots a lot better than I was last year which has been pretty helpful, and I’m trusting everything more.”

Next for the 17-year-old is the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier on June 6 at Oakdale Golf & Country Club, an event MacLean says he’s confident he can qualify for. 

Nagayo’s week wasn’t as straight forward, but the result was no different. Entering Saturday’s round five strokes back, the 18-year-old carded a final round 71 to win the Junior Girls division by five strokes. 

Swetha Sathish, who held the 36-hole lead in the Junior Girls division wasn’t able to get it done down the stretch, but her confidence remains intact.

“Thinking about those good shots, visualizing those good shots, and then making them happen was really crucial [this week],” said Sathish, and the positive thoughts didn’t end there.

“I see myself probably winning a couple provincial championships, maybe even a national championship, and definitely getting into a good university in the future and [eventually] going professional.” 

From the Junior Boys division, the top eight players have earned exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, August 6-10, at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, British Columbia.

Including Nagayo, the top eight players in the Junior Girls division have earned exemptions into the 2022 Canadian Junior Girls Championship taking place July 25-29 at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ont.

For full results click here.

Amateur LPGA Tour Team Canada

Canada’s Brigitte Thibault plans to turn pro this summer after exemplary NCAA career

BRIGITTE THIBAULT (BERNARD BRAULT/ GOLF CANADA)

By: John Chidley Hill

Canada’s Brigitte Thibault is ready to take the next step in her career.

The product of Rosemere, Que., said on Wednesday that she plans to turn professional sometime this summer after a successful career as an elite amateur, competing in the NCAA and representing Canada internationally.

“Next will be half pro events this summer, half amateur events,” said Thibault after competing in her last tournament with the Texas Longhorns. “Just making sure I get in the best field I can to challenge myself as much as possible.

“We’ll be turning pro this summer for sure but right now we’re just going with the flow and see how things go.”

BRIGITTE THIBAULT

Thibault said that she intends to turn professional either before the LPGA’s Q School or the CP Women’s Open, both of which will be held in late August.

Stage I of the Q School will be held Aug. 18-21 at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., the CP Women’s Open is at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club Aug. 22-28, and Stage II of the Q School will be held Oct. 18-21 at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Fla.

Thibault had an exemplary NCAA career, winning five titles while as an undergrad at Fresno State between 2018 and 2021. She won the 2019 Mountain West Conference Championship, the 2019 Ontario Women’s amateur Championship, the 2020 Women’s Western Amateur Championship, the 2020 Women’s Dixie Amateur and the 2021 Rebel Beach Intercollegiate. She also won bronze with Canada at the 2019 Pan American Games in the mixed team event.

She moved from Fresno State to the University of Texas at Austin for her fifth and final year of eligibility as a graduate student. Her best result as a Longhorn was tying for 14th at the Bruzzy. She also helped the Texas Women’s Golf squad to a one-over-par 289 on Monday to close out the season in 13th-place at the NCAA Championship.

“I think it hasn’t sunk in yet to be honest,” said Thibault of her collegiate career coming to an end. “I was just with my teammates today and reminiscing on all of the years.

“I’m at a loss for words, I’m just super grateful for all the years, all the learning experiences, and it’s just a lot of emotions altogether.”

Thibault said her next event will still be an amateur tournament, either the British Women’s Amateur Championship at Hunstanton Golf Club in Norfolk, England, on June 20-25 or the Porter Cup at the Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston, N.Y., on July 13-16.

LPGA TOUR _ Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was paired with Jeongeun Lee6 at the Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play in Las Vegas. The event at Shadow Creek Golf Course will have three days of round-robin play and then the knockout round.

EPSON TOUR _ Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., and Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., will tee off on Friday in the Inova Mission Inn Resort and Club Championship in Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla. Costabile is 66th on the Epson Tour’s money list and Szeryk is 148th.

CP WOMEN’S OPEN _ The Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, host of this summer’s CP Women’s Open, posted on Sunday that its course was severely damaged by a severe storm that swept through the area over the weekend. The club shared photos of several uprooted trees in an Instagram post announcing that the club would be closed until further notice.

PGA TOUR _ Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., are the only Canadians in this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Taylor enters play this week 112th in the FedEx Cup rankings and Svensson is 126th.

KORN FERRY TOUR _ Toronto’s Albin Choi leads the Canadian contingent into this week’s NV5 Invitational at the Glen Club Golf Course in Glenview, Il. He’ll be joined by David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont. Choi is ranked 89th on the second-tier tour, Hearn is 117th and Silverman is 190th.

Amateur Nextgen Championships

NextGen Ontario Championship heads to Oak Bay Golf Club

PHOTO: OAKBAYGOLF/INSTAGRAM

PORT SEVERN, Ont. – The 2022 NextGen Ontario Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, is set to take place at Oak Bay Golf Club in Port Severn, Ont. from May 26 – 28. 

Practice rounds are scheduled for May 25, before the official tournament gets underway on May 26. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 48 Junior Boys and the top 24 Junior Girls (both including ties) in their respective divisions, for the final round of the 54-hole stroke play competition that will wrap up on May 28.

The top eight male competitors will earn a spot in the upcoming Canadian Junior Boys Championship – presented by BDO, August 7-10 at Rivershore Estates & Golf Links in Kamloops, B.C. The top eight female golfers (including ties) will also earn exemptions into this year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, July 25-29, at The Marshes Golf Club in Ottawa, Ontario.

The starting field will feature 144 players – 96 Junior Boys and 48 Junior Girls – vying for a spot in their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer.

The NextGen Ontario Championship is the second of six regional junior championships presented in partnership with JOURNIE Rewards. Angela Arora and Eric Zhao took home the honours in the NextGen Pacific Championship earlier this month at Nanaimo Golf Club in B.C. For the full schedule of 2022 NextGen Championships click here.

Oak Bay Golf Club is nestled along the shoreline of the Georgian Bay and is a personification of nature at its finest. Its picturesque views and charming scenery are sights to see, but a full focus is required to score well at the challenging course located in the Muskoka region. While the yardage book may seem forgiving, Oak Bay is no walk in the park – even for the longest of hitters. Dense forests and rocky terrain, accompanied by the wetlands that surround, will leave little room for error at the NextGen Ontario Championship.

For past results of the 2022 NextGen Championships – fueled by JOURNIE Rewards: Pacific

Additional information about the 2022 NextGen Ontario Championship can be found here.

NOTABLES

Ben MacLean (Niagara Falls, Ont.)

Ben MacLean is fresh off a win at the 2022 Ontario Junior Spring Classic (U19) Boys Championship. Prior to that, the Team Canada national junior squad member recorded T2 and T4 finishes at the NextGen Pacific Championship and RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier (Ontario), respectively. The 17-year-old will be looking to add to his already impressive 2022 resume at Oak Bay.

Ryan Sommerville (Aurora, Ont.)

Ryan Sommerville is a name to look out for in Port Severn this week. The Team Ontario member ended his 2021 season with a strong showing at the NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, finishing T3, and is looking to ride the wave into this year’s championship season.

Lindsay McGrath (Oakville, Ont.)

Lindsay McGrath celebrated the Victoria Day weekend on top at the 2022 Ontario Junior Spring Classic (U19) Girls Championship, claiming a one-shot victory with a final round 68. The youngest member of Team Ontario will look to go back-to-back at Oak Bay.

Nyah Kelly (Lindsay, Ont.)

Nyah Kelly was a top-10 machine in 2021, finishing amongst the leaders in each of the provincial and national tournaments she played in. To cap off a stellar season, Kelly notched a T2 finish at the NextGen Fall Series East Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards. With the 2022 season underway, Kelly is poised to take her game to the next level and land a first-place finish at the NextGen Ontario Championship.

About the NextGen Championships series, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards

The NextGen Championships, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards is a high-performance junior golf series which totals eight competitions. From May to July, six championships will take place across Canada where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2022 national championships. NextGen Championships provide junior players an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf. 

RBC Canadian Open

2022 PGA Champion Justin Thomas commits to RBC Canadian Open

TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MAY 22: Justin Thomas of the USA celebrates with the Wanamaker Trophy after the final round of the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 22, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Fresh off a captivating playoff victory this past weekend at the PGA Championship, Justin Thomas has confirmed his intention to compete in the 2022 RBC Canadian Open. 

Thomas is a 15-time winner on the PGA TOUR and 2-time major champion, having previously won the PGA Championship in 2017. Currently no. 5 on the Official World Golf Ranking, Thomas will be competing in his second RBC Canadian Open when the stars of the PGA TOUR descend on St. George’s Golf & Country Club along with nearby Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility. 

“I’m looking forward to getting back to Toronto to celebrate the return of the RBC Canadian Open. I enjoyed myself in 2019 and was really impressed by the energy of Canadian golf fans getting behind their National Open Championship.” 

– Justin Thomas

A celebrated amateur and college star at Alabama, the 29-year-old returns north to challenge for Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship after finishing T20 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in 2019 in his first-ever start at the event. 

One of the brightest stars in professional golf, Thomas has competed in the past two Ryder Cups, the past two President’s Cups and also represented the United States at the Olympic Games in Tokyo last summer.  

Through a solid start to the 2021-22 PGA TOUR season, Thomas has eight top-10 finishes in 13 events played and is currently no. 4 on the FedExCup Ranking. Five of his 15 PGA TOUR wins came during a breakout season in 2016-17. 

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic the RBC Canadian Open is set to return June 6-12 in Toronto with Thomas joining an exciting field led by defending champion and world no. 7 Rory McIlroy; world no. 1 and reigning Master champion Scottie Scheffler; The Players 2022 champion and world no. 3 Cameron Smith; world no. 13 and Team RBC ambassador Dustin Johnson; world No. 15 Matthew Fitzpatrick; and world no. 21 Tony Finau. 

Canadian PGA TOUR players looking forward to the celebrated return of the RBC Canadian Open include Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor, Roger Sloan, Taylor Pendrith, Adam Svensson, and Michael Gligic. 

More field announcements including additional Canadian player exemptions are set for the coming weeks as golf and festival fans look ahead to the 111th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship. Tickets for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open are available here.

Corey Conners RBC Canadian Open Team Canada

Corey Conners excited for return of the RBC Canadian Open

TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MAY 18: Corey Conners of Canada speaks during a press conference during a practice round prior to the start of the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club on May 18, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/PGA of America/PGA of America via Getty Images)

By: David Li

While Corey Conners has enjoyed notable success on the PGA TOUR over the past two seasons, perhaps his biggest regret during that time was not being able to share that success with Canadian fans on Canadian soil. But with the RBC Canadian Open returning this year, the wait is over for the Listowel, Ont., native as he will be teeing off against the best in the world next month in Toronto.

The RBC Canadian Open was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but will make its long awaited return this year at the St. George’s Golf and Country Club.

“I’ve been looking forward to coming back to Canada for some time now… Just super excited overall,” said the 30-year-old during media day earlier this month via conference call.

“To have the crowd made up of pretty much all Canadians is going to be amazing,” added the long-time Canadian National Team member. “I know the fans will be really behind all the Canadian players, and that’s something that I’m super excited about and I’ve certainly missed the last couple of years.”

According to tournament director Bryan Crawford, this year’s event will be a treat for players and fans alike. Crawford is quick to point out that the goal is to offer a best-in-class experience for everyone in attendance.

“That’s what we are aiming for, a best-in-class event for players, caddies, volunteers, partners and our fans,” he said. “It starts with a great golf course and you can’t ask for a better one than St. George’s—it’s one of the premier facilities in Canada.”

2019 champion Rory McIlroy is back this year to defend his crown and he will be joined by 2018 champ and former world no. 1 Dustin Johnson, reigning Masters champ and current world no. 1 Scottie Scheffler, and five time PGA TOUR winner, Cam Smith. Other notable names are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Besides the star-studded line up on the golf course, this year’s tournament will feature two chart-topping musical acts on stage as Flo Rida and three-time Grammy award winner Maroon 5 are schedule to entertain fans on June 10 and June 11 respectively.

“The Concert Series was an overwhelming success in 2019 and will once again attract new fans to experience the energy and excitement of the RBC Canadian Open,” noted Golf Canada Chief Commercial Officer, John Sibley.

At the recent PGA Championship, Conners reiterated his feelings about returning to Canada in early June.

“Apart from the major championships, I don’t know if I’ve been as excited for a golf event or a PGA TOUR event in my life. I’m really excited to get back to Canada. It’s been unfortunate that we haven’t been able to get there the last couple of years,” noted the top ranked Canadian.

“I know the fans will be out in full force and supporting the Canadians, and hopefully we can put on a good show.”

Given his stellar play, Canadian golf fans are also understandably excited to see their home grown talent compete against the best in the world.

Conners has recorded some impressive results on the PGA TOUR recently including a tie for sixth place at the Masters in early April. It marked the third year in a row that the talented young Canadian has finished in the top 10 at Augusta National. He also finished in a tie for 15th place at The Open Championship which was played at the Royal St. George’s Golf Course last summer.

“Personally, I feel now like my game is a lot more refined, so I’m going to be teeing it up (in Canada) with really high expectations for myself,” Conners pointed out.

It is interesting to note that a Canadian has not won the RBC Canadian Open since Pat Fletcher did it back in 1954.

Besides Conners, there will be a talented group of Canadians eager to end that drought this year. Among those already confirmed are Adam Hadwin, Mackenzie Hughes, Nick Taylor, Taylor Pendrith, Albin Choi, Adam Svensson, Michael Gligic, Roger Sloan, Aaron Cokerill, and Brendan Leonard. More Canadian names are expected to be added in the coming weeks.

Golf NB Championships

2022 NB Men’s Four Ball presented by TaylorMade set for the Algonquin Golf Course

NB Men’s Four Ball – 1st Round Pairings & Tee-Times

For Immediate Release:

The 2022 Golf NB Championship Schedule kicks off the weekend of May 28th & 29th, 2022 at the Algonquin Golf Course with the Golf NB Men’s and Senior Men’s Four Ball, presented by TaylorMade Golf Canada.

After the event’s cancellation in 2020 and 2021, the Algonquin Golf Course located in St. Andrews, NB is set to host the 2022 NB Men’s Four Ball, Presented by Taylormade Golf Canada. With the event selling out in 33 minutes with 168 players, this year’s registration numbers show a clear indication of how excited players are for the return of this event.

The NB Men’s and Senior Men’s Four Ball, presented by TaylorMade Golf Canada will continue with its historical two-day, 36-hole, format with 56 Amateur Teams and 28 Senior Teams respectively.

The deep and diverse fields in both the Men’s and Senior Men’s divisions should make for an exciting weekend filled with great competitive golf.

  • For more information on the 2022 NB Men’s Four Ball please CLICK HERE.
  • For more information on the Algonquin Golf Course please CLICK HERE.

Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB), a not for profit organization founded in 1934, is the official governing body for amateur golf in New Brunswick.  In January of 2006, the New Brunswick Golf Association (NBGA) officially merged with the New Brunswick Ladies Golf Association (NBLGA), resulting in one united governing body for amateur golf in the province.  Programs offered by Golf NB to its 8,000 members include: 12 provincial events, rules of golf education, course rating and handicap services, junior golf development programs and member club marketing initiatives.

RBC Canadian Open

Facts about the RBC Canadian Open Trophy

THE RBC CANADIAN OPEN TROPHY ON THE 16TH TEE BOX AT ST GEORGE'S GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB IN TORONTO, ONT.

“It weighs 35 pounds, except when you’re lifting it,” is an ode to the hoisting of the Stanley Cup but is also speaks to the difficulty of winning any championship and the ease of hoisting the hardware thereafter.

Trophies are a longstanding symbolic representation of achievement and the history that lives within them is no less. What makes them special are their unique characteristics and designs that represent the championship they stand for, and the RBC Canadian Open Trophy is no exception – every part of Canada is represented on the silverware symbolizing the National Open.

The RBC Canadian Open is the third oldest continuously running tournament on the PGA TOUR and, accordingly, has a rich history of hardware to show for. From the inaugural winner in 1904 to the latest champion in 2019, golf’s legacy is imprinted all over the Canadian Open trophies shelved in the archives of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame at Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville, Ont.

Here are 11 facts about the RBC Canadian Open Trophy for your next trivia night:

1. The first time a trophy was awarded to the winner of the Canadian Open was in 1920. In the years prior and starting with the first tournament in 1904, the RCGA (commonly known as Golf Canada) awarded the winner with a gold medal.

2. At one point, the trophy came in the form of a one-of-a-kind soapstone carving.

3. U.K. native James Douglas Edgar would be the first recipient of the trophy (what was then called The Rivermead Challenge Cup) in 1920. He received $300 in prize money for the first-place finish. In comparison, the winner’s share for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open is $1.57 million.

4. The current trophy in use was made in 1994 in Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia by a silversmith. The trophy consists of three parts: the lid, the bowl, and the base.

5. If you look closely, a map of Canada is engraved on the lid of the trophy. The flags from the provinces and territories are also represented along the lip of the bowl.

6. The base of the trophy is made of Canadian maple with silver bands to accommodate the engraved names. In 2015, an additional tier was added to accommodate the newest generation of champions. There are 86 different names (110 total) engraved into the current trophy.

7. The name that appears the most on the trophy is Leo Diegel who won the championship a record four times. Tommy Armour, Sam Snead and Lee Travino are each represented three times.

8. The Canadian Open was cancelled from 1915-1918 because of World War I, 1943-1944 for World War II, and 2020-2021 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. For these eight occasions the trophy reads “No Championship”.  

9. The tournament winner receives a miniature version of the trophy to take home and keep.

10. The trophy is the only silverware to be presented in Canada at a PGA TOUR event this year with the RBC Canadian Open being the sole PGA TOUR stop north of the border.  

11. Though it may feel as light as feathers after a 72-hole victory on the PGA TOUR, the RBC Canadian Open Trophy weighs in at 22 pounds (10 kilograms).

To buy your tickets to the final round and see the RBC Canadian Open Trophy presentation live from St George’s Golf and Country Club on June 12, click here.

THE CANADIAN OPEN GOLD MEDAL (1904 – 1919)

THE SEAGRAM GOLD CUP (1936 – 1970)

THE DU MAURIER TROPHY (1971 – 1993)

RBC CANADIAN OPEN TROPHY (1994 – current)

Golf Canada Hole-In-One Report

Each week we write to Golf Canada members who record holes-in-one, congratulating them and asking if they’d tell us how it happened. These are their stories (edited for length and clarity).

Shaun Mescheder, Olympic View Golf Club, Hole #6

Hole In One – 2022-05-15 – Shaun Mesched

Thanks for the congratulations!

It was pretty cool. I was playing with Terry S., Ben P. and Jason M. #6 Olympic View, 199 yards, 5 iron.

Editor’s Note: Give this video a bit of your time; it will be the most joyful thing you watch today.

Doug Hoppe, Essex Golf & Country Club, Hole #7

Appreciate the congratulatory email – what a nice touch by Golf Canada! I’d be happy to provide the details of my hole-in-one and a photo as well, see below. Feel free to share on the Golf Canada website and social channels as you see fit.

Yardage: 147 yards
Club: Pitching Wedge
Playing Partner: Mike D.

Regards,
Doug Hoppe

Tony Maher, The Pulpit Club, Hole #13

Having just hit my tee ball OB on 12 at the Paintbrush, I was last to tee off on the par-3 13th. The 13th was playing 212 yards to a back pin. Jeremy N. led off with a well struck 5 or 6 iron that took a soft bounce and just failed to crest the ridge in the middle of the green. Michael O., a new member at The Pulpit Club followed and hit a great hybrid on the same line as Jeremy, but with a lower ball flight he appeared to crest the ridge. Since I lost my ball on the previous hole, I reached in to my pocket and pulled out a mint Callaway Chrome Soft that I found during my recent search. I teed that ball up, looked at the Maple Leafs, and made a decent pass with my 3 wood.

When we got to the green, we saw 2 balls on the green, with Michael’s being less than 10ft away. After looking for a minute or two, we were thinking my ball was lost, until Michael looked in the hole.

It was a long winter, but it is so good being back out on the course….what a game!

Lise Proulx, Hylands Golf Club, Hole #3

How nice is it of you to write to congratulate me on my hole in one. The pro at my course didn’t think much of it, he simply said, “Easy game.” So thank you for taking the time to write.

The people who played with me were: Cathy B., Brenda W. and Chantale B. The distance was 108 yards and I used my 8 iron. I have attached pictures of that moment and give you permission to feature my story on GolfCanada.ca.

Thank you again,

Lise

Elène McDougall, Loch March Golf & Country Club, Hole #13

Imagine my surprise receiving this congratulatory acknowledgment from Golf Canada !!

WOOHOO !!

On Saturday May 14, 2022, I scored (my second) HOLE-IN-ONE on #13 at Loch March !!

Loch March GCC: Hole # 13 ~95 yards – 9 iron.
Playing partners: Glen C., Mike W. and Lu J.

Celebrated with pops on LM patio :)))

Elène McDougall

Peter Dykstra, Summit Golf & Country Club, Hole #10

Thanks for the note!

Was playing with a few good friends and fellow Summit members Chris S., Sean R. and Brent H.

Was a beautiful but windy day. 10th hole, we lasered it at 173, but felt it was playing 195 or so with the wind and elevation. I took out my 5 iron, had a nice smooth swing, the ball bounced once before the green one more on the fringe, rolled about 6 feet and it dropped. To be honest, I didn’t really believe it until we got up to the green.

Here are a couple pictures by all means share if you want. Thanks again and have a wonderful weekend!

Reid Woodman, Edmonton Country Club, Hole #18

Thank you very much, and yes you have my permission to share if you’d like!

For details, I was playing with Mark M. and Ethan O. The yardage was about 185 and I used a 7 iron. This is my second hole-in-one in ten months, and third in my lifetime, with the last one being on number 13 at the Edmonton Country Club in July 2021. Feeling very lucky to say the least!

Thank you for the email and the graphic.

Bryan Ho, Hollinger Golf Club, Hole #13

I was on hole 13 at Hollinger par 3; playing from the whites. It was 103.4 yards to the pin, as indicated by my rangefinder. Thats right in the range of my approach wedge (50 degrees).

The ball I struck, had the best feeling swing I had all day. Great high ball flight that landed right in front of the flag and it slowly crept down to the hole. Once it fell, I couldn’t believe it and in that moment the realization came at a burst and I screamed at the top of my lungs. It alerted the group ahead of me that was teeing off haha. They thought I had a heart attack. After I told them that I just hit a hole-in-one, they came to the flag to check and sure enough there it was: My TaylorMade RBZ ball that I found in the woods that day.

Thank you for contacting me, I was able to relive it again by describing what happened!

Gisele Watson, Maple City Country Club, Hole #12

Hello Lawrence!

Yes, it was the moment of my golf life! It was on hole number 12 at Maple City Country Club, and I believe the yardage was 105 yards. I used a 6 hybrid for that shot. I played with Judy P., Judy W. and Claudette R.

Cheers!

Gisele Watson

Frank Diamanti, BraeBen Golf Course, Hole #4

Thank you so much for acknowledging the feat.

I was playing with my cousin Marco C., my usual playing partner, it was the 4th hole par 3. We were playing from the black tees; my watch indicated it was 152 yards to the middle, so I used my 7-iron and the ball was moving left to right, playing the wind accordingly. I saw it bounce on the green, but because of the time of day (5’ish) and glare from the sun off the green, I couldn’t see where it landed.

We drove up to the hole, and I didn’t see my ball on the green, I was looking for it, right of the flagstick, and in the greenside bunker, but didn’t see it. Marco checked the pin and it was in the hole.

I don’t have a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account (old and wise for that kind of stuff), so taking a picture didn’t cross my mind. We just carried on with the round. The funny thing we didn’t know how to mark it on the score card… is it just a 1 and a rectangle or …. we didn’t know it was two circles…. we know how to mark birdies and bogies and what not …..but for a hole in 1, we had no clue.

Thank you for very much, really do appreciate Golf Canada reaching out.

Have you recently accomplished the feat of a hole-in-one? Tell us about it! Share your story, picture / video and course information with us at holeinone@golfcanada.ca.