Golf Canada releases 2019 championship schedule
Golf Canada is pleased to announce its 2019 championship schedule, which includes a record setting 31 amateur and professional competitions in addition to various qualifiers hosted at golf facilities across Canada.
The 2019 schedule is headlined by Golf Canada’s premier professional championships — the RBC Canadian Open, June 3-9 at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Hamilton, Ont., and the CP Women’s Open, to be conducted August 19-25 at Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.
The 2019 competition calendar includes eight national amateur championships, eight Future Links, driven by Acura regional junior competitions and two international women’s championships.
As the National Sport Federation and governing body of golf in Canada, Golf Canada conducts the country’s premier amateur and professional golf championships as part of its mandate to support the development of the nation’s top talent through world-class competition.
“Golf Canada is incredibly proud to conduct our national championships for the more than 3,000 talented Canadian and international golfers who take part in our competitions,” said Golf Canada’s CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “Together with our host clubs, communities, volunteers and corporate partners, we are excited to be welcoming the next chapter of Canadian golf champions.”
Golf Canada’s championship season kicks off May 6 with the RBC Canadian Open British Columbia Qualifier and concludes in September with the Future Links, driven by Acura Fall Series Championship at Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community in Courtenay, B.C.
To view Golf Canada’s 2019 championship schedule including all host venues, registration requirements and volunteer opportunities please click here.
Championship Season at a Glance…
The 115th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship will be contested at Glen Arbour Golf Course in Hammonds Plains, N.S. and The Links at Brunello in Timberlea, N.S., August 3-8. A field of 240 players will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after 36 holes, with the final two rounds contested at Glen Arbour. The champion will receive an exemption into the 2020 RBC Canadian Open, as well as an invitation to the 2019 U.S. Amateur Championship. Additionally, the winner will receive an exemption into local qualifying for the 2020 U.S. Open, and if applicable, the U.S. Junior, U.S. Mid-Amateur or USGA Senior Amateur Championships.
The 106th Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship takes place July 22-26 at Red Deer Golf & Country Club in Red Deer, Alta. with the champion earning an exemption into the 2019 CP Women’s Open, as well as an exemption into the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. Additionally, the winner will receive exemptions into the U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur and USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championships, if applicable.
Red Deer Golf & Country Club
At the junior level, the 81st playing of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship will be contested August 11-15 at Covered Bridge Golf & Country Club in Hartland, N.B., with the winner earning an exemption into the 2020 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. The 65th Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be contested at Lethbridge Country Club in Lethbridge, Alta.
The 17th Canadian University/College Championship will be held May 27-31 at FireRock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont. The national championship includes both a team and individual component featuring Canada’s top university and college talent.
The Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur will be held Aug. 19-23 at Summit Golf Club in Thornhill, Ont.
The Future Links, driven by Acura regional junior series will round out the schedule with two Fall Series Championships in 2019, totalling eight competitions conducted in conjunction with the Provincial Golf Associations. The Fall Series will take place in September in British Columbia and Quebec, where the region’s best junior golfers will compete to earn exemptions into their respective 2020 national championships. The Future Links, driven by Acura Championships provide juniors an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills at the highest level of tournament golf.
The 2019 RBC Canadian Open on the PGA TOUR will be contested June 3-9 at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Hamilton, Ont., and will mark the 110th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship.
The CP Women’s Open will return to the Greater Toronto Area as Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont., will host the stars of the LPGA Tour from August 19-25.
The Astor Trophy makes its return to Canadian soil after 20 years abroad. The 16th playing of the international women’s amateur event will run Aug. 28 to Sept. 1 at Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria, B.C. The five-team competition features both foursomes and stroke play and is contested once every four years between Australia, Canada, Great Britain and Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa.
Cedar Brae Golf Club in Scarborough, Ont., will host the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship from September 9-13, with the winner earning an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Senior Amateur. The Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship will be held Aug. 17-20 at Osoyoos Golf Club in Osoyoos, B.C., with the champion earning an exemption into the 2019 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship and 2020 U.S. Senior Women’s Open.
An accomplished field of international competitors will take to Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont., from Sept. 22–27, for the sixth annual World Junior Girls Championship. The event will welcome 20 countries playing as 3-member squads competing for both a team and individual title.
The Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru National Event will be held at Credit Valley Golf & Country Club on Sept. 23. The one-day event is a celebration of the success of all Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru events held nationwide during the 2019 season. To date, the fundraising efforts of thousands of golfers have totaled more than $6.7 million for breast cancer research since the program’s inception in 2003.
The program’s goal is to drive women’s participation in the game of golf through the use of fun, non-intimidating activities. Click here to learn more about Golf Fore the Cure presented by Subaru.
R&A and USGA release clarifications to Rule 10.2b
The R&A and the USGA have provided two clarifications to Rule 10.2b(4) regarding restrictions on caddies standing behind players which take immediate effect.
The purpose of Rule 10.2 is to reinforce the fundamental challenge of making a stroke and to limit the advice and other help a player may receive during a round.
Rule 10.2b(4) ensures that aiming at the intended target is a challenge that the player must overcome alone. It states:
“When a player begins taking a stance for the stroke and until the stroke is made, the player’s caddie must not deliberately stand in a location on or close to the player’s line of play behind the ball for any reason. If the player takes a stance in breach of this Rule, he or she cannot avoid penalty by backing away.
Exception – Ball on Putting Green: When the player’s ball is on the putting green, there is no penalty under this Rule if the player backs away from the stance and does not begin to take the stance again until after the caddie has moved out of that location.”
The two clarifications provided today can be summarized as follows:
- Meaning of “Begins Taking a Stance for the Stroke”: If a player backs away from a stance, the player is not considered to have begun a “stance for the stroke”. Therefore, a player can now back away from his or her stance anywhere on the course and avoid a breach of Rule 10.2b(4) if the caddie had been standing in a location behind the ball.
- Examples of When a Caddie is Not “Deliberately” Standing Behind the Ball When a Player Begins Taking Stance for Stroke: As written, the Rule does not apply if a caddie is not deliberately standing behind a player. It is clarified that the term “deliberately” requires a caddie to be aware that 1) the player is beginning to take a stance for the stroke to be played and 2) he or she (the caddie) is standing on or close to an extension of the line of play behind the ball. Several examples are given in the clarification to provide additional guidance.
The complete language to the two major clarifications can be found by clicking here.
These clarifications confirm the recent rulings given in relation to Rule 10.2b(4).
Clarifications provide additional guidance on a Rule based on the circumstances that may arise in applying it. They are part of an ongoing list provided to players and referees.
“These clarifications are designed to improve the operation of the Rule and give the players more opportunity to avoid a breach while remaining true to the purpose of the Rule,” said David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A. “We appreciate that this requires some players and caddies to make an adjustment but we believe there is widespread acceptance that it is for the player alone to line up a shot.”
“Experience has taught us that introducing a new Rule requires us to balance patience with a willingness to act quickly when necessary,” said Thomas Pagel, USGA senior managing director of governance. “With so many pivotal changes to the Rules this year, we’ve committed to offering any assistance needed in making the Rules easier to understand and apply, without taking away the inherent challenge of playing the game. We appreciate that everyone involved in drafting these clarifications worked together with this same goal in mind.”
A spirit of collaboration has been central to the initiative to modernise golf’s Rules since it began in 2012 and The R&A and the USGA consulted with various entities in the game, including the LPGA Tour, the European Tour and the PGA TOUR, to ensure an appropriate level of guidance has been given through these clarifications.
A full list of clarifications to golf’s new Rules can be found on www.randa.org and will be incorporated into The R&A’s and USGA’s respective Rules of Golf apps later this year.
Golf’s new Rules were finalized in March 2018, following a worldwide comment period and testing. Educational materials can be found at www.randa.org.
Alex Baldwin becomes first female President in PGA TOUR history
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR announced today that current Vice President of Marketing Partnerships, Alexandra “Alex” Baldwin, has been named President of the Web.com Tour. With the announcement, Baldwin becomes the first female in history to lead one of the PGA TOUR’s six global Tours as President.
Dan Glod, who has served as President of the Web.com Tour since January of 2017, has been elevated to Senior Vice President, Global Sponsorship Strategy and Development in a corresponding announcement.
“We are excited to announce Alex as the new President of the Web.com Tour in what is a watershed moment for our organization,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “In her role as Vice President of Marketing Partnerships, Alex has spearheaded our efforts to provide increased value to our PGA TOUR partners and I know she will have that same level of success on the Web.com Tour. We thank Dan Glod for his tremendous leadership with our partners, tournaments and membership over these last two years and know the Web.com Tour has a great foundation which Alex can continue to build upon.”
Baldwin joined the PGA TOUR in 2017 as Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, where she was responsible for co-leading the Marketing Partnership team and overseeing key partner account teams including Morgan Stanley, Dell, Omni Hotel and Resorts and United Airlines, among others. In addition to spearheading partner oversight, she negotiated extensions and new programs with partners including Avis, MD Anderson, Rolex and Citi.
“I am thrilled for this opportunity to lead the Web.com Tour while drawing on years of experience in golf, sports and business,” said Baldwin. “The Web.com Tour is a tremendous avenue through which we’re able to develop the next generation of PGA TOUR stars, and I’m eager to learn as much as possible about our partners, tournaments and communities as we look to build on the Tour’s incredible 30-year foundation.”
We’ve announced the first female Tour President in @PGATOUR history.
Welcome aboard, Alex Baldwin! https://t.co/FMtA5x3mUl
— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) January 30, 2019
Prior to joining the PGA TOUR, Baldwin was a Corporate Consulting Executive at CAA Sports in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, working with major brands on their strategy and activation plans in sports and entertainment. During that time, she worked strategically with Waste Management and the Waste Management Phoenix Open as well as Synchrony Financial, CVS Health and Concur among others.
For 10 years prior to joining CAA, Baldwin was with Boston-based Fenway Sports Management, consulting clients and driving sales efforts around premier golf properties, including the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Baldwin’s career began in 1992 as an intern with International Management Group (IMG), where she eventually rose to agent, representing the likes of LPGA stars Karrie Webb and Suzann Pettersen, as well as PGA TOUR winners Brad Faxon and Carlos Franco.
The Web.com Tour’s Country Club de Bogotá Championship begins tomorrow in Bogotá, Colombia. The event is the third of 27 tournaments on the Tour’s 2019 schedule, which will conclude with the sixth-annual Web.com Tour Finals in August and September.
Louis Melanson Golf Academy Set for Grand Opening
Written by Dwayne Tingley
Louis Melanson has been coaching junior golfers in New Brunswick to unprecedented success during the past couple of decades and he believes the best days are yet to come.
Much of his optimism is based on the impact that will be made by the Louis Melanson Golf Academy’s indoor training facility, which holds it grand opening at 211 Mill Rd. in Moncton this Saturday from 1-3 p.m.
“If we look ahead two or three years, we are going to see a lot of junior golfers playing at a very high level,” said Melanson, general manager of the Fox Creek Golf Club and head coach of the New Brunswick junior men’s team.
“These kids are going to benefit from getting year-round instructions and the ability to practice and have gym training all year long,” he added. “These kids love to come to the facility and we’re seeing them make big improvements in their golf game.”
The 7,000 square-foot facility is housed in the former Ecole Champlain and features a driving range designed for six players at a time, a putting green, two Trackman simulators and a well-equipped fitness gym. It is the largest indoor golf training facility in Atlantic Canada.
Melanson, who captured the Atlantic PGA teacher of the year award for the eighth time in 2018, is the head instructor. He is assisted by Marc Bourgeois and Jean-Francois Richard.
“I have a lot of great help and we are all focused on the juniors and others who use the facility,” Melanson said. “We are able to give a lot of one-on-one instruction time.”
The facility is home to high school students from the Sport Etude program at Ecole Odyssee and other athletes from Riverview High and Bernice MacNaughton High School. Melanson is anticipating more schools will participate in the near future.
The high school players train for 12-15 hours a week at the facility. Middle schoolers can take advantage of a four-hour a week program.
“We cover every aspect of the training – from overall fitness to golf techniques,” Melanson said, adding that some students from Bathurst and Miramichi have also come to Moncton to work out at the facility.
The facility is not solely for juniors. It is open for lessons and practice for all players during the evenings and on weekends.
Melanson, a national facilitator for Golf Canada, said the complex has been open for about a year, but the official opening was delayed until it was fully-stocked.
“We want to see as many people as possible at the official opening,” he said. “Come see what we are all about and you will see why we are so excited about the future.”
Rickie Fowler holds four shot lead at Phoenix Open; Canada’s David Hearn 26th
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Rickie Fowler had the lead heading into the final round last year at the Phoenix Open, only to see the title slip through his grip for a second time.
He will have a big cushion in his third bid to win the championship following a stellar display of golf.
Fowler had eight birdies in a 7-under 64 on Saturday at TPC Scottsdale to take a four-shot lead over Matt Kuchar into the final round.
Fowler opened with four birdies in six holes and navigated a difficult two-putt on the par-4 18th hole to reach 20-under 193.
Now it’s time to finish it off.
“This one is definitely high on the list, another being Torrey Pines,” Fowler said. “I would say between here and there, those would be the two highest on the list other than a major.”
Kuchar shot a bogey-free 65 to put himself in position for his third victory of the wraparound PGA season. He has been par or better in all 19 rounds this season, winning the Mayakoba Classic and Sony Open.
Justin Thomas, who started one behind Fowler, shot 65 and was five back of his friend and desert roommate.
Branden Grace and Byeong Hun An were at 13 under on a day golf said goodbye to one of its most distinctive voices.
David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot an even-par 71 to finish the round in a tie for 26th at 7 under.
Saturday’s third round was the broadcasting finale of NBC lead golf analyst Johnny Miller’s career.
Miller followed a Hall of Fame playing career with three decades of calling it the way he saw it, regardless of what the players thought of him. Wanting to spend more time with his family, the 71-year-old Miller decided to call it quits after the Phoenix Open, where he won twice to help earn the nickname “Desert Fox.”
NBC played multiple tributes to Miller during Saturday’s coverage and on-course announcer Roger Maltbie’s voice cracked as he talked about his friend.
“I appreciate the people out there. I do my commentating for you,” Miller said. “I’m glad you accepted my form of commentating, which was not normal. It was a little rough at first, but it’s just been a pleasure, the friendships I’ve made.”
Fowler had the 54-hole lead at last year and fell flat in the final round, shooting 73 to finish six shots behind champion Gary Woodland. He also lost in a playoff in 2016.
Fowler put himself in position for a third run at the title with a superb round of golf.
He had a one-shot lead over Thomas after closing with four birdies for a 6-under 65 in Friday’s second round. Fowler made an eight-foot birdie putt on 18 to reach 13 under and quickly added to it on Saturday, dropping in an 18-foot birdie putt on the par-4 first hole.
Fowler, who shot 64 in the opening round, added birdies on Nos. 3, 5 and 6 to reach 17 under, but had a par putt lip out after he hit into the greenside bunker at the par-3 seventh. He hit his approach to two feet for birdie at No. 9, turning in 4-under 31, and followed a birdie at the difficult 11th with a two-putt birdie on No. 13.
Fowler reached 20 under with a birdie on the short par-4 17th for a nice cushion heading into what’s expected to be a rainy final round.
“I’ve done a good job of kind of everything this week,” he said. “Nothing’s standing out as super special, just playing solid golf and when I’ve gotten into trouble, being able to get up and down most of the time.”
Playing in the group ahead of Fowler, Thomas and Grace, Kuchar had three birdies for a 3-under 32 on the front nine and rolled in a nine-foot birdie putt on the 167-yard 12th hole. He two-putted for birdie on the par-5 13th and made a five-foot birdie on 15 to reach 16 under.
Kuchar missed a good opportunity on No. 17, sliding a six-foot birdie putt past the hole, but finished with a nice save from the greenside bunker on No. 18.
“It would be amazing to get three wins this early,” Kuchar said. “It had been a number of years since I found the winner’s circle, so to have gotten two in this year has been amazing.”
It may take an amazing round of golf to catch Fowler.
RBC and PGA Scramble renew partnership
Following a record turnout in 2018, RBC has renewed its partnership with the PGA of Canada as title sponsor of the PGA Scramble.
The three-year agreement sees the financial institution remain as title sponsor of the RBC PGA Scramble alongside presenting sponsor, The Lincoln Motor Company.
“We couldn’t ask for a better partner than RBC for this amazing, expanding national event series,” said PGA of Canada CEO Kevin Thistle. “RBC’s commitment to the game of golf in this country is fantastic and we look forward to growing the RBC PGA Scramble of Canada in communities across Canada for years to come.”
The RBC PGA Scramble of Canada saw nearly 9,000 golfers from across the country participate in 2018 – an increase of over 60 per cent from the previous year. The 21 teams who participated in the 2018 PGA Scramble National Final at Cabot Links—which are comprised of four amateurs and a PGA of Canada professional—all made it through local and regional qualifying events.
As one of the largest amateur golf competitions in Canada, the 2019 edition of the RBC PGA Scramble of Canada looks to see continued growth, with estimates that more than 10,000 golfers from across the country will participate in the series of local and regional events next summer.
“We‘re thrilled to renew our partnership with the PGA of Canada and support the RBC PGA Scramble in providing amateur golfers with an experience of a lifetime,” said Shannon Cole, Senior Director, Brand Marketing, RBC. “This tournament is a real opportunity to bring together golf enthusiasts from across the country and enable them to have a shared experience at some of Canada’s best in class golf courses.”
For those golfers who qualify, the RBC PGA Scramble of Canada National Final promises to be the golf trip of a lifetime. The 54-hole championship at one of Canada’s premier golf venues will be part of a larger festival of special events, which includes prizing, activations and a chance to interact with celebrities.
For more information about the RBC PGA Scramble of Canada presented by The Lincoln Motor Company, please visit rbcpgascramble.com.
Tiger leaves impression on Canadians Ben Silverman and Mackenzie Hughes
Ben Silverman didn’t have to look up his pairings for the fourth round of the Farmers Insurance Open last Sunday. His phone began vibrating as soon as they were announced.
Silverman was paired with golfing great Tiger Woods for the final round of the PGA Tour event in a trio with Scott Stallings. Silverman, from Thornhill, Ont., was inundated with texts from friends and family thrilled that he would be playing alongside the legendary Woods for the first time in his career.
“I had about 20 or 30 messages within about two hours of the tee times being released,” said Silverman. “Everybody already knew. My wife gets the text messages directly from the PGA Tour so she knew right away.”
There are pros and cons to playing a round of golf with Woods. It was exciting to watch the 14-time major winner up close, but the massive gallery that trails Woods from hole to hole can be a distraction.
Silverman shot a 3-over 75 on Sunday to finish the tournament tied for 62nd at 2 under. Woods (67) moved 28 spots up the leaderboard in the final round to tie for 20th at 10 under and Stallings (72) tied for 43rd at 5 under. Justin Rose won the event by two strokes, firing a 21-under par overall.
The key thing Silverman took away from the experience was the way Woods exudes confidence.
“He expects to hit a good shot every time, he expects to have a chance to make birdie, and he expects to make the putt,” said Silverman. “That attitude, the way he’s approaching everything, he doesn’t care whether he’s on the easiest hole of the course or the hardest hole of the course.
“That changed my perspective a little bit because he’s trying to win every single shot he’s playing. I thought it was pretty cool to see and witness first hand and that’s the kind of attitude that helps you win 80 golf tournaments.”
Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., played with Woods in Saturday’s third round. It was Hughes’s second time playing with Woods, as they had been paired with each other for the 2018 Players Championship.
That previous experience helped Hughes feel more comfortable playing alongside Woods, but he agrees with Silverman that there’s nothing quite like it.
“You definitely can feel that energy and that confidence,” said Hughes, who finished the Farmers Insurance Open tied for 29th at 8 under. “He carries himself like a guy who’s won a lot and knows how to do it.
“You just feel like you’re in the middle of an arena, like there’s only you two out there. It’s the wildest thing ever. You feel like you’re in a tournament within a tournament.”
Tiger Woods & Mackenzie Hughes (Getty Images)
An unexpected perk for Silverman was the handful of security guards that keep a watchful eye over Woods. Although protecting Woods was their duty, they would also help clear out crowds if Stallings’ or Silverman’s shots went off line. At one point Silverman needed a bathroom break and the security detail was right there to guide him through the massive crowd.
As beneficial as that personal entourage was, it’s Woods’s strong psychology that’s going to stick with Silverman.
“I think I’m just going to remember those mental lessons I took away from playing with Tiger and take that attitude into the tournament,” said Silverman. “I played the Monday qualifier for the Phoenix Open with that attitude and it was definitely a much different way to approach shots and the course and I liked it a lot.”
Silverman did not quality for the Waste Management Phoenix Open and will next play at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California.
Hughes will be joined at the event in Phoenix by fellow Canadians David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., Blair Hamilton of Burlington, Ont., as well as Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C.
“If I can just drive it a little bit better, I mean I’m driving it pretty well, but if I can find just a few more fairways, that’s going to add up better scores,” said Hughes. “I’m feeling good about my prep and how my game is progressing. It should be a pretty good week, I like the course a lot.”
The USGA And The R&A release 2018 Driving Distance Report
LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. and ST ANDREWS, Scotland – The USGA and The R&A have released the 2018 Annual Driving Distance Report, containing driving-distance data from seven men’s and women’s professional golf tours around the world. This is the fourth annual distance report issued by the game’s governing bodies, completed in an effort to monitor current trends in driving distance.
The 2018 data show that driving distances on these seven tours increased by an average of 1.7 yards, beyond the previous year’s gain of more than 3 yards.
The full report, which can be found via this link, summarizes data provided by the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, PGA European Tour, Ladies European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, Web.com Tour and PGA TOUR Champions Tour based on available data at the time of publication. Introduced in 2015, the report includes data starting with the 1968 PGA TOUR season.
The average driving distance is typically measured on two holes at each tournament and usually results in nearly 40,000 shots being measured over the course of a season on some tours.
The USGA and The R&A continue to be diligent in studying the long-term effect of distance on the game of golf, a global focus first expressed in their Joint Statement of Principles delivered in 2002.
In that document, the organizations reinforced their commitment to ensure that skill is the dominant element of success throughout the game, and that all factors contributing to distance would be considered on a regular basis.
The 2018 report represents one set of data among the already substantial collection of information currently being studied within the context of the ongoing Distance Insights project, which was launched last May to provide a comprehensive and definitive study of the past, present and future impacts of distance at all levels of the game globally.
A progress update on work conducted to date on the Distance Insights project will be delivered by the end of the first quarter of 2019. The USGA and The R&A remain on target to distribute the comprehensive Distance Insights report in the latter half of 2019.
Henderson closes LPGA opener with tie for sixth
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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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.
Henderson closes LPGA opener with tie for sixth
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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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.