LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Eun-Hee Ji of South Korea left the mistakes to everyone else down the stretch in the LPGA Tour season opener.

Ji managed a strong wind and temperatures in the 50s on Sunday by making three birdies on the back nine to pull away and close with a 1-under 70, giving her a two-shot victory in the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions.

Ji got her mistakes out of the way early, opening with two bogeys to fall behind Lydia Ko. The 32-year-old South Korean took the lead for good with a birdie on the 10th hole at Tranquilo Golf Club at Four Seasons, and she stayed in front the rest of the way.

“It was a little bit chilly for me today. My body was a little bit tight on first tee, so I just pulled a little bit, and I made a bogey,” she said. “I made a bogey again second hole. I was like, ‘OK, wait a minute. I need to play this.’ But I have like 16 more holes, and I just trust my swing after that.”

Ko was one shot behind when she pulled her tee shot on the par-5 13th and never found it, and then compounded the error with a three-putt for a double bogey. Ko made double bogey on the closing hole for a 42 on the back nine and a 77.

Ji finished at 14-under 270 to win by two over Mirim Lee, who made only one bogey in her round of 68. Nelly Korda (71) finished third.

“I just enjoyed my game with my celebrity partners,” Ji said. “It makes it more fun and I relaxed more. So I didn’t get nervous.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., started the day a shot behind the leaders but struggled on Sunday, shooting a 4-over 75 on the round. That put her into a tie with Stacy Lewis for sixth at 8 under for the tournament.

“I actually hit it great today,” said Henderson.

“I gave myself a lot of great opportunities and just the putter, you know, wasn’t working, which sort of sucks. But overall I feel like I hit it really well and I battled, which is nice.”

 

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@BrookeHenderson locks up her first top 10 of the 2019 @lpga_tour season with a T6 finish at #DiamondLPGA ????

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The LPGA opener was limited to winners over the last two seasons. It also included a celebrity field of athletes and entertainers who competed for a $500,000 purse using the modified Stableford scoring system.

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz had 33 points in the final round for a three-point victory over former pitcher Mark Mulder. Smoltz was busy doing math with the Stableford system, trying to hold on for the victory.

“I played really defensively knowing I could get two points for par,” Smoltz said. “I never thought the bogey I made at 17 would be the difference.”

Lewis, in her first competition as a mother, shot 70 and tied for sixth.

Ariya Jutanugarn, the No. 1 player in women’s golf who captured every major award last year, went into the weekend two shots out of the lead and closed with a pair of 75s to tie for 18th. Her sister, Moriya Jutanugarn, managed a bogey-free round for a 69 to tie for fourth with Shanshan Feng (70).

Ko says her problems on the 13th started with thinking she had to hammer her tee shot.

No one could find it in the marsh area left of the fairway, though Ko was at least consoled to see “like a million balls in there, so it makes me feel better that I wasn’t the only one that hit there.”

She hit another tee shot and easily carried the bunker, and then hit a stock 3-wood onto the green.

“I was like, ‘Well, that was stupid.’ Because I could have just hit a normal driver, and I probably wouldn’t have duck-hooked it and it would still be able to be in play,” Ko said. “I guess there’s moments I thought it was necessary, but then it wasn’t. But, hey, you’re always going to have some of these failures along the way.”

The LPGA is now off for two weeks before resuming in Australia for the Vic Open. The tour returns to the United States on March 21-24 for the Founders Cup in Arizona.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Eun-Hee Ji of South Korea left the mistakes to everyone else down the stretch in the LPGA Tour season opener.

Ji managed a strong wind and temperatures in the 50s on Sunday by making three birdies on the back nine to pull away and close with a 1-under 70, giving her a two-shot victory in the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions.

Ji got her mistakes out of the way early, opening with two bogeys to fall behind Lydia Ko. The 32-year-old South Korean took the lead for good with a birdie on the 10th hole at Tranquilo Golf Club at Four Seasons, and she stayed in front the rest of the way.

“It was a little bit chilly for me today. My body was a little bit tight on first tee, so I just pulled a little bit, and I made a bogey,” she said. “I made a bogey again second hole. I was like, ‘OK, wait a minute. I need to play this.’ But I have like 16 more holes, and I just trust my swing after that.”

Ko was one shot behind when she pulled her tee shot on the par-5 13th and never found it, and then compounded the error with a three-putt for a double bogey. Ko made double bogey on the closing hole for a 42 on the back nine and a 77.

Ji finished at 14-under 270 to win by two over Mirim Lee, who made only one bogey in her round of 68. Nelly Korda (71) finished third.

“I just enjoyed my game with my celebrity partners,” Ji said. “It makes it more fun and I relaxed more. So I didn’t get nervous.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., started the day a shot behind the leaders but struggled on Sunday, shooting a 4-over 75 on the round. That put her into a tie with Stacy Lewis for sixth at 8 under for the tournament.

“I actually hit it great today,” said Henderson.

“I gave myself a lot of great opportunities and just the putter, you know, wasn’t working, which sort of sucks. But overall I feel like I hit it really well and I battled, which is nice.”

 

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@BrookeHenderson locks up her first top 10 of the 2019 @lpga_tour season with a T6 finish at #DiamondLPGA ????

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Jan 20, 2019 at 3:42pm PST

The LPGA opener was limited to winners over the last two seasons. It also included a celebrity field of athletes and entertainers who competed for a $500,000 purse using the modified Stableford scoring system.

Former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz had 33 points in the final round for a three-point victory over former pitcher Mark Mulder. Smoltz was busy doing math with the Stableford system, trying to hold on for the victory.

“I played really defensively knowing I could get two points for par,” Smoltz said. “I never thought the bogey I made at 17 would be the difference.”

Lewis, in her first competition as a mother, shot 70 and tied for sixth.

Ariya Jutanugarn, the No. 1 player in women’s golf who captured every major award last year, went into the weekend two shots out of the lead and closed with a pair of 75s to tie for 18th. Her sister, Moriya Jutanugarn, managed a bogey-free round for a 69 to tie for fourth with Shanshan Feng (70).

Ko says her problems on the 13th started with thinking she had to hammer her tee shot.

No one could find it in the marsh area left of the fairway, though Ko was at least consoled to see “like a million balls in there, so it makes me feel better that I wasn’t the only one that hit there.”

She hit another tee shot and easily carried the bunker, and then hit a stock 3-wood onto the green.

“I was like, ‘Well, that was stupid.’ Because I could have just hit a normal driver, and I probably wouldn’t have duck-hooked it and it would still be able to be in play,” Ko said. “I guess there’s moments I thought it was necessary, but then it wasn’t. But, hey, you’re always going to have some of these failures along the way.”

The LPGA is now off for two weeks before resuming in Australia for the Vic Open. The tour returns to the United States on March 21-24 for the Founders Cup in Arizona.

As you have heard, a historic reworking of the Rules of Golf came into effect on Jan. 1.

To gain a better understanding of how it affects recreational golfers like me, I invited Adam Helmer, Golf Canada’s director of Rules, competitions and amateur status, to play nine holes with me at my home club. While the round is fictional—it is minus 8 in Central Ontario and Midland G&CC is snow-covered as I write this—the new Rules are anything but.

The intent and, in my opinion, well achieved, is to make the Rules more understandable and relevant for everyone who enjoys the sport. A new Player’s Edition of the Rules and an app for your smartphone make it easy to play by the new Rules. Visit www.golfcanada.ca/rules

Hole #1 (395-yard downhill par-4)

As usual, I crank my drive into the heavily wooded area on the left of the fairway. Although, again as usual, I am sure I will find it, Helmer reminds me I now have three minutes, not five as under the former Rule, to locate it. Nevertheless, with the unwarranted optimism that has always defined my game, I decline to hit a provisional and we walk down to the bush. No luck after the prescribed three minutes. I start the walk of shame back to the tee to accept the stroke-and-distance penalty. Wait, says Helmer, now there’s an alternative. Your club has decided to institute a Local Rule which allows you to drop a ball in the nearest fairway under penalty of two strokes so you don’t have to hike back to the teeing ground.  Ball lost. Time saved. The foursome behind us applauds the new Rules. You guys owe Helmer a beer. So do I.

Hole #2 (178-yard par-3 with water in front and to the left of the green)

Indecisive over club selection (I’ve only been a member here for 30 years), I come up short and my ball dribbles into the hazard, not quite in and possibly playable. Oops, says Helmer, that’s no longer termed a “hazard,” but now called a “penalty area,” pointing out I now can ground my club, make practice swings touching the ground or growing objects and I can remove that pine cone or any other loose impediment near the ball.

Hole #3 (well-bunkered 290-yard uphill par-4)

Instead of taking the 5-iron and laying up to the 100-yard marker, I try to impress Helmer, knocking the driver into one of the four bunkers protecting this (theoretically) drivable par-4. My ball is right up against the lip of the bunker and with my sand game being what it is, I ask Helmer what my options are. With a penalty of one stroke, I can drop the ball inside the bunker or, under the new Rules, drop it outside the bunker, taking a two-shot penalty.  Additionally under the new Rules, you can remove loose impediments and touch the sand (provided you’re not testing the condition of the sand). You are still prohibited from touching the sand during a practice swing, or right in front or behind the ball and during your backswing for your stroke.

Hole #4 (389-yard dogleg-right par-4)

One of the toughest tee shots on the course to a kidney-shaped green that slopes severely from back to front and left to right. Uncharacteristically, I mash a drive but then hit a mid-iron to the back left of the green. Did I mention the pin position was front right? As I stand over the putt, I ask Helmer to tend the flagstick. Are you sure, he asks. Under the new Rules, you can leave the flagstick in. I gratefully accept his advice. And, if my putt had come anywhere near the hole, I am sure it would have hit the stick and gone in.

Hole #5 (419-yard uphill par-4)

A nest of bunkers on the right always makes me err to the left where, of course, my ball is somewhere in the deep rough. As we are searching, I step on my ball and move it. No penalty under the new Rules!  Just replace it where it was originally or estimate the spot if it’s unknown.

Hole #6 (344-yard dogleg-left par-4)

Finally on a hole in regulation, only to discover that someone has dragged their shoes across my line of putt, making my putt more of a guessing game than Plinko. But, as Helmer points out, the new Rules allow me to tamp down these and other man-made damage to the green. Which I do. And miss the putt anyhow.

Hole #7 (195-yard par-3)

Hook the tee shot into the trees left of the green. My imagined recovery shot, a low-running 4-iron off the back foot to inches, hits the only tree in front of me and ricochets off my bag. No penalty under the new Rules, says Helmer, even if it had hit me.

Hole #8 (401-yard par-4)

My approach shot lands on the cart path to the right of the green. I take the proper relief and then start to drop the ball from shoulder height, as under the old Rules. Wait, says Helmer. The new Rule says you must drop the ball from knee height.  Which I do. And then double-hit the ball. No penalty under the new Rules!

Hole #9 (402-yard uphill par-4)

As we wind up our round, I walk over to shake hands with Helmer and accidentally move my ball marker on the green. No problem under the new Rules. Just replace and carry on.

We walked our nine holes in well under two hours thanks in large part to a commitment to “ready golf,” a practice that is emphasized under the new Rules.

To learn more about the new Rules of Golf, visit www.golfcanada.ca/rules.  You’ll impress your fellow golfers and save strokes at the same time.

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 10 athletes—six female and four male—who have been selected to the 2019 Team Canada Young Pro Squad.

Comprising the 2019 Women’s Young Pro Squad is Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.) , Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec City), Maddie Szeryk (London, Ont.) Augusta James (Bath, Ont.), Jennifer Ha (Calgary) and Jaclyn Lee (Calgary). Lee, 21, makes the transition from the Amateur Squad after turning professional in December.

The Men’s Young Pro Squad will be represented by Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.), Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.), Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver).

The Team Canada Young Pro Squad—now in its sixth year—helps bridge the gap for top-performing amateurs transitioning into the professional ranks. Since the inception of the Young Pro Squad in 2014, current and former team members have accounted for 35 wins across various professional golf tours including LPGA Tour and PGA TOUR wins by Young Pro graduates Brooke Henderson, Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners, respectively.

“The quality of talented athletes is a strong representation of the future of Canadian golf competing on the world’s major tours in the years to come,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. “Golf Canada continues to support athletes who are demonstrating the capacity to compete at the highest levels of golf in an effort to cultivate heroes for our sport. We are proud to extend the world-class services of the Team Canada program which include coaching support, sport science and financial assistance as this group strives for success in the professional ranks.”

Men’s and Women’s National Squad coaches Derek Ingram and Tristan Mullally—both PGA of Canada members and Ben Kern Coach of the Year past recipients—will provide coaching to their respective Young Pro athletes. In addition to funding and coaching support, the athletes will have access to Team Canada’s sport science staff which includes Psychologist Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood along with Physiotherapist and Strength Coach Greg Redman.

Funding for this program, in large part, comes from the Golf Canada Foundation with generous contributions from founding partners Canadian Pacific and RBC, as well as supporting partners Citi Canada and Bear Mountain Resort—the Official Training Centre of Golf Canada’s National Team program.

“The Young Pro program has achieved tremendous success with Canada’s up-and-coming stars and their ascension through the pro ranks,” said Martin Barnard, CEO of the Golf Canada Foundation. “Fundraising for Canada’s top athletes will remain a priority for the Foundation as we continue to mold and support the future of Canadian golf.”

Throughout the season, Golf Canada will closely monitor the performance of elite Canadian amateurs transitioning to professional golf with the possibility of program expansion.

Click here to read Team Canada Young Pro Squad player bios.

HONOLULU – Corey Conners notched his second top-5 PGA Tour result this season — but it didn’t come easy.

The Listowel, Ont., native got into the field via Monday Qualifying, going on to finish in a tie for third at 17 under par. Conners made his most significant move on the weekend, firing matching scores of 64 to rocket up the leaderboard.

With the finish, the 27-year-old Team Canada alumnus sits 19th in the FedEx Cup rankings and moves into the top-200 (No. 181) on the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career. Conners finished five strokes back of champion Matt Kuchar.

He shot 74 on Labor Day and failed to advance out of the second round of the FedEx Cup playoffs for the first time in 10 years. He was never in serious contention all year. The captain’s picks for the Ryder Cup were announced the next day. Kuchar wasn’t even considered, left off a U.S. team for the first time since 2009.

Four months later, the view is so much different.

The rainbow that stretched across the Oahu sky on Sunday looked magical when Kuchar turned to raise his arms after one last birdie for a 4-under 66, which gave him a four-shot victory in the Sony Open.

Kuchar, a member of Team RBC, had gone 115 starts on tour without winning. Now he has won two of his last three.

“Crazy to comprehend,” he said.

This was much harder than reading the fine print that he won by four shots over Andrew Putnam with the third-lowest score in Sony Open history.

Kuchar’s two-shot lead going into the final round was gone in four holes, and when he missed the green on No. 5 with a wedge, he was trailing for the first time all weekend. At the par-5 ninth, Kuchar and Putnam were in the same bunker short of the green. Putnam went first and blasted out to a few inches. Kuchar left his 10 feet below the hole and was in jeopardy of falling two behind.

He made the putt, one of several key moments the rest of the way. And right after Putnam’s lone mistake, a 9-iron into a deep bunker left of the 14th green that led to his only bogey in a round of 68, Kuchar answered with back-to-back birdies and was headed to another victory.

Matt Kuchar (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

“Thrilled to have won two events this early in the year,” said Kuchar, the first multiple winner on the PGA Tour this season. “It absolutely sets up the year to be in great position for the FedEx Cup. There’s a lot of year left, and a lot of great things that are out there to be done.”

It was only the second time in his career that he had multiple victories. The other was in 2013, when he won the Match Play Championship in February and the Memorial in early June, with three majors still to be played.

Extra special to Kuchar was going up the 18th fairway with a comfortable margin. Winning was never this easy in his previous eight victories.

Then again, part of him likes it that way, whether he’s trying to recover from a bad start on Sunday or even a bad year.

“I love playing golf. I love how hard it is,” he said. “Golf is addictive that way, in that if you’re not playing well you can’t wait to figure it out and make it better. If you’re playing well, shoot, it’s great. It’s awesome. You want it to never end. It’s a cycle of whether it’s good or bad that you have this quest to continue to play, to improve, to fix, whatever it is.”

He goes to No. 22 in the world ranking and No. 2 in the FedEx Cup. He already has earned over $2.5 million in January, $800,000 more than all of last season.

Kuchar turned 40 last summer, which might have added to the anxiety of going so long without a win.

He never saw it that way. This run began with a visit to his swing coach, Chris O’Connell, right before he began this season. He didn’t score well in Las Vegas and stayed the course. He won in Mexico at the Mayakoba Classic the following week, and then he won again.

“I’m not sure I’m into making a statement, but it is interesting to see how young the tour has gotten,” he said. “But thankfully, golf requires so many different things to be going right. It’s not just power game, a putting game. There are so many facets to the game that it allows people to play for a long time and play competitively and play great for a long time.”

Putnam’s consolation was cracking the top 50 in the world for the first time at No. 45. He won the Barracuda Championship last summer, a month after he played better than anyone except for Dustin Johnson at the FedEx St. Jude Classic.

“I’m feeling a little let down right now,” Putnam said after closing with a 68. “I’m sure when I think about it … a lot of good things have happened. Just needed to make some better swings. Kuch was making birdies and played great coming down the stretch. I just couldn’t keep up with him.”

Kuchar had the gold trophy, the winner’s lei around his neck. He was in no hurry to leave, and plans to stay in Hawaii for another two weeks with his wife and two sons. Even better? He already has earned a spot at Kapalua next year, the tournament reserved only for winners.

“Trust me, getting in the field at Kapalua is a real treat,” Kuchar said.

Roger Sloan (Merritt, B.C.) finished T33 ahead of first-round leader Adam Svensson (Surrey, B.C.) at T43 and Adam Hadwin (Abbotsford, B.C.) at T57.

CHILE – Canadian Chris Crisologo escaped with his second consecutive South American Amateur title on Sunday at Los Leones Golf Club in Santiago de Chile.

Crisologo successfully defended his title, obtained a year ago in Argentina after he defeated the Costa Rican Luis Gagne on the second extra hole. A crucial birdie on the par-5 hole 18 gave moved Crisologo into a tie for the lead at 281 (-7), with players like the Colombian Iván Camilo Ramírez and the Argentinean Leandro Correa climbing to the top during the round.

“This is a different victory, it’s a very different course,” said Crisologo. “It was a privilege to be here and it was a very fun week at the end.”

Reunited ?

And it feels so goooood ??? pic.twitter.com/FGYljQC5Wy

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) January 14, 2019

Team Canada teammate Brendan MacDougall of Calgary finished T26 at 5 over par.

In the women’s division, Team Canada Junior Squad standout Céleste Dao of Notre-dame-de-lÎle-Perrot, Que., cracked the top 10 in a tie for 9th at 4 over par. She was chasing champion María Fernanda Escauriza of Paraguay, who closed well clear of the pack at 12 under.

Dao’s teammate Ellie Szeryk finished in 46th place at 31 over par.

Click here for full scores.

Four Canadians join Team RBC as golf brand ambassadors 

Today, RBC welcomed its newest Team RBC golf brand ambassadors: Corey Conners, Brittany Marchand, Ben Silverman and Roger Sloan. These four Canadians join an elite roster of players, including Canadians Adam Hadwin, Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp.

Ahead of a historic golf season marked by the most Canadians ever on the PGA TOUR, RBC continues to grow its commitment to the game on home soil by evolving its brand ambassador program. Now, all Canadian players that have reached the pinnacle of performance and secured status on the LPGA and PGA TOURS are eligible to join the Team RBC Canadian program – currently 10 members strong.

This expansion is also part of RBC’s ongoing support of Canadian golfers and includes funding for Canada’s National Amateur Golf Team and Young Pro Squad, as well as contributing to the national amateur golf championships, in partnership with Golf Canada.

Team RBC was established in 2009 and is comprised of 18 elite male and female golfers who embody the pinnacle of golf performance. Along with RBC branding on their apparel and golf bag, these new ambassadors will support RBC’s client-hosting experiences and marketing initiatives.

As the title sponsor of the RBC Heritage and RBC Canadian Open, RBC is also proud to be the Official Banking and Financial Services partner for all Team RBC ambassadors.

Quick facts:

• Corey Conners: Two top-15 finishes during the 2018 PGA TOUR season
• Brittany Marchand: Made 12 of 16 cuts during her first 2018 LPGA TOUR season
• Ben Silverman: Four top-15 finishes during the 2018 PGA TOUR season
• Roger Sloan: Finished 12^th on Web.com Tour Money List

Quotes:

“I’ve had the opportunity to partner with RBC when I was on Team Canada’s Young Pro program. This feels like a great next chapter in my journey as I compete on the PGA TOUR and I’m thankful RBC is with me again and for all they do for golf in Canada.”  – Corey Conners, Team RBC Ambassador

“I am so proud and so grateful to be a part of the Team RBC family . RBC has given so much to our game and their support enables us to continue to grow and develop on the world stage I look forward to getting to know the team and am excited about the milestones ahead.” – Brittany Marchand, Team RBC Ambassador

“RBC has been a longstanding supporter of golf, helping us build stronger connections with our clients and fans around the world. We’ve been on a journey with many of these athletes as amateur players, like Corey and Brittany. Now we’re continuing that partnership as they strive to reach the highest level of golf on the international stage.” – Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC

“Today’s announcement is an important moment for Canadian high-performance golf. To see Canadian athletes recognized for their hard work, efforts and performance is just outstanding. It’s also another demonstration of RBC’s longstanding and continued support of golf both at the amateur and professional level.”  – Derek Ingram, National Men’s Team Coach, Golf Canada

OAKVILLE, ONT. (Golf Canada) – The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum today announced that amateur and professional golf standout, Rod Spittle, as well as celebrated collegiate golf coach Herb Page have been selected for 2019 induction into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Spittle, 63, from Niagara Falls, Ont., will be inducted in the player category, while the 67-year-old Page, who is a native of Markham, Ont., will be inducted as a builder for his accomplishments as a collegiate golf coach with the NCAA Division I Kent State Golden Flashes. With their inductions, the pair become the 82^nd and 83^rd honoured members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

“The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame strives to recognize the outstanding achievements of golf’s greatest players and supporters and it’s an absolute privilege to welcome Rod Spittle and Herb Page as our newest honoured members,” said Sandra Post, Chair of the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee. “Rod was an accomplished player at the amateur level and later as a professional, while Herb has made a significant impact in the lives of countless student-athletes through his long tenure with Kent State’s golf program. I know I speak on behalf of the entire selection committee as well as the honoured members when I say they are both very deserved of their appointments.”

“I am humbled and thrilled beyond words to be inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame,” said Spittle. “It is an honour to be recognized and included in this group of golf ambassadors and elite players,  The induction will be even more special for me since the ceremony will be hosted at Hamilton Golf Club, where my dad caddied as a youngster and where I won my first Canadian Amateur in 1977.”

 

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With his induction, Page becomes the 25^th person inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame’s builder category and the first-ever coach.

“It’s been an honour and a pleasure to have the opportunity to help so many young student-athletes grow both on and off the course,” said Page from his home in Ohio. “It’s always great to be recognized for your hard work and this nomination is extra special, but the real gratification comes from seeing players mature into outstanding people.”

Spittle and Page officially join the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony that will take place Tuesday, June 4^th, 2019 during RBC Hall of Fame Day as part of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open on the grounds of Hamilton Golf and Country Club.

Click here to listen to the media teleconference announcement.

Rod Spittle

Born July 18, 1955 in St. Catharines, Ont., Rod Spittle had a successful amateur career, finishing runner-up at the 1973 Canadian Junior and winning the 1977 and 1978 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championships while playing Division I golf at Ohio State.  Provincially he also helped Ontario win back to back Willingdon Cups (1977-78). During his collegiate golf career, Spittle helped the Buckeyes win the BIG Ten Championship three consecutive years (1976-1978) alongside teammates John Cook and Joey Sindelar, who both went on to enjoy successful professional golf careers that included PGA TOUR victories.

After graduating in 1978 with a degree in Business Administration, Spittle opted to focus on supporting his family by selling insurance for 25 years and continuing his passion for the game in amateur golf. He won a pair of Columbus (Ohio) District Amateur Championships (1989 and 1987) and three Columbus (Ohio) District Mid-Amateur titles (1994, 1995 and 1997). He went on to claim the Ohio Mid-Am Championship three times (2000, 2001 and 2003) prior to turning professional in 2004, shortly before turning 50.

Spittle and his wife, Ann, left their regular jobs behind and made a 5-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 PGA TOUR Champions status and did not play in a single event.

In 2010, the final year of the five-year plan, Spittle was forced to Monday qualify into events. Playing with limited status, Spittle got into only five events the entire 2010 season. He Monday qualified into the final event of the year, the AT&T Championship, and in a storybook ending, he played stellar golf all week and 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.

In 195 starts over his 13-year PGA TOUR Champions career, Spittle 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 had 23 top-10s. He played his final PGA TOUR Champions event on home soil, finishing T17 at the 2018 Shaw Charity Classic.

On a personal level, he and his wife Ann have three children (Leslie, Steve and John) and seven grandchildren. The Spittle’s proudly support Special Olympics initiatives in their hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Spittle was inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame in 2013.

Herb Page

Born March 16, 1951 in Markham, Ont., Herb Page has been a fixture on the Kent State University campus since arriving as an undergraduate three-sport student-athlete (golf, football and hockey) in 1970. Nearly 50 years later, now the university’s director of golf, Page has grown to become one of the most respected golf coaches in the world.

For more than 40 years, Page has been an untiring coach to his players and a terrific ambassador for the game of golf. Even after decades of significant accomplishments under his direction, the Kent State Golden Flashes golf program continues to reach new heights. He has built an empire in the Mid-American Conference with a legacy that seems to grow stronger with each passing year. He has led the Golden Flashes to 23 Mid-American Conference (MAC) titles and 28 NCAA Regional appearances – advancing to the NCAA Championship 18 times during that span. Kent State won three NCAA Regional titles (1993, 2001 and 2010) and earned top-10 National finishes in 2000 (9^th), 2008 (6^th), 2012 (5^th)  and 2018 (10^th). Page has garnered 24 MAC Coach of the Year awards (1983-1984, 1990-1996, 1998-2001, 2003, 2005-2006, 2009-2010, 2012-2014, 2016-2018) during his distinguished career.

Herb Page & Corey Conners

He helped to develop countless golfers who have gone on to enjoy successful professional golf careers and opened a pathway for numerous Canadians to pursue NCAA post-secondary golf. Canuck alums who have been coached and recruited by Page include David Morland IV (1987–1991), Bryan DeCorso (1991–1995), Ryan Yip (2002–2006), Mackenzie Hughes (2008–2012), Corey Conners (2010-2014), Taylor Pendrith (2010-2014) and Jon Mills (1998–2002), who now serves as Page’s assistant coach with Kent State. Other notables among the nearly 30 Canadians from B.C., Alberta, Ontario, Quebec or New Brunswick to play at Kent State include  Brian Tisdelle, Paul DeCorso, Ron Reycraft, Chuck Crawford, Spencer Dobbs, Josh Whalen, Billy Walsh, Danny Sahl, Mark Bourgeois J.P. Paiement and Dustin Risdon as well as current player Johnny Travale and Chris Vandette who has committed to the school starting next year.

Page, who coached two PGA TOUR winners, also mentored Kent State graduate Ben Curtis, who claimed the 2003 Open Championship as well as a runner-up finish at the 2008 PGA Championship, before retiring from competitive golf to open his own golf academy.

He also played an instrumental role in the 1997 launch of the women’s golf program at Kent State, opening a post-secondary for path for Canadian women from B.C., Alberta, Ontario and Quebec including Jennifer Ha, Kira Miexner, Josee Doyon, Taylor Kim and Kirby Dreher as well as Veronique Drouin who is Women’s Head Coach at Oklahoma and Jan Dowling who is Women’s Head Coach at Michigan.

Among his many career honours and achievements, Page has been inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame (2003), Northern Ohio PGA Hall of Fame (2005), Northern Ohio Golf Association Hall of Fame (2012) and Ontario Golf Hall of Fame (2012). He is a past winner of the Golf Coaches of America Labron Harris Award (2008) and was selected to coach the International team at the 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup.

Page and his wife, Dr. Paula Treckel, reside in Kent, Ohio.

Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que. and Maddie Szeryk, a London, Ont., resident, have been recognized as Canada’s top male and female amateur golfers for 2018 as Golf Canada announced the final standings for its National Orders of Merit.

The 2018 season marks the fourth straight year that Maddie Szeryk has finished atop the women’s National Order of Merit. The 22-year-old recorded back-to-back collegiate victories this season for the Texas A&M Aggies at the Bruzzy Challenge and Dale McNamara Invitational. The wins were part of a season which saw Szeryk collect 11 top- 10 NCAA finishes. She concluded her season with a runner-up performance at the prestigious Women’s Porter Cup. Szeryk recently turned professional and will compete on the Symetra Tour in 2019.

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee finished second on the National Order of Merit. In 2018, the 21-year-old standout posted two collegiate victories for Ohio State while adding four other top 10 results for the Buckeyes. Lee, who recently turned professional, made noise with a semi-finalist appearance at the Ladies British Amateur and quarter-finalist showing at the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Lee also had success in the pro ranks, placing in a tie for 35th at the LPGA’s Meijer Classic.

Brigitte Thibault of Rosemère, Que., finished third on the Order of Merit. Thibault collected three top-10 finishes as a member of the Fresno State Bulldogs, including a runner-up finish at the UNLV Collegiate Showdown. She added top-10 results at the Women’s Western, North & South and Quebec Amateur. Thibault was recently named to Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad.

Savoie claims top spot in the men’s National Order of Merit ranking after an impressive season highlighted by winning both individual and team honours at the Tailhade Cup in Argentina. The Middle Tennessee graduate also notched top-five results at the Argentine Amateur, Azalea Invitational, St. Andrews Links Trophy and Duke of Kent. Savoie finished T19 at the 2018 Canadian Men’s Amateur and medaled at the U.S. Amateur Qualifier in Lexington, Ky. Savoie was recently named to Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad.

Henry Lee, 20, of Coquitlam, B.C., finished second on the Order of Merit thanks in part to earning four top-20 NCAA finishes for the University of Washington, as well as a top 10 result at the Canadian Men’s Amateur.

Charles Corner, 22, of Cayuga, Ont., rounded out the top three after recording three top-five NCAA finishes for the UTEP Miners.

Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Order of Merit

On the Future Links, driven by Acura National Junior Order Merit, Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont., and Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., took home top honours in their respective divisions.

Anderson, 18, tallied six top-10 results this season, including an impressive T6 finish at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship. The Team Ontario member also captured Golf Ontario’s Junior Spring Classic and finished T28 at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

Rounding out the top three on the Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Boys Order of Merit are Laurent Desmarchais (17) of Longueil, Que., and Cam Kellett (19) of London, Ont. Desmarchais was recently named to Team Canada’s National Junior Squad.

Dao topped the junior girl’s Order of Merit for a second consecutive year after a remarkable rookie campaign with Team Canada’s National Junior Squad. The 17-year-old was in the winner’s circle three times in 2018, including a three-stroke victory at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que., product also qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open and won the Mexican Junior and Quebec Junior Championships. Dao had success on the international scene as well, collecting a 5th place finish at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in Japan. She led the Canadians at the 2018 World Junior Girls Championship in Ottawa with a 5th place finish.

Finishing runner-up behind Dao is 14-year-old Emily Zhu of Thornhill, Ont., while Ellie Szeryk (17) of London, Ont., rounded out the top three. Both Zhu and Szeryk were selected to the 2019 Team Canada National Junior Squad.

Golf Canada’s National Orders of Merit are used to identify and give recognition to top-performing amateur golfers from across Canada. They also provide an objective national ranking system, enabling Canada’s top players to compare themselves to counterparts across Canada.

Golf Canada also uses the National Order of Merit to assist with the Team Canada player selection and International event player selection process. For full Order of Merit standings and a points breakdown, please visit www.golfcanada.ca/nationalordersofmerit/

The following are top-10 National Order of Merit finishers from each respective division:

National Men’s Order of Merit

National Women’s Order of Merit

National Junior Boys Order of Merit driven by Acura

National Junior Girls Order of Merit driven by Acura

What a year it was for Canadian golf.

Our pros won literally around the world and on just about every tour imaginable.

Our amateurs of all ages made Canada proud at home and abroad.

And, off the course, there were significant moments that are well worth memorializing as 2019 looms on the horizon.

(If we’ve unintentionally overlooked any—there were so many, after all!—please let us know at communications@golfcanada.ca)

Canadian professionals on the world stage

December

Brooke Henderson repeats as Canadian Female Athlete of the Year for both Canadian Press and Postmedia.

Jaclyn Lee opts to forego her final semester at Ohio State University to turn professional.  The 21-year-old from Calgary, a six-year member of the Team Canada program, earned her LPGA Tour card in November after finishing sixth at the Q-Series LPGA tournament.

Brian McDonald, the director of golf and general manager of Fairview Mountain in Oliver, B.C., fires five birdies in the final round to claim the PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada Presented by Titleist & FootJoy.

Three of four Canadians improve their Web.com Tour status at the Tour’s Qualifying event. They were led by Brad Fritsch of Manotick, Ont., who posted a 10-under 62 in the final round. His T-8 finish earned him 12 guaranteed starts in 2019. Michael Giglic of Burlington, Ont., and Toronto’s Albin Choi ended up inside the top 40, getting eight starts. Vancouver’s Seann Harlingten maintained his conditional status.

November

Team Canada, Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, tie for fourth at the World Cup of Golf in Australia, the best finish by Canada since Dave Barr and Dan Halldorson won the event in 1985.

After setting a course record of 61 in the second round, Calgary’s Stephen Ames ends up T-5 at the PGA Champions Tour finale, the Charles Schwab Cup. It ended a great year for the 54-year-old Ames, who finished with four top-10s for the season.

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee and Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City earn LPGA Tour status for 2019 in the final stage of Q-school. Lee finished sixth while Tanguay was T-8.

October

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., is out-duelled by PGA TOUR freshman phenom Cameron Champ in the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship to finish runner-up. Champ rode a hot putter to birdie five of the last six holes to deny Conners the title.

Team Canada member Hugo Bernard of Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., winner of the 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur, turns pro. Team Canada standout Maddie Szeryk, a resident of London, Ont. also turned pro after a stellar collegiate career at Texas A&M.

A record eight Canadian men will be in the field for the 2019 PGA TOUR season: David Hearn, Nick Taylor, Adam Hadwin, Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Svensson, Roger Sloan and Ben Silverman.

September

Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., secure their PGA TOUR cards for 2019 due to their performance on the Web.com Tour.

Mr. 59! Drew Nesbitt of Toronto has four eagles, including a hole in one, five birdies, eight pars and a bogey to post the first 59 in PGA TOUR Latinoamerica history in the second round of the Brazil Open.

Marc-Etienne Bussieres of Longchamp, Que., defends his title at the PGA Assistants Championship of Canada Presented by Callaway Golf.

Richard Yung, a former Team Canada member, drains a 40-foot birdie putt to win the Suzhou Open, a PGA TOUR Series-China tournament.

August

Brooke Henderson becomes the first woman in 45 years to win the CP Women’s Open. At 20, the Team Canada graduate claimed her seventh LPGA Tour victory, including a major, but none was greater than this at Regina’s Wascana Country Club. Jocelyne Bourassa won the event in 1973.

July

Peter Campbell of Nova Scotia wins his first pro title, the Beijing Championship, on the PGA TOUR Series-China.

The world’s top-ranked men’s golfer, American Dustin Johnson, wins the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., is the top Canadian, tying for eighth. Team Canada member Chris Crisologo finished T45 to earn low-amateur honours.

American Jessica Porvasnik wins the DCM PGA Women’s Championship of Canada at the Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto.

June

Pierre-Alexander Bedard of Club de golf Cap Rouge wins the PGA Championship of Canada presented by TaylorMade and adidas Golf at Credit Valley G&CC.

April

Brooke Henderson wins her sixth LPGA Tour title, the Lotte Championship in Hawaii.

February

Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., was elected to the Boise State Hall of Fame. Along with his success at the collegiate level and on the PGA TOUR, DeLaet competed for Canada at the Olympics, the Presidents Cup and the World Cup.

January

Golf Canada announces the 2018 Team Canada Young Pro Squad: Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec City), Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.), Augusta James (Bath, Ont.), Jennifer Ha (Calgary), Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.), Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver), Albin Choi (Toronto) and Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.)

Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., wins his first Web.com title, The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic.

Amateur golfers make Canada proud

December

Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que. and Maddie Szeryk a London, Ont., resident, are recognized as Canada’s top male and female amateur golfers for 2018 based on the final standings of Golf Canada’s National Orders of Merit. It was Szeryk’s fourth consecutive year topping the Women’s Amateur Order of Merit. On the junior side, Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que. and Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont., took home top honours on the Future Links, driven by Acura National Junior Order Merit.

Nine Canadians were named to the 2018 Global Golf Post All-Amateur teams: Garrett Rank (Elmira, Ont.), Second Team, Men’s Mid-Amateur; Jaclyn Lee (Calgary, Alta.), Honourable Mention, Women’s Amateur; and Julia Hodgson (Unionville, Ont.), First Team Women’s Mid-Amateur. In the Women’s Senior category, Mary-Ann Hayward (St. Thomas, Ont.), Judith Kryinis (Thornhill, Ont.), Jackie Little (Proctor, B.C.) and Terrill Samuel (Etobicoke, Ont.) were named to the first team while Allison Murdoch (Victoria, B.C.) was a second-team selection and Marie-Therese Torti (Candiac, Que.) received honourable mention.

November

Golf Canada announced the 17 athletes who will represent Team Canada as part of the 2019 National Amateur and Junior Squads.

Women’s National Amateur Squad: Jaclyn Lee, Calgary; Naomi Ko, Victoria; Brigitte Thibault, Rosemere, Que.

Men’s National Amateur Squad: Joey Savoie, La Prairie, Que.; Chris Crisologo, Richmond, B.C.; Josh Whalen, Napanee, Ont.; Brendan MacDougall, Calgary.

Women’s Junior Squad: Celeste Dao, Notre-Dame-de-I’lle-Perrot, Que.; Ellie Szeryk, Allen, Texas; Emily Zhu, Richmond Hill, Ont.; Sarah Beqaj, Toronto; Monet Chun, Richmond Hill, Ont.

Men’s Junior Squad : Laurent Desmarchais, Longueuil, Que.; Christopher Vandette, Beaconsfield, Que.; Jeevan Sihota, Victoria; Olivier Menard, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que.; Kai Iguchi, Banff, Alta.

October

The Red Deer College Queens win the women’s Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championship while Cegep Andre-Laurendeau claims the men’s title.

Celeste Dao, 17, of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que. and William Duquette, 17, of Laval, Que. represented Team Canada in golf at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Ares, Argentina from October 6-18, 2018. Dao finished T13 and Duquette 28^th in their respective divisions. The duo also combined to finish 22^nd in the mixed team competition.

September

Jennifer Gu of West Vancouver, B.C., and Ilirian Zalli of Burnaby, B.C., claim their respective titles at the Future Links Presented by Acura Fall Series in B.C.

Team Canada Development Squad member Chris Vandette, the reigning Canadian Junior Boys champion, wins the Duke of York Young Champions at Castle Stuart Golf Links in Scotland.

Jaclyn Lee of Calgary, a senior at Ohio State University, claims her fourth NCAA golf title at the East & West Match Play in Michigan.

American Brady Exber wins the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at New Brunswick’s Gowan Brae Golf and Country Club, edging Peter Detemple, a native of Vancouver. British Columbia claims the team title.

Ottawa’s Camelot Golf & Country Club plays host to the World Junior Girls Golf Championship, and among the 18 countries represented, Team Italy beat Team USA in a playoff to win the team title. Team Canada One, comprised of Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Qué.), Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.) and Tiffany Kong (Vancouver, B.C.) finished fourth in the team competition while Canada Two consisting of Emily Zhu (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Sarah Beqaj (Toronto, Ont.) and Lauren Kim (Surrey, B.C.) finished 18^th.

August

Australian Sue Wooster successfully defends her Senior and Mid-Master titles at the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship at Lookout Point Country Club in Fonthill, Ont., edging Mary Ann Hayward of St. Thomas, Ont., by one shot.

Hailey McLaughlin of Markham, Ont., and Yuqui Liu of Thornhill, Ont., win their respective divisions at the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series Championship at Owl’s Head Golf Club in Masonville, Que.

Kentucky’s Joseph Deraney shoots 65 to win the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur at B.C.’s Victoria Golf Club. Two-time Mid-Am champ Kevin Carrigan of Victoria finished second.

Céleste Dao of Notre Dame de I’Ile Perot, Que., a member of the Team Canada Development Squad, wins the Canadian Junior Girls Championship in Tsawwassen, B.C.

Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., becomes only the 10^th player since the joint event was established in 1948 to win both the Canadian Junior Boys and Juvenile Boys Championships.

July

American Yealimi Noh, 17, wins the Canadian Women’s Amateur at Vancouver’s Marine Drive Golf Club. The teen standout earned an exemption into the CP Women’s Open in Regina where she claimed low amateur honours.

Future Links, driven by Acura Junior Skills Challenge National Event at Glen Abbey announces the national champions: Andre Zhu, King City, Ont., Boys 9-11; Lindsay McGrath, Milton, Ont., Girls 9-11; Matis Lessard, Quebec City, Boys 12-15; Alissa Xu, King City, Ont., Girls 12-15; Gregoire Vincent, Quebec City, Boys 15-18; Taylor Cormier, Corner Brook, NL, Girls 15-18.

Owen Mullen of Truro, N.S., and Haley Baker of Mississauga, Ont., claim their respective divisions in the Future Links, driven by Acura Atlantic Championship at Twin Rivers Golf Course in Newfoundland.

June

Wesley Hoydalo of Selkirk, Sask., and Sydney Scraba of Calgary win their respective divisions at the Future Links, driven by Acura Prairie Championship at Portage GC in Manitoba.

Robbie Latter of Mississauga, Ont., and Emily Romancew of Pierrefonds, Que., win their respective divisions in the Future Links, driven by Acura Quebec Championship at Club de golf Lachute in Quebec.

The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds win their third straight women’s title in the Canadian University/College Championship. The host University of the Fraser Valley Cascades win the men’s title.

May

Laurent Desmarchais of Longueuil, Que., and Taylor Kehoe of Strathroy, Ont., win their respective divisions at the Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship at Otter Creek GC.

Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Cole Wilson of Kelowna, B.C., win their respective divisions in the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship at Bear Mountain Golf Resort in B.C.

Team Canada member Celeste Dao comes from six back to win the Mexican Junior Girls Championship in a three-hole playoff.

April

Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee, a junior at Ohio State, ties a 54-hole scoring record en route to winning the Big 10 Championship. It was her third NCAA title of the year.

Team Canada member Maddie Szeryk, a senior at Texas A&M, wins her second straight NCAA tournament, the Dale McNamara Invitational in Oklahoma.

Toronto’s Vanessa Borovilos wins the girls’ 10-11 age division in the Drive, Chip & Putt Finals at Augusta National.

February

Jaclyn Lee of Calgary breaks an Ohio State school record with a 64 in the final round to win her second NCAA title, the Westbrook Spring Invite in Arizona.

January

National Amateur Squad member Chris Crisologo of Richmond, B.C., wins the South American Amateur in Argentina.

Milestones Off The Course

December

The RBC Canadian Open was honoured at the PGA TOUR’s Tournament Meetings for its “Best in Class Element”, thanks to the success of its fan experience, The Rink. For the past two years, the par-3 seventh hole at Glen Abbey Golf Club was transformed into a rendition of a hockey rink, complete with boards lining the hole, upgraded bleachers and viewing decks, with marshals dressed as referees. A net, puck and hockey sticks were available for the pros to test their hockey skills as part of Wednesday’s Championship Pro-Am.

Golf Fore the Cure Presented by Subaru announced it raised more than $425,000 for breast cancer research in 2018, thanks to the efforts of more than 13,000 participants at 175 events across Canada. Since the program’s inception in 2003, upwards of 120,000 women have raised more than $6.7 million with all proceeds donated to the Canadian Cancer Society and the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation.

November

Golf Ontario and the Northern Golf Association announce a partnership to grow the game in that province. As a result, all NGA members will also be Golf Ontario members, both associations will continue to invest in initiatives such as Golf in Schools, and there will be a stronger collaboration in areas such as course rating, handicapping and competitions.

The sole Canadian stop on the PGA TOUR Champions Tour, Calgary’s Shaw Charity Classic, announces it had donated a record-breaking $12.4-million donation to be shared among 182 youth-based charities in Alberta. That brought the six-year total to more than $34 million since the event’s inception, impacting more than 500,000 youth in the areas of sports, arts, health, development and counseling.

Brittany Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is inducted into her alma mater’s Athletics Hall of Fame at Coastal Carolina University. Prior to putting her playing career aside to caddie for sister Brooke, Brittany was a member of Team Canada and an outstanding collegiate golfer, leading her school to two Big South Championships.

The R&A announces that the 2019 RBC Canadian Open will be one of 16 events that will make up the Open Qualifying Series.

Longtime Golf Ontario Executive Director Dave Mills is honoured with the International Association of Golf Administrators Distinguished Service Award.

October

Team Canada Junior Women’s Coach Matt Wilson of Newmarket, Ont., is named Coach of the Year for the PGA of Canada Ontario Zone.

Former LPGA Tour player Christa Teno of Tecumseh, Ont., is named Coach of the Year by the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional association. She has been the head women’s coach at Florida’s Seminole State University since 2007 and coached the team to a national championship in 2015. Tina Tombs, a native of Montreal who played on the LPGA Tour and now resides in Arizona, is named Teacher of the Year.

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is named female summer athlete of the year at the Canadian Sports Awards. She would later be voted a runner-up finalist for the 2018 Lou Marsh Award.

September

The Canadian Golf Superintendents Association names Dean Baker of Ontario’s Burlington Golf and Country Club as superintendent of the year.

August

The PGA TOUR announces that Osprey Valley, a 54-hole facility north of Toronto, will become the first member of the TPC Network in Canada. In July, Osprey Valley hosted the inaugural Osprey Valley Open, an official Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada event.

July

Bryan Crawford of Ancaster, Ont., is named Tournament Director of the RBC Canadian Open. Earlier in the year that Ryan Paul of Oakville, Ont. was named Tournament Director for the CP Women’s Open.

Canadian Pacific announces it has extended its title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open for five years, from 2019 through 2023. Golf Canada and CP also announced that the 2019 CP Women’s Open would be hosted at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.

RBC, Golf Canada and the PGA TOUR announce that the 2019 RBC Canadian Open will move to a premier date on the TOUR schedule, one week before the U.S. Open. The 110^th RBC Canadian Open will be played at Hamilton Golf & Country Club from June 3 to 9.

June

Longtime golf journalist Mario Brisebois is named for induction into the Quebec Golf Hall of Fame. Congratulations as well to the many deserving individuals across Canada inducted into their respective Provincial Golf Hall of Fame in 2018.

March

Revered Canadian pro Jerry Anderson passes away suddenly at the age of 62.

A totally revised Rules of Golf is revealed for review, to be implemented on January 1, 2019.

February

Golf Canada launches the centralized program (February through May) for the National Junior Squad at its National Training Centre at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C.

The proposed new World Handicap System is announced, designed to provide all golfers with a consistent measure of playing ability globally. Golf Canada will adopt all features of the new system.

Former LPGA Tour player Gail Graham and course architect Arthur Vernon Macan are this year’s inductees into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Golf Canada announce a partnership with the Good Beer Folks at Steam Whistle, Canada’s Premium Pilsner, to become the Official Beer of Golf Canada, the RBC Canadian Open and the CP Women’s Open.

January

Leslie Dunning of Calgary is elected president of Golf Canada, succeeding Roland Deveau.

Tom Zariski of Drumheller, Alta., is named Golf Canada’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year.

Golf Canada names four recipients of its Distinguished Service Award—veteran sports columnist Cam Cole alongside former Alberta Golf President Fran Marsden, long-time volunteer Florin “Fuzzy” Bergh of Edmonton, and golf historian Ron Lyons.

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Lorne Rubenstein, a lifelong golf journalist and author, receives the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism.