MILTON, Ont. – Four American touring professionals’ schedules got busier this month, as they earned coveted spots in the field for the 119th edition of the Men’s U.S. Open Championship, which runs from June 10 to 16 at Pebble Beach Golf Club in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Tom Hoge, 30, of Statesville, NC and Austria-born Sepp Straka, 26, of Vodesta, GA earned co-medalist honours at RattleSnake Point Golf Club in Milton, Ont., on a cool, windswept Monday as it hosted the first-ever U.S. Open Championship Sectional Qualifier contested in Canada.

Hoge, who shot a 3-under 69 during the morning 18-hole wave, heated up on the back nine of his afternoon match, firing four birdies before a pair of bogeys on 17 and 18 brought his total score to -5 for a share of the clubhouse lead.

Straka fired a 70 in the morning and stayed under the radar in the early afternoon after an opening double-bogey on his second 18 holes threatened his chances. He managed to notch three birdies between holes 12 and 16 to battle back and join Hoge at 5-under.

“I played well. First time trying to qualify for an Open so I’m really happy about the result, ” said a smiling Straka in the clubhouse as he waited for the outcome of the playoff. “It’s awesome to be heading to Pebble Beach, such an iconic place. It’s going to be sweet!”

Playoff golf was required to break a three-way tie for the final two qualifying spots following 36-holes of regulation golf. Harris English birdied his last hole of the day with a superb approach to the green to force extra holes. Alex Prugh of Spokane, Wash. and Nathan Lashley of Scottsbluff, Neb, who had both been waiting in the clubhouse at 4-under, were forced to return to the course for a tiebreaker.

Prugh and Lashley prevailed and will also be competing at Pebble Beach. English will serve as first alternate.

The field featured 37 competitors including PGA TOUR veterans, promising Canadian golfers, and a three-time winner of major tournaments in Padraig Harrington, who had a good start, but settled for a final score of 2-under.

The 36-hole sectional event was held on the CopperHead course at Rattlesnake Point. Included in the field was eight Canadian golfers, many of whom will move on immediately to Hamilton Golf and Country Club to compete in the 2019 RBC Canadian Open. David Hearn, of Brantford, Ont., was the low Canadian finisher in 12th position, shooting par on the day.

“The conditions were really windy today and it was tricky if you weren’t in control of your ball,” said Hearn, who was rushing home to Brantford before heading to Hamilton Golf and Country Club to prepare for his next challenge at the RBC Canadian Open.  “But the course was in great shape, there’s no doubt about it. The greens set-up was great, and when the conditioning is good, it’s a fair contest for everybody.”

A total of 927 players participated in 12 sectoral qualifications, including events scheduled in Canada, England and Japan. This is the first time in the history of the U.S. Open that a sectional qualification event has been held in Canada. For all scores and results of U.S. Open Sectional Qualifiers, click here. 

U.S. Open qualifying began earlier this spring with 8,602 players competing in 110 local qualifiers. One local qualifier was held in Canada on May 13 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont.

The Canadian sectional is being held the same week as the RBC Canadian Open, and several PGA TOUR players will be playing both the RBC Canadian Open and the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier.

Canadians Nick Taylor and Mike Weir already qualified for the 119th U.S. Open via the sectional qualifying event on May 20 in Dallas.

DUBLIN, Ohio – Jack Nicklaus is a gracious tournament host at the Memorial who doesn’t mince words, and it paid off for Patrick Cantlay.

When they bumped into each other earlier in the week in the grill room, Nicklaus told him he had to learn how to finish. And then when Cantlay saw him again at lunch going into the weekend, Nicklaus told him how.

Nicklaus said to have fun, to look around at all the fans having a great time, to relax and to go win the golf tournament.

Cantlay had a blast Sunday with the best closing round by a winner in the 44 years of the Memorial. He rallied from four shots behind with an 8-under 64, a round so under control that Cantlay’s longest putt for par was from 8 feet on the final hole, with Nicklaus watching behind the 18th green.

He poured it in to secure a two-shot victory over Adam Scott.

“I finished it,” Cantlay said to Nicklaus as he walked off the green.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., tied for 52nd at 1 over for the tournament, 20 shots off the lead. Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., tied for 62nd at 4 over.

Martin Kaymer, trying to end five years without a victory, started with a two-shot lead and never recovered from a four-hole stretch on the back nine when he made consecutive bogeys and failed to birdie the par-5 15th. He closed with a 72 and finished third.

Scott was the last player to have a chance and ran off three straight birdies until narrowly missing birdie putts on the last two holes. He shot 68.

“Being able to win on this golf course, in front of Jack, making that putt on the last hole, I can’t tell you how good it feels,” he said.

Engaging in private, Cantlay doesn’t smile much on the golf course and isn’t about to force one. But the advice from Nicklaus – Cantlay first met him when he won the Jack Nicklaus Award as the nation’s best college player in 2011 – stuck with him.

Look around, soak it up and enjoy it.

“I definitely said that to myself down the stretch today on the back nine,” said Cantlay, who finished at 19-under 269. “It put me a little more at ease, and I hit a lot of really nice, quality shots with the lead.”

Cantlay first caught Kaymer with a 3-wood to 10 feet for a two-putt birdie on the 11th. Kaymer, in the group behind him, matched the birdie. That was his last one. Cantlay followed with an 18-foot birdie putt on No. 14 and a 5-iron that set up a long two-putt birdie on the par-5 15th.

By then, Kaymer was making bogeys and Scott was stuck in neutral until it was too late.

“I knew that you can’t really make any mistakes coming down the stretch,” said Kaymer, whose last victory was by eight shots in the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. “But all credit to Patrick. He played a great round of golf. He deserved to win – 19-under par is amazing.”

Scott finished at 19 under at Torrey Pines and lost two by to Justin Rose. He was 17 under at the Memorial – only six players have done better at Muirfield Village, one of them being Cantlay on Sunday.

“It’s disappointing not to win, for sure,” Scott said. “I really played good golf this week, and it just wasn’t good enough.”

Cantlay’s only disappointment was that it took him 19 months to win for the second time on the PGA Tour. But then, he hasn’t been around as long as it seems. Cantlay was low amateur in the 2011 U.S. Open, and the next week shot a 60 at the Travelers Championship.

But his career took a severe turn on and off the golf course, first with a back injury that kept him out of golf entirely for two full years and left him wondering if he would ever make it back. Then, he was out of dinner one night with his best friend and caddie, Chris Roth, when Roth was stuck by a car and killed.

Cantlay says it changed him as a person, but he keeps that separate from his golf.

His golf has been good for a long time, and this was a big step.

There some atonement at Muirfield Village for Cantlay. A year ago, he took a two-shot lead to the back nine and didn’t make a birdie the rest of the way, missing a playoff by one shot. This time, he putted for birdie on every hole on the back nine until the 18th.

“I was looking for a little redemption this week,” Cantlay said. “And that has to do with me feeling really comfortable on the golf course and liking it a lot. Not to mention I’ve been playing really well, so it feels like a win has been coming. You always have to put yourself in contention. And you start winning a couple, and you figure out how to do it, and hopefully it keeps happening.”

Tiger Woods knew he had no chance to win the Memorial from 11 shots behind going into the final round, though he still put on a show and got what he needed out of his final event before the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. He went out in 31 and was 7 under for his round through 12 holes until a sloppy bogey on the 14th and a closing bogey for a 67. He wound up in a tie for ninth at 9-under 279.

“The goal today was to get to double digits (under par) and get something positive going into the Open,” he said. “I got to double digits, I just didn’t stay there.”

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Six is certainly a magic number for U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee.

The 23-year-old South Korean won her first major title Sunday, the first $1 million women’s winner’s check ever handed out by the USGA and her first victory as an LPGA Tour rookie. And she did by shooting 1-under 70 at Country Club of Charleston to finish at, naturally, 6-under 278.

“This is kind of really interesting how I finished 6 under at an LPGA tournament,” Lee said through an interpreter. “So, this is really lucky number to me.”

Lee has the number in her name because she was the sixth player with the name on the Korean LPGA. She has embraced the number, answering to it and writing a large “6” on her balls. Her South Korean fan club is called “Lucky 6.” Jeongeun Lee5 tied for 34th at 4 over, 10 shots behind Lee.

Lee opened a three-shot lead with three holes to play before facing some nerves with bogeys on the 16th and 18th holes to tighten things up. But when third-round co-leader Celine Boutier’s blast from a greenside bunker on the 72nd hole rolled off the green, Lee had the biggest win of her life.

“I didn’t even expect to win the tournament this fast,” Lee said. “I think this is very lucky that I won this major championship tournament.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., tied for 39th at 5 over for the event.

Lee, playing two groups ahead of Boutier, was practicing putts when the Frenchwoman could not make the sand shot. Lee bent down in joy when her victory was secure, countrywoman and 2011 U.S. Women’s Open winner So Yeon Ryu coming over to embrace the new champion.

“I felt pretty nervous starting on the holes 16, 17, and 18 after opening the large lead,” Lee said. “But I tried the best that I can.”

The victory came a few days after Tiger Woods’ former swing coach, Hank Haney, made disparaging remarks about women’s golf by predicting a “Korean” would win and “I’d go with Lee.”

Haney was suspended for his comments on his PGA Tour SiriusXM radio show when asked who’d win. “I’d go with Lee,” Haney said. “If I didn’t have to name a first name, I’d get a bunch of them right.” Haney was suspended for his remarks.

Haney sent Tweets on Sunday night congratulating Lee and saying his prediction was based on statistics and facts. “Korean women are absolutely dominating the LPGA Tour. If you asked me again, my answer would be the same but worded more carefully.”

Lee said her focus had been fully on the tournament. Because she hasn’t mastered English, “I didn’t really understand him that much, so I didn’t really think about it,” she said.

Boutier made a double bogey on the final hole to fall into a tie for fifth at 3 under. She shot 75. Lexi Thompson, Ryu and Angel Yin tied for second, two shots behind. Thompson shot 73, Ryu 70 and Yin 68.

Boutier tried to get on No. 18 in two. “And then if I made the putt, then it would be best,” she said. “But I missed the green, so …”

Gerina Piller, Jaye Marie Green, Mamiko Higa of Japan, and third-round co-leaders Yu Liu of China and Boutier tied for fifth. Piller was the only under par at 68. Higa and Liu shot 74s.

Boutier and Liu, the good friends and former Duke teammates, figured to fight for the title. Instead, both threw away chances early as they combined for three bogeys and a double bogey on the first three holes.

Thompson began the round a shot off the lead in search for a second career major. But she too struggled early with bogeys on the first, third and fourth holes to drop off the pace.

“It was a bit of a rough day,” Thompson said. “I got off to a pretty bad start. Just overall wasn’t as comfortable, I guess, over my shots.”

Lee is hardly a surprise winner. She came in ranked 17th in the world and has won six times on the KLPGA Tour. She tied for fifth in this event in her 2017 debut and has three top 10s on the LPGA Tour this season.

“So looking at her as a rookie to play this tournament so well, I’m really proud of her as a fellow competitor and same country girl as well,” Ryu said.

Higa faded in the final round after being a major contender at her first U.S. Women’s Open. She set the tournament mark for lowest debut with her opening 65. She was a stroke in front through 36 holes and only a shot behind when the final round began. But she had five bogeys on her first 13 holes to fall back. She finished tied for sixth after a 74.

NCAA women’s individual champion Maria Fassi started her first tournament as a pro 72-73 to make the cut on the number. She took flight on the weekend, going 68-70 to tie for 12th with a group at 1 under that included the tournament’s low amateur in Gina Kim, part of Duke’s recent NCAA team champion.

Two-time major champion Lydia Ko had a hole-in-one Sunday – the only of the week – on the difficult 11th hole. She hit a 6-iron from 172 yards and, moments later, heard cheers up near the green, but wasn’t sure why. She found out soon enough for her second career ace, the other coming at the Rio Olympics. The 11th, built with a false front and two large protective bunkers on each side, played as the hardest hole this week.

PONOKA, Alta. – Calgary natives Annabelle Ackroyd led wire-to-wire, while Tommy McKenzie was clutch in the final round to win their respective divisions at the Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship at Wolf Creek Golf Resort on Sunday.

held the lead entering the final day at Wolf Creek, but had to overcome three bogeys on the front nine to close out the victory. The 17-year-old flipped the script on the back nine, notching four birdies and no bogeys to finish at 1 over par for the 54-hole tournament, four shots ahead of runner-up Grace Bell.

“I didn’t play as well on the front nine as I wanted to,” said Ackroyd. “I stayed patient out there. I was in the same situation last year; having the lead heading into the back nine. I think that helped me just staying calm out there.”

A Calgary native, Bell trailed Ackroyd by one stroke heading into the final round, and briefly led on the front nine. She finished in second at 5 over par.

In addition to Ackroyd and Bell, top-five finishers Stephanie Chelack (Calgary), Vanessa Zhang (Vancouver) and Brooke Brezovski (St. Albert, Alta.) earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on July 29 to Aug. 2 at Lethbridge Country Club in Lethbridge, Alta.

In the junior boys’ division, McKenzie was clutch in the closing stages of the final round. The Calgarian worked around a double bogey on the first hole to finish the day with a 72 (+1), 5 over par for the tournament.

McKenzie made par-or-better on each of his last 13 holes, securing his victory with a par putt on the 18^th hole.

“I had a double-bogey on the first hole when I hooked it right into the trees,” said McKenzie. “I just made sure I stayed calm and stayed focused. I wanted to play my game and not worry about anybody else.”

Ethan Choi of Pincher Creek, Alta., led for the majority of the final round, but ultimately finished in second place at the Future Links, driven by Acura Western Championship for the second consecutive year. He finished 6 over par during the 54-hole tournament, tied with Carter Graf (Sylvan Lake, Alta.), Brady McKinlay (Lacombe, Alta.) and Dustin Franko (Delta, B.C.).

As the top five finishers, McKenzie, Choi, Graf, McKinlay and Franko earn exemptions into the 2019 Canadian Junior Boys Championship from Aug. 11-15 at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club in Hartland, N.B.

Full scoring and results can be found here.

HAMILTON (Golf Canada) –  The final four spots into the 2019 RBC Canadian Open field will be determined Monday as the Final Qualifier is set to tee off at Heron Point Golf Links in Alberton, Ont.

The 63-player field is comprised of touring professionals, top amateurs and regional qualifier participants following the two-stage RBC Canadian Open qualification process.

“We’re are very pleased to conduct the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier at Heron Point Golf Links,” said Adam Helmer, Golf Canada’s Director, Rules, Competitions and Amateur Status. “The golf course is in great shape will present an excellent challenge for this impressive field of golfers looking to secure a spot in the 2019 RBC Canadian Open.”

The Monday Final Qualifier features 18 holes of stroke play with the low four competitors receiving an exemption directly into the 2019 RBC Canadian Open field. If necessary, a hole-by-hole playoff will be conducted immediately following the conclusion of play.

Click here  for pairings, start times and results for RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifying on Monday, June 3. Results will be made available as players complete their rounds.

MILTON, Ont. – RattleSnake Point Golf Club in Milton, Ont. is set to host the first-ever US Open Sectional Qualifier on Canadian soil on Monday, June 3rd with  spots up for grabs into the 119th playing of the US Men’s Open, taking place June 13-17 at the famed Pebble Beach Golf Club in Pebble Beach, California. The final number of qualifying spots will be confirmed early Monday morning by the USGA.

The 36-hole Sectional Qualifier will be conducted on the CopperHead course at RattleSnake Point featuring a field of 37 competitors that includes a mix of seasoned PGA TOUR veterans, up-and-coming Canadians and a triple major winner in Padraig Harrington.

“Golf Canada is pleased to support our global partners at the USGA in hosting the first-ever US Open Sectional Qualifier on Canadian soil,” said Adam Helmer, Golf Canada’s Director of Rules and Competitions. “A number of the competitors are also competing in next week’s RBC Canadian Open and we are proud to build a meaningful connection between our respective National Open Championship. We also want to thank our friends at ClubLink for welcoming this first-ever Qualifier to RattleSnake Point.”

“We are thrilled to host this crucial event leading up to one of the most coveted tournament entries in the world of golf,” said RattleSnake Point’s Director of Operations Craig Cupido. “To have such accomplished competitors grace our fairways for this toughest of tests is a fantastic opportunity that our entire team and club members welcome wholeheartedly. And as fans of this great game, we look forward to seeing how these world-class competitors fare on our course come June 3.”

A total of 927 players are competing in 12 sectional qualifiers, including one sectional qualifier in each of Canada, England and Japan. This is the first time in U.S. Open history that a sectional qualifier will take place in Canada.

U.S. Open qualifying began earlier this spring with 8,602 players competing in 110 local qualifiers. One local qualifier was in Canada on May 13 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont.

The Canadian sectional is being held the same week as the RBC Canadian Open, and several PGA TOUR players will be playing both the RBC Canadian Open and the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier.

Canadians Nick Taylor and Mike Weir already qualified for the 119th U.S. Open via the sectional qualifying event on May 20 in Dallas, Tx.

For full field information, pairings and tee times, click here.

When Naomi Ko first took up the sport of golf, the goal was simple: to score a golf scholarship to a U.S. College. Over the years, that goal has evolved for the talented golfer from Victoria, British Columbia.

Having recently graduated from North Carolina State University on a full golf scholarship, the 21-year-old has fulfilled that childhood goal; and is now focusing on new challenges and an exciting journey ahead.

Looking back, Ko is amazed at how far she’s come since her mom, Adriana, introduced her to the sport at the age of 11.

“I actually played soccer when I was younger; but my mom got me into golf…She heard from a friend that you could get a scholarship playing golf and introduced me to the game,” she recalled.

Ko says her older sister and younger brother were also introduced to golf but she was the only one who found her passion in the sport.

She remembers her first time playing on the golf course was quite the learning experience.

“When I started, I was hitting at the range for the first seven or eight months. And the first time I went out on the course it was with some older girls and I wasn’t prepared at all,” she reminisced fondly.

“I brought golf balls from the range as opposed to normal golf balls. That was a lesson learned there,” she said with a laugh.

Ko first realized she had a special talent for golf in her early teens after scoring full status on the AJGA Tour.

“I think I was 13 or 14 years old and I played in an AJGA tournament which I won.  And it gave me full status on the AJGA Tour – which was a big deal at the time.”

The now 21-year-old says her seven years on the National Team Program has been instrumental in taking her game to that next level.

“We have support in all aspects of the game both on and off the golf course,” said Ko, the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Champ.

“Being part of the program has given me the opportunity to travel and compete in some of the biggest junior and amateur tournaments around the world,” she added.

“Playing in those big tournaments is a reminder that there’s always someone better than you; and it’s also a reminder of the importance of working hard and improving and getting better each day.”

Tristan Mullally, the head coach of the Canadian Women’s National Team, speaks about the keys to Ko’s success.

“Naomi is strong off the tee and is a streaky putter when she gets it going,” said Mullally.

Tristan Mullally & Naomi Ko (Golf Canada)

“Naomi is low key and just goes about her business…She’s also someone who is very dedicated and has work really hard and she’s made improvements every year,” he continued.

“She’s had some great results winning the Canadian junior girls title in 2016 and had some strong results playing in the NCAA.”

Ko says playing in the NCAA was important to her overall development.

“Having to balance school and playing golf definitely taught me the importance of time management, being organized, and working as a team,” Ko pointed out.

“Overall, it was a really a good experience but I feel now that I’m ready to take the next step in my golf career.”

Having achieved a degree is sports management, Ko now has her sights set on the next big challenge – making it on the LPGA Tour.

Although she’s been dealing with a shoulder injury, Ko was able to win her sectional qualifier in Oregon last month and scored a spot for the U.S. Women’s Open.

Despite the fact that she wasn’t able to play her best golf at the LPGA major because of her shoulder injury, the recent NC State University graduate certainly learned a lot from the experience of being on the course with the best in the game.

And while the journey towards achieving status on the LPGA Tour promises to be an exciting one, Ko is grateful to have met and exceeded her original goals on the golf course.

With that said, the 21-year-old was asked what her advice would be for those aspiring young golfers eager to play the sport at a similar high level one day.

“There may be times where you don’t feel like you’re making progress.  But you will see the results come if you put in hours. So be patient and keep working hard,” Ko replied thoughtfully.

“Also, make sure that you learn from the ups and down and try to enjoy every moment of the journey.”

While the 63-year-old St. Catharines native won’t be teeing it up with the best on the PGA Tour, it will mark the first time he’s visited the historic Harry S. Colt layout since winning the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in 1977.

It’s hard to believe that Rod hasn’t been back, but that will change when he’s inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame on Tuesday, June 4 during RBC Hall of Fame day at the RBC Canadian Open.

When the 22-year-old collegiate golfer arrived at HGCC in the summer of 1977, he was just happy to be playing at the private country club where his dad caddied as a kid in the 1940s. Nobody expected Rod to win, as seasoned BC amateur Jim Nelford was trying to make it three consecutive Canadian Men’s Amateur Championships, but Spittle’s parents watched from the sidelines as their son made a name for himself.

“It was a huge victory for me and so unexpected. I was home from school for the summer looking to play a few tournaments and it all came together,” says Rod, who didn’t play much on the Ohio State men’s golf team in his first two years – that changed after winning our national amateur championship.

“It was the biggest tournament I had won to that point. Looking back over 40-plus years of golf, it remains significant in my journey, because I learned what it felt like to win for the very first time. It gave me some confidence and the drive to take my game to a higher level,” he adds.

”To be able to go out a year later and win the title for a second consecutive time at Laval-sur-le-Lac was another incredible moment. I’m very proud of both trophies,” says Spittle, who won by a commanding 10 strokes in Quebec.

Rod’s victory at HGCC, which was hosting the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship for a fifth time, wasn’t nearly as convincing. Nelford was highly favoured to become the first person to win the championship threeyears in a row since the great George Lyon accomplished the feat from 1905 to 1907.

The opening two rounds of medal play suggested an easy Nelford victory. Jim’s first-round 69 was followed by a brilliant performance on the second day, during which he tied the course record of 64 that had stood since 1930, when the great Tommy Armour established it en route to winning the RBC Canadian Open that year.

Nelford’s 36-hole total of 133 gave him an impressive seven-shot lead over Spittle, but a third round 73 saw his lead reduced to four, before a closing-round 75 left him two shots back of the mark set by Spittle, who posted scores of 72-68-70-69 over the four days of competition.

“After the first two rounds Jim had a seven-stroke lead and all the reporters were writing that it was almost a foregone conclusion that he was going to win the championship, and that the rest of the field was playing for second and third place,” says Rod. “After the first two rounds I just dug in and tried to make every shot count. I was playing well and slowly chipped away at the lead. There wasn’t a lot of pressure on me. Nobody was expecting me to win, but in the back of my mind I believed that I wasn’t out of it.”

The two leaders didn’t play in the same group for the final round, so they only had glimpses of each other over the closing holes. Rod birdied No. 17 after hitting the green in two on the par-5, and then he bogeyed No. 18, but it was enough for the two-stroke win.

In the Willingdon Cup, the Ontario team of Gary Cowan, Ian Thomas, Nick Weslock and Spittle posted a 215 on the first day and a 213 on the second day for a total of 428, which gave them the victory by 11 shots over Alberta.

Rod graduated from Ohio State in 1978 with a degree in Business Administration. After a brief stint as a professional golfer and not enjoying life on the road, he opted to focus on supporting his family by selling insurance for 25 years in Dublin, Ohio, and continuing his passion for the game in amateur golf.

In 2006, Spittle and his wife, Ann, left their regular jobs behind and made a five-year plan to fulfill the dream of playing professional golf. In 2009, four years into that plan, Spittle’s goal of being a full-time Tour professional took a severe hit after he failed to secure his PGA Champions Tour card.

In 2010, the final year of the five-year plan, Rod was forced to Monday qualify into events. Playing with limited status, Spittle got into only five events the entire season. He Monday qualified into the final event of the year, the AT&T Championship in San Antonio, and in a storybook ending, he played stellar golf all week to beat Jeff Sluman in a playoff for his first-ever professional title. Just like that, his dream of playing professional golf, nearly dead and gone, gained new life with a full exemption for 2011 as a PGA Tour Champions winner.

Spittle stats are remarkable! In 195 starts over his 13-year PGA Tour Champions career, Rod missed just five cuts and earned more than $4M in prize money. He never missed more than one cut in any year, and played nine full seasons without missing a single cut. He had a pair of runner-up finishes, a pair of third-place finishes and 23 top-10s. He played his final PGA Tour Champions event on home soil, finishing T17 at the 2018 Shaw Charity Classic.

CALGARY, CANADA – SEPTEMBER 1: Rod Spittle of Canada hits his tee shot on the 7th hole during the second round of the Shaw Charity Classic at the Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club on September 1, 2018 in Calgary, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

On the personal level, he and his wife Ann have three children (Leslie, Steve and John) and seven grandchildren. His mother still lives in Niagara Falls. His father passed away in 2010 at the age of 84, six months before Rod won in San Antonio.

“It’s very exciting thinking about going into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. It’s been very emotional. I’m looking forward to it, and to be able to go back to Hamilton G&CC, where I enjoyed that first win four decades ago, is going to be very special,” Spittle says. “It’s been a great run. I could never have dreamt up a story like this when I won the Canadian Am at HGCC in 1977.”

While he may not have been able to dream it, there is an undeniable symmetry to that national championship of 42 years ago in Ancaster. Rod first took up the game of golf at age 10 when his father became one of 25 original founders of Willodell G&CC in Niagara Falls. The course designer was none other than Nicol Thompson, who, from 1912-1945, was the head professional of Hamilton G&CC.

World No. 1 Brooks Koepka, World No. 2 Dustin Johnson, World No. 4 Rory McIlroy and World No. 6 Justin Thomas along with past Major champions Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Zach Johnson and Henrik Stenson headline exciting field for Canada’s National Open Championship

Canadian tournament exemptions include 2019 Web.com Tour winner Michael Gligic; European Tour player Austin Connelly; PGA TOUR China winner Richard Jung;  PGA TOUR Latinoamerica winner Drew Nesbitt; and Team Canada members Joey Savoie, Josh Whalen, and Chris Crisologo

Corey Conners, Adam Hadwin, Mackenzie Hughes, David Hearn, Nick Taylor, Ben Silverman, Roger Sloan, Adam Svensson, and Mike Weir headline list of 20 Canadians set to compete at Hamilton Golf and Country Club from June 3-9.

HAMILTON (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada and RBC are pleased to announce the final field vying for the US$7.6 million purse at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, June 3-9 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club.

World no. 2 and Team RBC member Dustin Johnson will try to defend his title against a stellar field of PGA TOUR stars led by World No. 1 and 2019 PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka. World No. 4 Rory McIlroy along with World No. 6 Justin Thomas will make their RBC Canadian Open debut and will be joined at Hamilton by former Masters champions Sergio Garcia, Danny Willet and Bubba Watson.

Other notable additions to the field for the 110th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship include FedExCup leader Matt Kuchar, Major champions Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Jason Dufner, Padraig Harrington, Keegan Bradley and Jimmy Walker, along with former world No. 1 Luke Donald.

Johnson, a 20-time winner on the PGA TOUR, and Kuchar, a nine-time PGA TOUR winner will lead a roster of Team RBC players at Hamilton Golf and Country. Team RBC has seen unprecedented success in 2019 as Ryan Palmer, Graeme McDowell, Canadian Corey Conners, Johnson, and Kuchar have all won on the PGA TOUR.

Other Team RBC players competing including world no. 19 Webb Simpson, 2013 RBC Canadian Open champion Brandt Snedeker; Jim Furyk, a 17-time winner and two-time RBC Canadian Open champion, including at Hamilton in 2006; along with fellow Canadian Team RBC players Adam Hadwin, David Hearn, Nick Taylor, Ben Silverman, and Roger Sloan round out the contingent.

“The field is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory and we’re ready to welcome the best players in the world teeing it up at the 110th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship,” said Tournament Director Bryan Crawford. “This year’s championship features a great mix of stars from all around the world, more than 30 combined Major titles and the deepest field of Canadian talent ever to challenge for our National Men’s Open title. Along with great golf, we’ll be offering fans so many great on-site experiences from our key partners, a new food initiative to try some of Hamilton’s best restaurants, and thanks to the RBCxMusic Concert series, fans can take in music from Florida Georgia Line and The Glorious Sons on Friday and Saturday.”

In total, 156 players will compete for the US$7.6 million purse next week in Hamilton when the RBC Canadian Open returns to the storied club for the first time since 2012 and sixth time ever.

Click here for a full field list for the 2019 RBC Canadian Open

PGA TOUR Season Winners…
A total of 11 in-year PGA TOUR winners (accounting for 13 PGA TOUR titles in 2018-19) will compete at Hamilton Golf and Country Club led by two-time winners Brooks Koepka (THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES, PGA Championship) and Matt Kuchar (Mayakoba Golf Classic and Sony Open). Other 2018-19 season winners include Kevin Tway (Safeway Open), Adam Long (Desert Classic), Martin Trainer (Puerto Rico Open), Dustin Johnson (WGC-Mexico Championship), Rory McIlroy (THE PLAYERS Championship), Graeme McDowell (Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship), Corey Conners (Valero Texas Open), Ryan Palmer (partnered with Jon Rahm at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans), and Sung Kang (AT&T Byron Nelson).

Past Champions…
Two past winners at Hamilton Golf and Country Club will be returning to familiar territory this year as 2006 winner Jim Furyk and 2012 winner Scott Piercy are in the field this year. Furyk also won the 2007 Canadian Open. Two other past RBC Canadian Open winners in the field at Hamilton are Brandt Snedeker (2013) and Dustin Johnson (2018).

The 2003 RBC Canadian Open was contested at Hamilton and won by Bob Tway. His son, Kevin Tway, will be in the field.

Twenty Canadians to compete for the National Men’s Open Title…
Leading the Canadian contingent at Hamilton will be Abbotsford, B.C. native and world No. 77 Adam Hadwin, who will return to Hamilton to play in his 10th RBC Canadian Open. Other confirmed Canadians include past PGA TOUR winners Mackenzie Hughes of nearby Dundas, Ont., Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C. round out Canada’s PGA TOUR contingent along with Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Mike Weir, making his 28^th start at the Canadian Open.

Canadians receiving exemptions into this year’s RBC Canadian Open include Ryan Yip of Calgary along with Toronto natives Richard Jung and Drew Nesbitt.

Three members of Canada’s National Men’s Team—Joey Savoie of LaPrairie, Que., Chris Crisologo of Richmond, B.C. and Josh Whalen of Napanee, Ont.—have also received exemptions.

Dual-citizen and European Tour player Austin Connelly of Claire, N.S., who was recently announced as one of Canada’s representative for the upcoming Pan-Am Games in Lima, Peru, will play his third RBC Canadian Open.

Burlington’s Michael Gligic, a winner on the Web.com Tour in 2019, has earned a spot in the field as the highest-ranked golfer on the Web.com Tour’s season-long points list who played on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada in 2018.

Marc-Etienne Bussieres of Quebec earned a place in this year’s RBC Canadian Open after finishing No. 1 on the PGA of Canada’s Order of Merit in 2018.

Local resident Michael Blair of Ancaster, Ont. won the Ontario Regional Qualifier to earn his spot in the field and amateur Matt Anderson of Mississauga, Ont. earned his spot by winning the Quebec Regional Qualifier.

Each of the 21 Canadian players in the field will look to become the first Canadian to capture the national title since Pat Fletcher accomplished the feat in 1954.

Two-time reigning Canadian Men’s Amateur Zach Bauchou of Forest, Virginia along with 2018 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion Joseph Deraney of Lexington, Kentucky will also compete at Hamilton.

Final Tournament Exemptions to be Named…
Following the Bayview Place DCBank Open presented by Times Colonist on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada, the winner will earn an exemption to play in the 2019 RBC Canadian Open.

The final four exemptions into the field for the 2019 RBC Canadian Open will be handed out at the Monday Qualifier on June 3, to be played at Heron Point Golf Links near Ancaster, Ont.

Tickets for available rounds of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open can be purchased at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

After each stroke you make on a hole, you are supposed to find and play that same ball. Most of the time, it is possible to identify your ball without lifting it. But occasionally you need to lift it to do so.

Click here to learn more about the Modernized Rules of golf.