Golf Canada’s Weekly Leaderboard powered by Titleist

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

Stephen Ames went wire-to-wire to cap off a dominant week with a four-stroke victory at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic. Despite hitting his tee shot on the final hole into the water, he made a 30-foot par putt to finish at 19-under 197 to break his own 54-hole record at TPC Sugarloaf by four shots. It’s his second win of the season after winning in Morocco and he joins David Toms as the only multiple winners on the Champions tour this year. It’s the first time in his Champions tour career that he’s won multiple times in one season. The victory also vaulted him up to No. 4 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings. A birdie on the final hole enabled Miguel Angel Jimenez to finish solo second. Steve Stricker finished tied for seventh, extending his streak of top-10 finishes in all seven tour events this season. He has 11 straight top-10 results dating back to last August.

POS SCORESTOTAL
1Stephen Ames65-64-68-19

NEXT EVENT: Regions Tradition (May 11)

PGA TOUR

Wyndham Clark carded a final round 68 for a four shot win over Xander Schauffele at the Wells Fargo Championship. Clark started the final round with a two shot lead but relinquished it to Schauffele after seven holes. But he stormed back, playing the final 11 holes in 4 under par to claim his first career PGA Tour win. His winning score of 19-under 265 is the second-lowest score in relation to par in tournament history. Tyrrell Hatton and Harry English finished tied for third. Rory McIlroy, a three-time winner at Quail Hollow, played the final three rounds in 3-over par to finish tied for 47th – his worst outing since missing the cut 12 years ago. …Corey Conners picked up his third top-10 result of the season, second in his last four starts. …Adam Svensson recorded his fifth top-30 finish of the season

POS SCORESTOTAL
T8Corey Conners70-69-66-70-9
T27Adam Svensson68-67-70-75-4
MCAdam Hadwin74-68 
MCMackenzie Hughes74-72 
MCTaylor Pendrith70-77 

NEXT EVENT: AT&T Byron Nelson (May 11)

CANADIANS ENTERED: Michael Gligic, Adam Hadwin, Mackenzie Hughes, Roger Sloan, David Hearn (alternate)

EUROPEAN TOUR

Adrian Meronk sank a seven foot birdie putt on the final hole to hold off Romain Langasque and win the Italian Open by one shot. It was his third win on the European Tour and vaults him up to No. 4 in the Race to Dubai points standings. Third-round leader Julien Guerrier finished three strokes back in third. …Aaron Cockerill notched his fourth top-20 finish of the season, his third in his last four starts

POS SCORESTOTAL
T16Aaron Cockerill71-71-66-72-4

NEXT EVENT: Soudal Open (May 11)

CANADIANS ENTERED:  Aaron Cockerill

LPGA TOUR

Atthaya Thitikul birdied the 16th hole to beat Stephanie Kyriacou 4 & 2, earning the clinching point as Thailand defeated Australia for the country’s first International Crown team match play title. Sixth-seeded Thailand, which had never finished better than fourth in the first three editions of this tournament, finished the week winning 11 of 12 matches. The United States beat Sweden in the consolation match to finish third. Canada did not qualify for the event.

NEXT EVENT: Cognizant Founders Cup (May 11)

CANADIANS ENTERED: Maude-Aimee Leblanc, Maddie Szeryk, Alena Sharp (reserve)

PGA TOUR LATINOAMERICA

Toni Hakula erased a four stroke deficit for a one-shot victory over Julian Itulain in the Kia Open. It was his second career win on the Latinoamerica Tour and first since 2018. His previous best finish in this event was a tie for 33rd back in 2016.  Brazil’s Rafael Becker carded a final round 63 to climb 30 places on the leaderboard up into a tie for third with Brent Ito. …Stuart Macdonald recorded his fourth top-20 finish in as many starts this year.

POS SCORESTOTAL
T17Stuart Macdonald69-69-71-70-9
T35Max Sekulic72-70-71-69-6
MCJoey Savoie69-74 
MCMyles Creighton72-72 
MCMatt Kang77-70 
MCBlair Bursey69-79 

NEXT EVENT: Colombia Classic (May 25)

EPSON TOUR

Gabriela Ruffels carded a final round 71 for a wire-to-wire victory in the Garden City Charity Classic. Her 19-under 197 total tied the Epson Tour 54-hole scoring record. The former U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion also broke the course with an opening round 62 before before breaking a 20-year-old Tour record with a second round 64 that moved her to 18-under par. It’s her second win of the season, giving her a significant lead in the points race. Isabella Fierro, Agathe Laisne and Ga Yul Kang finished tied for second, four strokes back. ..Selena Costabile, playing in the final grouping, notched her second top-10 result of the season

POS SCORESTOTAL
6Selena Costabile68-64-72-12
T50Sarah-Eve Rheaume70-72-71-3
MCJosee Doyon71-72 
MCKate Johnston72-73 
MCBrogan McKinnon84-81 

NEXT EVENT: IOA Golf Classic (May 19)

CANADIANS ENTERED:  Selena Costabile, Sarah-Eve Rheaume, Kate Johnston (reserve), Brogan McKinnon (reserve), Christina Foster (reserve), Josee Doyon (reserve), Megan Osland (reserve)

Ames wins at Sugarloaf for 2nd PGA TOUR Champions wins this year

DULUTH, GA - MAY 07: Stephen Ames holds up the trophy after winning the PGA Tour Champions Mitsubishi Electric Classic on May 7, 2023 at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

DULUTH, Ga. – Stephen Ames capped off his dominant week on the TPC Sugarloaf with a 4-under 68 on Sunday that gave him the tournament scoring record and a four-shot victory in the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.

Ames joined David Toms as the only multiple winners on the PGA Tour Champions this year. He previously won the Trophy Hassan II in Morocco.

Ames had a three-shot lead going into the final and was never seriously challenged. He drove into the water on the final hole and still made a 30-foot par putt to finish at 19-under 197. Ames broke his own 54-hole record at Sugarloaf by four shots. He also won in 2017.

Miguel Angel Jimenez birdied the final hole for a 68 to finish alone in second.

Brett Quigley tried to make a run at Ames and got within three shots until a bogey-double bogey finish for a 69 to finish alone in fourth.

Ames, from Calgary, won $300,000 and moved up four spots to No. 4 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings. What made this victory more special was having his son, Ryan, as his caddie for the week. Ryan Ames is a PGA of Canada member and aspiring teaching pro.

“The fact I ended up winning was icing on the cake,” Ames said.

Steve Stricker didn’t make a birdie until the back nine and then shot 32 to tie for seventh, keeping his lead in the Charles Schwab Cup. He has finished in the top 10 in all seven of his PGA Tour Champions events this week, and 11 in a row dating to last August.

NextGen Championship Season kicks off at Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club

112 of Canada’s top junior golfers to compete over 54 holes at stunning west coast layout with exemptions into the Canadian Junior Boys and Girls Championships on the line.

Golf Canada’s 2023 championship season kicks off on Friday, May 5, at Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club in Roberts Creek, B.C. with the NextGen Pacific Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards.

The 54-hole stroke play competition gets underway with a practice round on Thursday, May 4, and championship rounds beginning on Friday, May 5. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top 55 Junior Boys and top 15 Junior Girls, including ties, for the final round which wraps up on Sunday, May 7.

The starting field will feature 112 male and female competitors – 88 Junior Boys and 24 Junior Girls – vying for a spot into their respective Canadian Junior Championship later this summer.

The top eight players in the Junior Boys division will earn exemptions into the 2023 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, August 14-17, at North Bay Golf and Country Club Ltd. in North Bay, Ont. The top eight players (including ties) in the Junior Girls division will earn exemptions into the 2023 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, July 24-27, at Hampton Golf Course in Hampton, N.B.

Golf Canada is proud to return to the stunning Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club after the club successfully hosted the 2018 NextGen Fall Series Championship. The course presents players with a classic west coast golf experience—given its unique Salish Sea influenced climate, the course is open 12 months a year and challenges players with fantastic year-round playing conditions. The golf course opened in 1969 and is the oldest 18-hole course on the Sunshine Coast.

“The members at the Sunshine Coast (Golf & Country Club) are excited to share our course with these talented junior golfers competing in the NextGen Championship. We hope that they enjoy the course and the competition,” said Jim Pringle, Director of Golf and PGA of Canada Head Professional, Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club. “We have hosted a number of provincial and national events and look forward to another fun week.”

To follow the live leaderboard of the NextGen Pacific Championship, fueled by JOURNIE Rewards, click here.

Matthew Fitzpatrick joins field for 2023 RBC Canadian Open

(May 1, 2023)  One of the hottest golfers on the planet is sure to be a fan-favourite at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto as world no. 6 Matthew Fitzpatrick will compete in the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.

Competing in his third RBC Canadian Open, the 28-year-old Englishman is having a stellar 2023 season with three top-10 finishes including a victory at the recent RBC Heritage and a T10 finish at The Masters. Currently ranked no. 22 on the 2022 FedEx Cup, Fitzpatrick, a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR, six-time winner on the DP World Tour, and two-time Ryder Cup team member will compete in Canada’s National Open Championship before defending his U.S. Open title the next week at L.A. Country Club.

“I am really looking forward to returning to Canada and competing in the RBC Canadian Open in front of the amazing Canadian golf fans,” said Fitzpatrick. “Having won the RBC Heritage last month, I am hopeful to play well at Oakdale and keep that momentum going into the U.S. Open.”

Fitzpatrick joins an emerging field headlined by two-time defending champion and world no. 3 Rory McIlroy who will be looking to become the first player to win three consecutive RBC Canadian Open titles. A victory for McIlroy would make him only the fourth three-time champion, joining Tommy Armour, Sam Snead, and Lee Trevino. Leo Deigel’s four victories are the most in the tournament’s storied history.

McIlroy and Fitzpatrick will be joined by fellow European stars Tommy Fleetwood as well as Shane Lowry. The world no. 23 ranked Lowry is a two-time PGA TOUR winner and a past Open Championship winner while Fleetwood, who has two top-10 PGA TOUR finishes this season, has won seven international titles, and is ranked no. 25 in the world.

The group will compete alongside Team RBC ambassadors Sam Burns (world no. 13), Cameron Young (world no. 16), Sahith Theegala (world no. 24), seven-time PGA TOUR winner Webb Simpson, and nine-time PGA TOUR winner Matt Kuchar.

A full Canadian contingent will also challenge for the national championship led by PGA TOUR winners Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. (world no. 30), Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. (world no. 57), Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. (world no. 56), Nick Taylor of Abbottsford, B.C. (world no. 65), and Adam Hadwin of Abbottsford, B.C. (world no. 71) as well as fellow PGA TOUR members Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. and Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont.

A trio of Canadians have also accepted tournament exemptions to compete at Oakdale including Winnipeg, Man. Native Aaron Cockerill who is currently ranked 24th on the DP World Tour as well as Thornhill, Ont. native Ben Silverman who won on the Korn Ferry Tour earlier this year to sit second on the Tour’s 2023 Points List.

Also accepting an exemption to compete is Canadian golf icon and President’s Cup International Team Captain Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont. who will be competing in his 31st  RBC Canadian Open, one back of fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Famer George Cummings who had a record 32 starts in Canada’s National Open Championship.

In addition to world class golf, fans at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open will be treated to the two-night RBCxMusic Concert Series onsite at Oakdale Golf and Country with Grammy Award-winning pop group, the Black Eyed Peas performing on Friday, June 9 and Canadian Grammy Award-winning icon Alanis Morissette performing on Saturday, June 10.

“We are less than 40 days away from the RBC Canadian Open and extremely excited to get the tournament started,” said Bryan Crawford, Tournament Director, RBC Canadian Open. “Oakdale Golf and Country Club in the heart of Toronto joins our host club rotation for the first time and will present a great test of golf for the world’s best players. Our partners have leaned into our National Open Championship in a major way to deliver a truly immersive fan festival experience as a kickoff to summer.”

Tickets for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open are available here. Children aged 12-and-under get free admission with a ticketed adult.

Golf Canada’s Weekly Leaderboard powered by Titleist

KORN FERRY TOUR

Ben Kohles birdied the first playoff hole to defeat Ben Silverman in the HomeTown Lenders Championship. With the win, Kohles became the first two-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour while denying Silverman an opportunity to be the first. Silverman, who started the day tied for the lead with Kohles, appeared to have his hand on the trophy, playing a bogey-free final round until he made a double-bogey on the final hole to fall into a playoff. It was only the fourth time all weekend that he dropped a shot. The tournament was reduced to just 54 holes after fog and thunderstorms suspended play until Friday. Silverman remains No. 2 on the points list and is assured of finishing in the top 30 this season which will earn him a PGA Tour card for 2024.

POS SCORESTOTAL
2Ben Silverman66-64-67-13
T27Wil Bateman69-67-69-5
MCRoger Sloan74-64 
MCSudarshan Yellamaraju72-69 

NEXT EVENT: AdventHealth Championship (May 18)

PGA TOUR

Tony Finau carded a bogey-free round of 66 to win the Mexico Open, denying Jon Rahm a chance to successfully defend his title. Rahm, the Masters champion and No. 1 player in the world, finished three shots back. The Spaniard has finished seventh or better in eight of 11 stroke-play events this year. Finau now has two wins this season to join Rahm, Scottie Scheffler and Max Homa as the only multiple winners on tour. With his second-place finish, Rahm pushed his season earnings to $14,462,840 – a new single-season PGA Tour record. Brandon Wu finished third in a repeat of the same three finishers from a year ago when Rahm won and Finau and Wu tied for second. …The first round 65 was the second lowest opening round score for Taylor Pendrith this season. …Michael Gligic notched his second straight top 40 result

POS SCORESTOTAL
T30Taylor Pendrith65-70-72-68-9
T39Michael Gligic74-66-70-67-7

NEXT EVENT: Wells Fargo Championship (May 4)

CANADIANS ENTERED: Corey Conners, Adam Hadwin, Mackenzie Hughes, Taylor Pendrith, Adam Svensson,

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

Steven Alker made five birdies over a seven-hole stretch on the back nine to successfully defend his title at the Insperity Invitational. It was the first win of the year for the defending Charles Schwab Cup champion, who also has two runner-up results in five starts. Steve Stricker finished four shots off the pace but his runner-up result enabled him to take over the lead in the points race from David Toms. He finished in a tie for third with Colin Montgomerie. Stricker has six top-10 results in six starts this season. Bernhard Langer, who is chasing a record 46th career win on the Champions Tour, finished tied for 23rd. …Stephen Ames picked up his second top-10 result in six starts. …Mike Weir finished over par for only the second time in six starts this season

POS SCORESTOTAL
T9Stephen Ames69-72-71-4
T28Mike Weir69-75-73+1

NEXT EVENT: Mitsubishi Electric Classic (May 5)

CANADIANS ENTERED:  Stephen Ames

EUROPEAN TOUR

Pablo Larrazabal birdied four of his first six holes on the back nine to break a five-way tie for the lead on his way to a two-stroke victory at the Korea Championship. It was his eighth career win on the European Tour. Denmark’s Helligkilde finished held off a four-strong chasing pack that included home favourite Park Sanghyun to finish solo second. Scotland’s Scott Jamieson joined Park in third place along with Spaniard Jorge Campillo and Dutchman Joost Luiten. …A week after notching a runner-up finish, Aaron Cockerill carded his third top-25 result in as many starts

POS SCORESTOTAL
T21Aaron Cockerill72-68-71-72-5
MCRichard T Lee73-76 

NEXT EVENT: DS Automobiles Italian Open (May 4)

CANADIANS ENTERED:  Aaron Cockerill

LPGA TOUR

Hannah Green made a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole of regulation and only needed par on the second extra hole to defeat Aditi Ashok and Xiyu Lin and win the JM Eagle LA Championship. Green won for the third time in her career and the first since 2019. As many as five players were tied for the lead late in the final round. Ruoning Yin, who won last month in LA, built a two-shot lead with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 14 and 15. But she finished with two bogeys to miss the playoff by a single stroke. Ayaka Furue made a furious charge up the leaderboard with birdies on four of her last five holes but also came up a stroke short.

POS SCORESTOTAL
65Maude-Aimee Leblanc72-71-71-77+7
MCBrooke Henderson70-74 
MCMaddie Szeryk70-80 

NEXT EVENT: Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown (May 4)

PGA TOUR LATINOAMERICA

Marcos Montenegro made six birdies over a seven-hole stretch to rally from a six-shot deficit and win the Diners Club Peru Open by a single stroke. It was his first career win on the Latinoamerica Tour. …Stuart Macdonald has three consecutive top-20 results. …Joey Savoie started the final round two back of the lead before settling for his third top-30 finish of the year

POS SCORESTOTAL
T14Stuart Macdonald72-71-69-67-9
T29Joey Savoie69-69-67-77-6
T37Myles Creighton72-70-71-72-3
T41Blair Bursey67-74-76-69-2
MCMax Sekulic72-73 

NEXT EVENT: KIA Open (May 4)

CANADIANS ENTERED: Blair Bursey, Myles Creighton, Matt Kang, Stuart Macdonald, Joey Savoie   

EPSON TOUR

A bogey on the second playoff hole was enough to give Savannah Vilaubi the win over Jenny Coleman and Therese Walker at the Copper Rock Championship. Vilaubi, who broke the course record with her opening round 63, became the first player this season to go wire-to-wire for the victory. Walker had a chance to win on the final hole but her birdie putt came up short while Coleman birdied five of her last six holes to get into the playoff. Alena Sharp rocketed up the leaderboard with a bogey-free final round of 64, just missing the playoff by a single stroke. Her fourth-place finish was her best result on the development tour since a win back in 2014.

POS SCORESTOTAL
4Alena Sharp73-65-64-14
MCSelena Costabile73-73 
MCJosee Doyon74-76 

NEXT EVENT: Garden City Charity Classic (May 5)

CANADIANS ENTERED:  Josee Doyon, Selena Costabile, Sarah-Eve Rheaume, Kate Johnston, Brogan McKinnon (reserve), Christina Foster (reserve), Megan Osland (reserve)

Silverman solidifies 2024 PGA TOUR card with runner-up finish on Korn Ferry Tour

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA - APRIL 30: Ben Silverman of Canada hits a tee shot on the 1st hole during the final round of the HomeTown Lenders Championship at The Ledges on April 30, 2023 in Huntsville, Alabama. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Ben Kohles became the first two-time winner of the Korn Ferry Tour season on Sunday when he seized on Ben Silverman’s mistake on the final hole of regulation and beat him with a birdie in the playoff in the HomeTown Lenders Championship.

Kohles, from Texas, who won in Chile at the start of the month, closed with a 3-under 67. It looked like it would come up short until Silverman took double bogey on the 18th hole and to fall into a playoff.

Silverman, from Thornhill, Ont., was also looking for his second win of the year.

Kohles and Silverman now are Nos. 1 and 2 on the points list and assured of finishing in the top 30 to earn PGA Tour cards for next season.

Kohles won for the fourth time on the Korn Ferry Tour. His previous two wins were more than a decade ago.

Ashton McCulloch: A Commitment to Success

ASHTON MCCULLOCH AT THE 117TH CANADIAN MEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP AT POINT GREY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB IN VANCOUVER. (PHOTO: CHUCK RUSSELL/GOLF CANADA)

Coming from a hockey background, Ashton McCulloch found the sport of golf a little bit too slow for his liking when he was first introduced to it. But after picking it back up in his teenage years, the Kingston, Ontario native has since developed a passion for the game and has emerged as one of the most promising amateurs in the country.

“My dad was an avid golfer and he wanted me to get started in the sport at a young age. I was seven when I first started but coming from a hockey background, I found the game a little slow. I stopped playing and didn’t pick it back up until I was 13,” recalls the now 20-year-old.

As a former goaltender, he appreciates how playing that position may be beneficial to his overall approach on the golf course.

“I guess being a goalie you have the mentality of being by yourself and you learn how to bounce back; and that carries over to golf,” McCulloch reasoned.

The second year member of Golf Canada’s National Team Program says his dad, John McCulloch, gave him some great advice which he implements to this day.

“The best advice my dad gave me was the importance of practicing with a purpose. It comes down to how diligent you are when you practice because practice makes permanent.”

Taking his dad’s advice and McCulloch got his first golf membership at the age of 14. After putting in the work in practice to improve his skills, he would enter his first tournament at the club’s annual championship later that year.

“I shot a 79 which was my first time breaking 80. And to do that in my first tournament was pretty awesome,” he pointed out.

After that eye opening result in his first tournament, McCulloch would work even harder to improve all areas of his game. And his disciplined efforts would lead to multiple rewards.

In 2021, he won the Glencoe Invitational and followed that up by winning the British Columbia Men’s Amateur Championship.

National Team men’s head coach, Derek Ingram, speaks highly of McCulloch’s work ethic and dedication to the sport.

“Ashton has a work ethic similar to Corey (Conners) and Mac (Hughes). He works hard on all areas of her game and is smart and committed. Also, similar to those guys, he’s going to a northern school and a school that plays a good schedule,” said Ingram about McCulloch who is currently in his second year at Michigan State University.

The talented 20-year-old is grateful that his involvement in the National Team Program has provided him with the opportunity to compete in high profile tournaments that he would not otherwise gain entry into.

“I’m not from British Columbia but being part of Golf Canada’s junior boys program gave me the opportunity to spend a winter training there and gave me the chance to compete the B.C. AM,” he noted.

“My aunt and uncle and cousins live out in B.C. and it was the first time they got to see me playing golf and see me doing what I love. It was a great feeling to win it with them there.”

McCulloch says consistency has been a key to his success on the golf course.

“I don’t do anything spectacular but I also don’t do anything to get myself in trouble. I would say I’m very steady and consistent out there and just try to do what I’m supposed to,” he noted when asked to describe his game.

McCulloch is studying engineering at Michigan State University on a full golf scholarship. The talented Canadian had a stellar rookie season and earned Big 10 Freshman of the Year honours. Currently, in his sophomore year, McCulloch has the goal of playing on the PGA Tour one day.

Ingram sees a lot of potential in the highly touted amateur, and in understanding his tremendous work ethic, the National Team men’s head coach outlines some key areas that McCulloch will have to focus on and work on in order to have the best chance to make his dream a reality.

“Ashton has to get longer and stronger – not unlike just about anyone based on the way the game is going. And he has to tidy up his short game,” Ingram pointed out.

“Then Ashton has to play against the best amateurs in the world and be able to learn, grow and refine his game from those experiences,” he added.

Ingram notes that by being part of the National Team Program, McCulloch will have the resources and support to help him reach his full potential on the golf course.

“Ashton now has a group of team members and alumni to support, lead and push him to see how good he can be,” said Ingram.

“We know the average Canadian playing on the PGA Tour takes over five years to make it onto the Tour. It’s a long process and journey so every player with the ability needs to be in it for the long haul.”

For his part, McCulloch is grateful for all the support he gets through the National Team Program. And he’s prepared to make a commitment to doing everything within his control to be successful.

“The depth of support we get in terms of coaching and resources is just a huge advantage. I have had so much success since being part of Golf Canada and I see so much more to come,” said McCulloch.

“We get so many opportunities that we wouldn’t otherwise get like playing in big tournaments in Canada and around the world. I’m just grateful to be part of the Program and to be able to learn from the experiences, the coaches, and those who have been through the program before,” he continued.

“By being part of the Program, I feel like I’m on the right track. Still, I know there’s a lot of work that is required to reach my goals but I’m committed to putting in the work to reach them.”

Canada’s Cockerill has eye on The Open Championship after second place finish in Japan

OMITAMA, JAPAN - APRIL 23: Aaron Cockerill of Canada acknowledges the gallery after holing out on the 18th green during day four of the ISPS Handa - Championship at PGM Ishioka GC on April 23, 2023 in Omitama, Ibaraki, Japan. (Photo by Yoshimasa Nakano/Getty Images)

A near-win at the ISPS Handa Championship has Canada’s Aaron Cockerill dreaming of the first major of his career.

Cockerill lost to Australia’s Lucas Herbert in a two-hole playoff at PGM Ishioka Golf Club in Omitama, Japan, on Sunday. That second-place finish moved Cockerill up to 25th on the DP World Tour’s points list and within range of a berth at the upcoming British Open.

“If I keep moving up and stay high on the Race to Dubai standings, there’s a chance that I could play in maybe a couple of majors this year, which would be a first for me,” said Cockerill, who is based in Dubai and is a regular on the Europe-based DP World Tour.

Cockerill, who is from Stony Mountain, Man., has until June 28 to qualify himself for the British Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 16. His clearest route is to be one of the top five players, not already exempt for the Open, within the top 20 of the Race to Dubai Rankings through the BMW International Open in Munich.

Currently sitting 25th on that list has him within an iron’s distance of that goal, especially as several players ahead of him in the DP World Tour rankings – like former British Open champion Rory McIlroy and world No. 1 Jon Rahm – already have spots at the prestigious event based on other qualifications.

Cockerill also moved up to 250th in the men’s world golf rankings, the highest Canadian not on the PGA Tour. Golf Canada recognized him as its player of the week for the strong showing in Japan.

He said it was “pretty cool” to be recognized by the national sport organization.

“I feel like sometimes it’s harder to keep track of golf over on the European Tour with the time zones and everything like that,” said Cockerill from Incheon, South Korea, where he will play in this week’s Korea Championship presented by Genesis. “It’s a little bit of an acknowledgment and some people who may forget about (the tour) will maybe tune in and pay attention to the golf on our tour as well.”

The 31-year-old Cockerill said that his game has been rounding into form this season because he’s more mature and that “all the boring stuff” is adding up.

“I take care of myself, I don’t really go out, I’m not drinking a whole lot,” said Cockerill. “I’m pretty disciplined with my practice. I set up a schedule of what I want to do every single week on tour, and I just tick them off, tick off the boxes and make sure I complete all my drills and games and maintenance things that I need to do throughout the week.”

PGA TOUR announces formation of PGA TOUR Americas

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Canada will merge into a singular Tour to form PGA TOUR Americas, which will begin play in February 2024, the PGA TOUR has announced.

PGA TOUR Americas will consist of 16 events contested across Latin America, Canada and the United States from February through September. The top 10 finishers on the season-long points list will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the following season.

“As we build on the rich golf history across Latin America and Canada, we are thrilled about PGA TOUR Americas and the role this tour will play in preparing players for the next step in their professional golf journey,” said Alex Baldwin, who oversees PGA TOUR Americas, the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry and PGA TOUR University. “PGA TOUR Americas will be an extremely competitive tour aimed at identifying, developing and transitioning top-performing players to the next level as they ascend through the ranks and strive to reach the highest level of professional golf, the PGA TOUR.”

The PGA TOUR Americas season will begin in February with the Latin America Swing, which will conclude in May. Eligibility for the Latin America Swing will include the top 60 finishers from the final 2022-2023 PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Points List and the top 60 finishers from the final 2023 PGA TOUR Canada Points List. PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry will also provide access to the Latin America Swing of PGA TOUR Americas for the winners of a First Stage site, as well as additional finishers beyond the 40th position and ties from Final Stage of 2023 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry. Additional access to the Latin America Swing will include the Latinoamérica Dev Series and the highest finisher on the 2023 APGA season-long points list who is a member of the APGA Player Development program.

The top 60 players from the Latin America Swing will continue on to compete in the North America Swing. Additionally, PGA TOUR Americas will host a mid-season Q-School, as well as introduce graduates from PGA TOUR University (finishers 6-20). Full eligibility for PGA TOUR Americas will be announced later this year and will feature similar categories to PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Canada, including open qualifiers, sponsor exemptions and eligible Korn Ferry Tour members.

As PGA TOUR Americas heads to the North America Swing, members will compete in Canada and the United States from June through September in an effort to finish in the top 10 on the season-long points list and earn Korn Ferry Tour membership – exempt through the third reshuffle – for the following season.

In addition to Korn Ferry Tour cards being awarded to the top 10 finishers on the PGA TOUR Americas Points List, there are also numerous performance benefits available on PGA TOUR Americas. Five conditional Korn Ferry Tour cards are available to the top two finishers in the Latin America Swing and the top three performers from the North America Swing, in the event those individuals do not finish in the top 10 on the final PGA TOUR Americas Points List.

Additionally, performance on the PGA TOUR Americas Points List will grant access into 2024 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry. The top 10 finishers on the PGA TOUR Americas Points List, the top two finishers in the Latin America Swing and the top three finishers in the North America Swing will earn exemptions to Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.

Finishers 11–25 on the PGA TOUR Americas Points List, finishers 3–10 from the Latin America Swing and finishers 4–10 from the North America Swing will earn exemptions to Second Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.

All remaining PGA TOUR Americas members will earn exemptions to First Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.

The 2024 PGA TOUR Americas schedule will be announced in September. Finalized details regarding eligibility – including the priority ranking – as well as purses and points distribution, will be announced closer to the 2024 PGA TOUR Americas season beginning in February 2024.

Canada’s Taylor and Hadwin finish second at Zurich Classic 

AVONDALE, LOUISIANA - APRIL 23: Adam Hadwin of Canada and Nick Taylor of Canada react on the 15th green during the final round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana on April 23, 2023 in Avondale, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)


AVONDALE, La. – Paired together for the first time at the Zurich Classic, Canadians Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin matched the Zurich Classic Foursomes record with a 9-under 63 to narrowly finish runner-up; marking the second runner-up finish of Taylor’s career (2023 WM Phoenix Open) and the fourth for Hadwin (first since the 2019 Fortinet Championship).

Nick Hardy and Davis Riley birdied four of their final six holes to give both players their first PGA TOUR wins.

They began the final round three shots back and closed with a 7-under 65 in alternate-shot play to finish with a tournament-record total of 30-under 258 at TPC Louisiana, eclipsing the 259 posted by 2022 winners Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. Hardy and Riley were two shots better than Canadians Hadwin and Taylor.

Riley’s previous best finish was a playoff loss to Sam Burns in the 2022 Valspar Championship. Hardy’s best was a tie for fifth at the Sanderson Farms Championship last fall.

Each takes home $1.24 million and earns a two-year exemption for winning the PGA TOUR’s only official team event.

Hadwin and Taylor’s 63 tied the course record in alternate shot that was set in Friday’s second round by Cantlay and Schauffele. The Canadians’ 10th and final birdie of the round on the 13th hole briefly gave them a one-shot lead, and they went to the clubhouse tied for first before the eventual champions birdied twice more.

Wyndham Clark and Beau Hossler, who finished each of the first three rounds atop the leaderboard and opened the final round with a one-stroke lead, made their first three bogeys of the tournament – two on their final three holes – and closed with a 1-under 71 to finish third, three shots back.

Cantlay and Schuffele made eight birdies before their second bogey of the day on 18 left them tied for fourth with Matthew NeSmith and Taylor Moore at 26-under.