Sandra Post is no longer the most successful Canadian in LPGA Tour history – and she couldn’t be happier.

Post was cheering Brooke Henderson from home as she won the LOTTE Championship on Saturday in Hawaii, tying Post’s career wins record for a Canadian. Henderson also matched Mike Weir and George Knudson for wins by a Canadian on the PGA or LPGA tours at eight.

The 70-year-old Post, from Oakville, Ont., is all for Henderson winning again and moving ahead of herself, Weir and Knudson – all of whom are in Canada’s Golf Hall of Fame.

“I truly believe that records are made to be broken,” said Post on Monday. “My last win was in 1981, which was another century. I think it’s long overdue. No matter who came up after me, I always wished they would do better than me.”

Henderson finished 16 under on Saturday at Ko Olina Golf Club to beat South Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji by four strokes. At just 21 years old, the native of Smiths Falls, Ont., has won a major in the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and ended a championship drought for homegrown talent at the 2018 CP Women’s Open, Canada’s national championship.

“I hope Brooke wins more and more and more events,” said Post. “I hope that there’s no stopping her for a very long time. Then it will be her bar to set and then hopefully someone else comes along and breaks it.”

Although Post, who watches every LPGA Tour event, is a big fan of Henderson, she feels it’s too early to call her the greatest Canadian golfer ever.

“We don’t know how long she’s going to play and it’s a different time,” said Post. “There are more tournaments, there are more majors for her to win. When I played, there were only two majors.

Now there’s five per year. Everything has changed.

“Having said that, I think it’s more about women’s sport. I think it’s good to have someone like Brooke for the exposure of the sport and people following it. I think it’s good for women and for sport to have winners.”

Post and Henderson first met ahead of the ANA Inspiration in 2015, the first major of the LPGA season, when the latter golfer was still an amateur. Post won the event twice when it was still known as the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle and offered up some advice to the young golf prodigy.

“I don’t give her any advice now, she’s got it well in hand,” said Post with a laugh.

Post is generally impressed with the growth of golf among Canadian women, pointing out the success of Henderson, Hamilton’s Alena Sharp and Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay on the LPGA Tour. She’s also impressed by the success of Canadian amateurs Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., who was the only Canadian in the field at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur, and Oakville’s Nicole Gal, who won the won the girls’ 14-15 age division of the Drive, Chip and Putt championship, also at Augusta.

“The LPGA has done a lot in girls’ golf to promote it and grow it,” said Post. “When you see contests like Augusta’s Drive, Chip and Putt, and you see the women’s amateur that they played before it, it’s impressive.

“Right now, junior golf and the enthusiasm for it and parents getting their kids into it, it’s really good for the game.”

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Brooke Henderson didn’t join the LPGA Tour thinking she would end up amongst the best Canadian golfers of all-time. At least not so soon, anyway.

Henderson tied the Canadian record for most career victories on the LPGA or PGA Tour on Saturday when the 21-year-old captured her eighth career title by shooting a 2-under 70 to win the Lotte Championship for the second year in a row.

Sandra Post had eight career victories on the LPGA Tour between 1968 and 1981, while Mike Weir and George Knudson equalled that on the PGA Tour.

“When I was younger it was just a goal to be on the LPGA Tour, to win my first event,” Henderson said.

“And when that happened and I won my first major the year after, things kind of just started to fall into place. I knew the record was eight. Just kept creeping toward it the last three years, which was really exciting.”

Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., won last year’s event in Hawaii for her sixth Tour victory and followed that up in August 2018 as the first Canadian in 45 years to win the CP Women’s Open.

“I think starting last year I sort of saw that it was within my reach if I had two good seasons. Last year put me into great position, and coming back this year it’s been on the back of my mind every week that I tee it up. I’m just really happy that I have finally done it.

“Looking forward to overtaking it now.”

She finished 16 under on Saturday at Ko Olina Golf Club to beat South Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji by four strokes.

All the highlights from Brooke’s repeat performance in Hawaii ???? pic.twitter.com/XDRFo8KBht

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 21, 2019

Nelly Korda, tied with Henderson for the third-round lead, finished with a quadruple-bogey 8 for a 77 that left her seven strokes back at 9 under. She hit into the water twice on 18, then threw her ball in after finishing. The 20-year-old American also had a double bogey on the par-4 seventh.

“Pretty bad,” Korda said. “I mean, it was a tough day, but I ended really poorly and I’m pretty disappointed in that. … It was an unfortunate final round, but there is nothing I can do about it anymore.”

Ariya Jutanugarn (73) and 2016 winner Minjee Lee (74) tied for third at 11 under.

Henderson bogeyed her first hole, but that was the only blemish in the final round as she followed that up with three birdies and 14 pars.

She looked to be in some trouble on the par-4 16th, but saved par when she hit a put from off the green.

“It’s really amazing to even be mentioned in the same sentence as Mike Weir, George, and Sandra,” Henderson said. “This week was really special. I always love coming to Hawaii. Last year was such an incredible week for me, to be able to hoist that trophy for the first time. Coming back I knew I knew the golf course really well.”

Fellow Canadian and Olympic teammate Alena Sharp watched Henderson play out the round and joined her in celebration.

“Congrats my friend ?BrookeHenderson! Unbelievable title defense and tying Sandra Post’s record for most wins by a Canadian on the ?LPGA tour. So freaking proud of you!,” tweeted Sharp (72), who finished 2 under for 40th place.

Henderson takes home US$300,000 for the win. Through seven events in 2019, she has made six cuts, has one victory, three top-10 finishes and one top-15 finish for $498,151 total earnings.

Henderson, ranked No. 12 in the world, has one major among her tournament victories, winning the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship after beating Lydia Ko in a playoff when she was only 18.

Hamilton – A generation of Hamilton youth will soon experience the lasting impact of the RBC Canadian Open’s proud return to the Hamilton Golf Country Club.

Golf Canada, in partnership with RBC, the City of Hamilton and the Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation, along with the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board and Hamilton Catholic District School Board, announced today a number of youth initiatives that will make the 2019 RBC Canadian Open more junior-accessible than ever before, while creating a meaningful golf legacy in the Hamilton Wentworth region.

Beginning with the 2019 event, which runs from June 3-9, the RBC Canadian Open Youth Initiative will span a five-year period through to the Open’s return to Hamilton Golf and Country Club in 2023.

One element of the new Youth Initiative will see golf programming introduced into schools across the Hamilton Wentworth region, with a goal to deliver programming to nearly 100 schools over the next five years. The Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation will lead the school fundraising efforts in 2019, working closely with Golf Canada Foundation, the official charity of the RBC Canadian Open.

For the first time ever, RBC Canadian Open School Days will take place during early week practice rounds on Monday and Wednesday of tournament week. Participating schools from the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board will visit on Monday, June 3 while Hamilton Catholic District School Board schools will visit on Wednesday, June 5.

With free admission for participating students and teachers, the School Days experience is credited to the RBC Canadian Open’s new June date on the PGA TOUR schedule. In addition to watching world-class golf, students will get a behind the scenes tour of Canada’s National Open Championship, including visits to The Rink, a tour of the CBS TV broadcast operation, pictures with the iconic RBC Canadian Open trophy, autograph sessions and a variety of junior golf activities.

Golf Canada will also work collaboratively with the City of Hamilton’s three 18-hole municipal golf courses (King’s Forest Golf Course along with the 36-hole Chedoke Golf Club – Beddoe Course and Martin Course) as well as the Hamilton Fore Golf program to engage youth golfers at the RBC Canadian Open. Each of the three courses will have juniors participate in Golf Canada’s Walk with a Pro event during the Wednesday Pro-Am.

“When we announced that Hamilton Golf and Country Club would host a pair of RBC Canadian Opens, we worked with officials from the City of Hamilton and the Club to develop a robust youth initiative that could have a lasting impact in the community,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Bryan Crawford. “Introducing more youth to the game through the school system, connecting with the city’s municipal courses and bringing juniors out to the golf course to watch the world’s best players compete will be really special for kids across the region.”

Golf Canada will work with various stakeholders to secure funding for the RBC Canadian Open Youth Initiative. The Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation will be the main source of funding in year one with other community partnerships to be explored in the years when the tournament is not hosted in the Hamilton area.

“Creating a community legacy was an important element to our Foundation getting behind the RBC Canadian Open Youth Initiative in 2019 and 2023,” said Al Scott, Vice President of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club Foundation. “Our goal with Golf Canada was to create a junior golf legacy around the RBC Canadian Open’s return to the Hamilton Wentworth region and give back to the community where we live, work and play.”

Golf Canada also offers a Student Volunteer Program to encourage juniors to earn their community volunteer hours as part of the RBC Canadian Open (or CP Women’s Open). Juniors looking to participate will pay a reduced fee of $40 which includes a uniform and weeklong volunteer badge.

The RBC Canadian Open is also pleased to offer FREE admission to children aged 12-and-under. Juniors aged 13 to 17 can also take advantage of a reduced priced Youth Ticket.

More information about the 2019 RBC Canadian Open including tickets, corporate hospitality and volunteer information is available at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

Whose turn is it this week to treat golf as their whipping boy?

Mainstream media feed on the sport as a source of unsubstantiated headlines, many based on the fallacious stereotype of golfers as overweight entitled middle-aged men riding in golf carts while smoking a cigar and chugging a beer. (I do wish they would stop using my foursome as an example.)

For their edification, and yours, here are some verifiable facts about just one positive aspect of golf.

Last fall, Dr. Andrew Murray and his colleagues at Edinburgh University’s Physical Activity for Health Research Centre reported on the results of a review conducted by researchers into 5,000 existing studies about golf.

5,000 studies!

What they found was stunning.

Golf not only has physical and mental health benefits for everyone who plays, but those benefits increase with age. Older folks improve their balance and endurance as well as respiratory and cardiac health.

“We know that the moderate physical activity that golf provides increased life expectancy, has mental health benefits and can help prevent and treat more than 40 major chronic diseases such as heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, breast and colon cancer,” Murray told the BBC.

“Evidence suggests golfers live longer than non-golfers, enjoying improvements in cholesterol levels, body composition, wellness, self-esteem and self-worth.”

The Edinburgh University study was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and is part of the Golf and Health Project, which is led by the World Golf Foundation.

A visit to the Golf and Health web site www.golfandhealth.org is a revelation. (Highly recommended for those mainstream media types mentioned above.)

Other studies show that walking 18 holes is equivalent to an eight-kilometre hike. That hike can drop blood glucose levels by up to 30 per cent in older golfers and helps everyone with weight maintenance and physical fitness. Walking and carrying your clubs can burn up to 2,000 calories per round. Even if you can’t carry, get off the power cart and use a manual or electric push cart (what the Brits call “trolleys”).

Heck, even being a spectator at a golf tournament is good for you.

“Spectators at golf events have been reported to walk significantly further than the 7,500 to 10,000 steps recommended daily for health,” according to Golf and Health. So you don’t have to actually play the game to reap the health benefits associated with it.

Even if the preceding hasn’t persuaded you to get out and golf, how about this for a kicker?

The death rate for golfers is 40 per cent lower than for non-golfers of the same age, sex and socio-economic status, according to a study of 300,000 golfers by Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet. That equates to a five-year increase in life expectancy for regular golfers.

When the Edinburgh University study was released, the London Daily Mail ran this above the story:

“Play golf and you’ll live longer.”

Now, that’s a headline you can believe.

Canada’s top-ranked golfer and Canada’s iconic railway are partnering for five more years, both on and off the course. Canadian Pacific (CP) has renewed seven-time LPGA tour-winner and the No. 12 ranked female golfer in the world, Brooke Henderson to serve as its golf ambassador.

Since signing on with CP in 2017 as a golf ambassador, Henderson has won four more LPGA Tour titles, including her historic win on home soil at the 2018 CP Women’s Open where she became the first Canadian to win the National Open Championship in 45 years.

Joining the CP family is sister and caddy Brittany Henderson, who will also wear the CP logo as she supports Brooke as a team and family member.

“It is an honor to extend Brooke’s sponsorship until Dec. 31, 2023, and welcome Brittany to the CP family,” said Keith Creel, CP President and Chief Executive Officer. “Brooke remains the perfect ambassador for CP as we continue to grow the game of golf, advocate for healthy living through CP Has Heart, and build on the iconic Canadian brand that is CP. Adding Brittany to the CP family was a natural decision, as railroaders know that precision and excellence requires a strong team.”

CP continues to sponsor Team Canada, a relationship that marked the beginning of Brooke’s relationship with the railway. Both the Hendersons are graduates of the amateur program that supports young golfers as they pursue their professional dreams.

Brooke has also been named a repeat winner of the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as the Canadian Press Female Athlete of the Year. In addition, PostMedia recognized her as their 2018 Summer Female Athlete of the Year and Canadian Sport Awards named her their 2018 Athlete of the Year.

“I am so proud to continue my relationship as an ambassador for CP. As many of my own family members have worked for CP in my hometown of Smiths Falls, it is truly special for me to wear the logo and continue that long history as a member of the CP family. Furthermore, the sincere gesture to add my sister Brittany to the CP family is incredible, as she’s been with me every step of my career. We both look forward to celebrating many more victories with the CP family.”

Already in the CP family is four-time LPGA Tour winner Lorie Kane, who signed on as an ambassador in 2014 when CP took over title sponsorship of the National Open. Kane, who was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2017 and named a recipient of the Order of Canada in 2006, has an established reputation as one of the most personable and consistent players in the game, and has dedicated many efforts off the course to champion support for CP Has Heart.

CP recently named SickKids Foundation as its official charity beneficiary of the 2019 CP Women’s Open that will be hosted at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ontario. Through its CP Has Heart program, CP will once again make a substantial donation to support local paediatric care. Follow along this season as golf ambassadors Brooke and Lorie encourage fundraising efforts to help reach this year’s $1.75M donation target.

In the five years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, $8.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in Canada. This will mark the third time in six years southern Ontario has hosted the CP Women’s Open resulting in more than $3.3 million dollars invested in London (2014 – $1.3 million) and Ottawa (2016 – $2 million).

Golf NB is pleased to announce its 2019 championship schedule which for the first time will be presented by Argus Audiology.  The 2019 schedule includes a balance of both individual stroke play events and team events to be hosted at some of New Brunswick’s top championship golf courses.

The 2019 schedule is headlined by Golf NB’s premier amateur championships — the NB Pee Wee (July 2^nd & 3^rd only) & NB Junior Championships from July 2^nd to 4^th, both at the Hampton Golf Club, the Argus Audiology NB Ladies Provincial Championships from July 7^th to 9^th at Golf Pokemouche, the RBC Dominion Securities NB Men’s Amateur Championship will help the Westfield Golf & Country Club celebrate its 100^th anniversary from July 11^th to 14^th and the Argus Audiology NB Senior & Mid-Master Championships which will be held in Four Falls, NB at the Aroostook Valley Country Club from July 22^nd to 24^th.

The 2019 competition calendar also includes a selection of team events for all ages and skill levels.  The 2019 NB Men’s Four Ball, presented by TaylorMade (with both Amateur & Senior Divisions) will again be held during the final weekend in May, May 25^th & 26^th, at the Sussex Golf & Curling Club.  The Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club will once again be hosting the NB Ladies Four Ball on Sunday June 9^th in conjunction with their Ladies Scramble that will take place on Saturday the 8^th, while The Riverside Country Club will again play host to the NB Family Classic & Adult/Junior, and “Jim Connolly” Little Swingers (for children 10 years of age and under and an adult partner), both presented by TaylorMade on Monday August 19^th.

The tradition of giving back will continue in 2019 as the Ladies of the Petitcodiac Valley Golf & Country Club will host the 2019 ServiceMaster NB Golf Fore The Cure event on Wednesday August 21^st.  Entering its 16^th year, the ServiceMaster NB Golf Fore the Cure has raised over $600,000 for Breast Cancer research in the province of New Brunswick.  With a committed group of volunteers at the helm, the 2019 ServiceMaster NB Golf Fore The Cure is bound to be the biggest and best event yet.

Rounding out the 2019 event schedule are Golf NB’s two year-end match play events.  The final matches for the year-long play downs in the Past Presidents’ Cup Inter-Club Challenge will be held on September 14^th & 15^th at the Memramcook Golf Club while playing captains Kathy Grebenc & Sonny Phillips from the North will look to regain the Estabrooks Cup from Marc Armstrong & Sandy Comeau’s Southern team at the Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club, on September 28^th & 29^th, in Golf NB’s year end Ryder Cup style wrap up to the various season long Player of the Year Challenges.

As the Provincial Sport Organization for golf in New Brunswick, Golf NB conducts the country’s provinces amateur golf championships as part of its mandate to promote the sport of golf in the province and to provide deserving participants with the opportunity to represent themselves, their families, their clubs and their province at one of Golf Canada’s many National Championships.

In addition, the variety of Provincial Championships up for grabs, the 2019 Golf NB Provincial Championships will offer the opportunity for up to 52 of New Brunswick’s top amateur golfers to earn their way into one of Golf Canada’s many regional or National Championships.  With 21 positions on one of Golf NB’s seven provincial teams and 31 additional individual exemptions the potential for New Brunswick content at the National level is abundant.

Golf NB’s 2019 Championship Season, presented by Argus Audiology, kicks off on May 25^th & 26^th with the NB Men’s Four Ball and concludes the weekend of September 28^th & 29^th with the 22^nd playing of the Estabrooks Cup.

“We are once again very proud to be working with many of New Brunswick’s top golf courses,” said Tyson Flinn, Executive Director of Golf NB. “Our 2019 venues are set to showcase the very best that amateur golf in New Brunswick has to offer and we couldn’t be more appreciative to our host clubs for their support.”

TO VIEW GOLF NB’s 2019 CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE INCLUDING ALL HOST VENUES and REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS PLEASE CLICK HERE

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Fallen hero, crippled star, and now a Masters champion again.

Tiger Woods rallied to win the Masters for the fifth time Sunday, a comeback that goes well beyond the two-shot deficit he erased before a delirious audience that watched memories turn into reality at Augusta National.

Woods had gone nearly 11 years since he won his last major, 14 years since that green jacket was slipped over his Sunday red shirt. He made it worth the wait, closing with a 2-under 70 for a one-shot victory and setting off a scene of raw emotion.

He scooped up 10-year-old Charlie, born a year after Woods won his 14th major at Torrey Pines in the 2008 U.S Open. He hugged his mother and then his 11-year-old daughter Sam, and everyone else in his camp that stood by him through a public divorce, an embarrassing DUI arrest from a concoction of painkillers and four back surgeries, the most recent one just two years ago to fuse his lower spine.

“WOOOOOOO!!!” Woods screamed as he headed for the scoring room with chants of “Tiger! Tiger! Tiger” echoing as loud as any of the roars on the back nine at Augusta National.

“It’s overwhelming, just because of what has transpired,” Woods said in Butler Cabin. “Last year I was lucky to be playing again. At the previous year’s dinner, I was really struggling. I missed a couple of years not playing this great tournament. To now be the champion … 22 years between wins is a long time. It’s unreal to experience this.”

Woods lost his impeccable image to a sex scandal, one of the swiftest and most shocking downfalls in sport.

He lost his health to four back surgeries that left him unable to get out of bed, much less swing a club, and he went two years without even playing a major. It was two years ago at the Masters when Woods said he needed a nerve block just to walk to the Champions Dinner. At that time, he thought his career is over.

Now the comeback is truly complete.

He wrapped his arms around his father when he won his first green jacket in 1997, changing the world of golf.

“Now I’m the dad with two kids there,” he said.

He wanted his children to see him win, once saying they saw him only as a YouTube legend. They were at the British Open when he had the lead briefly. They couldn’t make it to East Lake last September, when he won the Tour Championship for his first victory in five years.

“I wasn’t going to let that happen to them twice,” he said. “To let them see what it’s like to have their dad win a major championship, I hope it’s something they’ll never forget.”

Woods won his 15th major, three short of the standard set by Jack Nicklaus. It was his 81st victory on the PGA Tour, one title away from the career record held by Sam Snead.

“A big ‘well done’ from me to Tiger,” Nicklaus tweeted. “I am so happy for him and for the game of golf. This is just fantastic!!!”

It was the first time Woods won a major when trailing going into the final round, and he needed some help from Francesco Molinari, the 54-hole leader who still was up two shots heading into the heart of Amen Corner.

And that’s when all hell broke loose at Augusta.

Molinari’s tee shot on the par-3 12th never had a chance, hitting the bank and tumbling into Rae’s Creek for double bogey. Until then, Molinari had never trailed in a round that began early in threesomes to finish ahead of storms.

And then it seemed as though practically everyone had a chance.

Six players had a share of the lead at some point on the back. With the final group still in the 15th fairway, there was a five-way tie for the lead. And that’s when Woods seized control, again with plenty of help.

Molinari’s third shot clipped a tree and plopped straight down in the water for another double bogey. Woods hit onto the green, setting up a two-putt birdie for his first lead of the final round.

The knockout punch was a tee shot into the 16th that rode the slope just by the cup and settled 2 feet away for birdie and a two-shot lead with two holes to play.

Xander Schauffele failed to birdie the par-5 15th and scrambled for pars the rest of the way for a 68. Dustin Johnson made three straight birdies late in the round, but he got going too late and had to settle for a 68 and a return to No. 1 in the world.

Brooks Koepka, one of four players from the final two groups who hit into the water on No. 12, rallied with an eagle on the 13th, narrowly missed another eagle on the 15th and was the last player with a chance. His birdie putt on the 18th from just outside 10 feet never had a chance, and he had to settle for a 70.

“You want to play against the best to ever play,” Koepka said. “You want to go toe-to-toe with them. I can leave saying I gave it my all. He’s just good, man.”

Wood finished at 13-under 275 and became, at 43, the oldest Masters champion since Nicklaus won his sixth green jacket at 46 in 1986. That for years has stood as Augusta’s defining moment.

This was one is sure to at least rival it.

“This is definitely, probably one of the greatest comebacks I think anybody’s ever seen,” Koepka said, before rattling off Woods’ total PGA Tour victories and 15 majors.

Is the Nicklaus record back in play?

“I think 18 is a whole lot closer than people think,” Koepka said.

Koepka and Molinari both faced Tigermania in the majors and held their own, Molinari at Carnoustie to win the British Open, Koepka last summer at Bellerive to win the PGA Championship.

Molinari went 49 straight holes without a bogey, a streak that ended on the seventh hole. It was the double bogeys that cost him, and the Italian was gracious as ever in defeat.

“I think I made a few new fans today with those double bogeys,” he said.

As the man in the green jacket recounted the incredulous events of the past week, Corey Conners cocked his head to one side and smiled ever so slightly.

Almost as if he couldn’t believe it, either.

A little over a week ago, Conners snatched the last spot in the Valero Texas Open by the skin of his teeth. Then he won the tournament with 10 birdies in the final round, claiming the last opening at the Masters.

So here he is at Augusta National.

Ready to compete for a green jacket.

“A special week, a crazy week,” Conners said. “Things are good.”

 

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It was only a matter of time! @coreyconners, your latest Canuck to win on the #PGATOUR with a victory @valerotxopen! Canada and hometown Listowel couldn’t be more proud ???? – Next stop, @themasters!

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Apr 7, 2019 at 4:41pm PDT

Certainly, the 27-year-old Canadian wasn’t thinking about the Masters on his way to San Antonio, where his first – and, really, only priority – was the chance to earn a much-needed paycheque. Because he was outside the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings, he had to earn his way into the Texas Open during Monday qualifying.

Up to 100 players go at it for 18 holes during Monday qualifying, with the top four finishers getting into the actual tournament. Conners went to the final hole needing a 20-foot birdie putt just to get into a six-man playoff for the last of those spots. He made the putt, and then poured in another birdie on the first of the extra holes to vanquish the other five contenders.

Dramatic stuff indeed.

Though, in all honesty, no one was paying much attention. Since 1980, only four Monday qualifiers on the PGA Tour had gone on to win the tournament.

Make it five.

Conners’ performance was impressive. His wife, Malory, even became a bit of a celebrity for her reactions while lugging a cup of white wine.

“She’s been my biggest fan for years and my biggest supporter,” Conners said. “I’m really lucky to have her by my side. It’s pretty cool to see her in the spotlight a little bit. Her reactions were awesome. You can see how much she cares about what I’m doing, and it means a lot to me. It was pretty cool. She got a lot of messages and gained a lot of followers on social media, so she was pretty pumped about that.”

It was a rollercoaster of emotions for the Conners crew ? pic.twitter.com/WHuazSadD7

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 8, 2019

Count Justin Rose among those new-found fans.

“I loved the cameras being on her and you could tell what a big moment it was for the two of them,” the world’s top-ranked player said. “It was very special to see those stories out there because winning is difficult and it’s nice to see it when it does change someone’s life.”

But Conners takes issue with those who make him out to be some sort of Rocky, the hopeless underdog who makes for a good story early in the week but is quickly shoved aside as soon as the Rory McIlroys and the Tiger Woodses take to the course.

He tied for third at the Sony Open in Honolulu, shooting back-to-back 64s on the weekend, and finished second last fall at the Sanderson Farms Championship, four strokes behind winner Cameron Champ.

Conners is not even a Masters rookie. He qualified for the event as an amateur in 2015, though he was not ready for such a stiff test. He opened with an 80 and missed the cut.

 

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Fun fact ? #TheMasters

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Conners feels much better equipped this time around.

“Everyone was calling me the Monday qualifier, but I don’t feel like a Monday qualifier,” he said. “I’ve played well in a bunch of tour events this year.”

A little more time to prepare would’ve been nice, but that’s a minor complaint. Valero flew him to Augusta on a corporate jet, his clothing supplier sent along some new duds and his manager took care of housing and other arrangements that had to be made on short notice. Conners did have to do a bit of shopping after arriving in Augusta, “so I could get a couple T-shirts and a pair of pants to go to dinner in.”

He has got good memories from his last Masters appearance.

After that rough start, he bounced back to shoot a 3-under 69 in the second round.

“I’ve been playing rounds over in my head,” Conners said. “Although the course has changed slightly, a lot of the shots are going to be pretty similar to what I faced in 2015. … I think the course suits my game really well, so I’m really, really excited to get going.”

He already is playing with house money.

Might as well let it ride.

“I was excited to watch the coverage on TV back at home for an off week,” Conners said. “But, you know, I’m even more excited to be here playing.”

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Rory McIlroy feels as prepared as ever for the Masters.

He is spending more time with his nose in a book than with his hands on a putter. “The Greatest Salesman in the World” by Og Mandino is among the best books he has read in the last year. He has been working with Brad Faxon on his putting, but their best sessions take place over a cup of coffee.

His morning routine goes beyond stretching. There is juggling – yes, juggling – meditation and mind training.

“I was watching the Women’s Amateur over the weekend and I saw a few women on the range juggling, so it’s catching on,” McIlroy said Tuesday. “How many balls can I juggle? Just three. I’m a rookie.”

It’s all geared toward becoming a complete person.

And whether it makes him a complete player by capturing the only major he has yet to win, well, that would be a bonus.

McIlroy is in the early stages of this process, and it’s hard to argue with the results, even if results don’t drive him like they once did. He has yet to finish out of the top 10 in his seven tournaments this year, which includes a victory at The Players Championship.

 

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Welcome to the RBC Canadian Open, @rorymcilroy – see you in JUNE! ?? #SummersOpen #RBCCO

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But that green jacket is a powerful pull on the mind, and McIlroy has reason to believe he can fit comfortably into one.

He famously lost a four-shot lead with an 80 in the final round in 2011 but, even at age 21, showed enough resolve and enormous talent to win the U.S. Open in the very next major. He played in the final group on Saturday in 2016 with Jordan Spieth until falling back with a 77. He played in the final group Sunday last year with Patrick Reed, three shots behind, and fell out of the mix before reaching the back nine.

“I know I’ve played well enough and I’ve shot enough good scores around here over the years that if I can put my best effort forward, I’m going to have a good chance to do well here,” McIlroy said. “But it’s definitely different. My mind set is a little different in terms of … I’m still practicing. I’m still getting better. I’m not getting ahead of myself, not thinking about the tee shot on Thursday or thinking about what is to come this week.

“I would dearly love to win this tournament one day,” he said. “If it doesn’t happen this week, that’s totally fine, I’ll come back next year and have another crack at it. But I’m happy with where everything is – body, mind, game.”

No one was particularly happy with Mother Nature on Tuesday, as more storms arrived that shut the course down for about three hours in the morning and pounded an already soft Augusta National with rain before giving way to patches of sunshine in the afternoon.

Wednesday is a short day of practice because of the Par 3 Tournament.

The curtain raises Thursday with a host of players capable of getting in McIlroy’s way of joining golf’s most elite club. Only five other players have captured the career Grand Slam – Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

This is McIlroy’s fifth crack at the Masters with a Grand Slam at stake. In the modern era of the Grand Slam that dates to 1960, no one went more than three years between the third and final leg.

Phil Mickelson is in a similar situation, if not worse. He lacks only the U.S. Open – he has a record six silver medals – and is 0 for 4 since the Grand Slam has come into view. He also believes McIlroy’s game is at a high level.

“That’s always a challenge when you put so much emphasis on playing a particular event, but it’s also the chance to bring out your best,” Mickelson said. “And he’s had such a phenomenal start to the year, he’s been playing such great golf consistently week in and week out, I think contending will be a given. He’ll be in contention. You just need those little breaks … that push you over the winner’s circle and that’s probably all that he’s waiting for this week.

“You can’t force it. It just has to happen.”

The books McIlroy has been reading are recommendations from successful businesspeople. Along with Mandino’s book, he liked Ryan Holiday’s “The Obstacle is the Way” and “Ego is the Enemy,” and he’s just now starting on the biography of Steve Jobs.

In an interview at the Match Play, he was asked if he was spending more time on his golf or on his attitude.

“Life,” he said. “I hit balls once last week. That was it. So much of this game is mental. It’s taken me a while to get to this point, but the proof is there of what I’ve been doing, the way I’ve been playing, how I’ve been approaching the game.”

So what happens if he’s right in the mix Sunday afternoon, facing the most dynamic back nine in golf, the coveted green jacket there for the taking? What if that Sunday afternoon includes Woods, who eliminated McIlroy at the Match Play in a finish so irritating that McIlroy left without speaking to the media?

“I haven’t thought about it,’ McIlroy said. ”I guess there’s a lot of bridges to cross until we get to that point.“

Morgan Matchett Miramichi Golf & CC     2018 NB Ladies Amateur Champion

Bill Eaton sees it as the perfect partnership.

Argus Audiology and Golf New Brunswick have agreed to a five-year partnership that will see the company serve as the title sponsor for the New Brunswick Men’s Senior and Mid-Master Championships.  The partnership also encompasses the New Brunswick Ladies Provincials, Annual Awards Banquet & Silent Auction as well as presenting sponsor of the 2019-2023 competitive seasons.

“Being hard of hearing would not matter if there was nothing to hear”, says Eaton. “Golf truly is a sensory experience and New Brunswick is at the heart of everything we do.” “Is there a better way to enjoy the beauty of New Brunswick than spending a day on one of our great golf courses?” he added. “The sights and sounds of New Brunswick can be appreciated on a golf course. What a perfect fit for our company.”

Eaton, along with business partner and wife Norma and sister Dr Heidi Eaton, purchased the company from his parents in 2013.  Argus Audiology has been proudly serving New Brunswick for over 40 years.  Argus Audiology currently owns 4 clinics in the province, with its newest location set to open in Riverview this spring.

Though he admits he’s not a great golfer, Eaton can’t hide his enthusiasm for the partnership.

“There are thousands of golfers in the province who enjoy all the sights and sounds of New Brunswick. We want to be part of the experience.”

“Golf can be frustrating to me as a player, but I enjoy the game and I appreciate the talent displayed by all players,” Eaton said. “In New Brunswick, I hope we can raise the profile of the game and we can develop more elite players.”

Golf New Brunswick Executive Director Tyson Flinn said the association is grateful for the support shown by Argus Audiology.

Mike Breen – Hampton Golf Club Competing at the 2018 NB Senior Men’s Championship

“It is thanks to partners like Argus Audiology that Golf NB is able to provide great experiences and we are so excited to be able to work with the Argus Audiology team to improve our players’ experience at Golf NB events and championships for the next five years,” Flinn said.

This year’s New Brunswick Men’s Senior and Mid-Master Championships will be played July 22-24 at the Aroostook Valley Country Club in Four Falls. The NB Ladies Provincials are scheduled for July 7-9 at Golf Pokemouche in Landry Office with the season being capped off at the Annual Awards Banquet & Silent Auction in Fredericton on Saturday October 19.