image credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

Written by Leslie Dunning/Courtesy Golf Canada & CSCM

The Invictus Games, held in Toronto in September 2017, included a golf event hosted by St. George’s Golf Club where spectators were treated to outstanding performances by the athletes. Those of us fortunate enough to attend the event could not help but imagine the opportunities of engaging more people with disabilities in golf.

“This was the most memorable and inspirational event we have been a part of,” said Jason Clarke, CCM, who was general manager at St. George’s during the Games.

Merritt's Roger Sloan Is The Lone BCer In This Week's Season-Opener On The PGA TOUR - BC Golf File Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

One season ends and another begins. There really is no off-season anymore on the PGA TOUR, which tees off its 2020-21 season with this week’s Safeway Open in Napa, Calif.

It is the first of a record 50 tournaments, including six majors, scheduled over the next year in what the PGA TOUR has dubbed a ‘super season.’

The U.S. Open and Masters, both postponed due to COVID-19, will be played twice over the next year.

By DANIEL RAPAPORT, GolfDigest.com

A 22-year-old Irishman made history becoming the first golfer with disabilities to compete in a European Tour event. 

Click here to read the full story...

Relief from the cart path wasn’t the answer for these players who make amazing shots hitting off the concrete.

And is there any surprise at all that four of the shots are courtesy of Phil Mickelson? Probably not. 

Adam Cornelson Won The Mackenzie Tour - PGA Tour Canada's Bayview Place Island Savings Open In 2016 - Image Courtesy adamcornelsongolf.com

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

In his new life, Langley’s Adam Cornelson often finds himself in operating rooms observing intricate orthopedic surgeries. In some ways it reminds Cornelson of his former life as a touring golf professional. “I find it very similar to what golf used to give me,” says Cornelson, who sells medical equipment for Conmed, a large U.S. based company.

“When I know I have to go into the operating room the next morning I am kind of studying and preparing and I am nervous. There’s two or three hours of intensity and then you kind of relax. I find it very similar to a golf tournament.”

Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada Executive Director Scott  Pritchard - BC Golf File Photo

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Canadian content. The PGA TOUR currently has lots of it. The Mackenzie Tour could use more of it.

The four-event Canada Life Series, which begins next week at Bear Mountain near Victoria, is designed in part to give Canadians access to the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit.

Scott Pritchard, the Mackenzie Tour’s executive director, acknowledges that a lack of Canadian content is something of a challenge for his circuit.

The First Two Events Of The Canada Life Series Will Be Held At Bear Mountain’s Valley And Mountain Courses In Langford - Image Courtesy Bear Mountain

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit could certainly use some additional Canadian content and a summer series of four events announced Friday will help address that issue.

The Mackenzie Tour has partnered with Canada Life for four 54-hole tournaments that will be for Canadian residents only. The first two tournaments will be held next month at the Bear Mountain Resort near Victoria with the final two events scheduled for the TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in early September.

Each event of what is being called the Canada Life Series will offer a purse of $50,000 Cdn. More importantly, the series will offer players an opportunity to earn some status on next year’s Mackenzie Tour.

Canada Life To Sponsor Tournaments In Langford And Caledon, With 2021 Mackenzie Tour Starts And RBC Canadian Open Invite On The Line

For Immediate Release

TORONTO, Canada—With the official Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada sidelined this season due to issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tour announced Friday that it will hold a series of four tournaments for players residing in Canada. The tournaments are set for Langford, British Columbia, and Caledon, Ontario, in August and September, all events contested under the direction of the Mackenzie Tour and its staff.

The Canada Life Series will feature two 54-hole events at Bear Mountain Golf & Tennis Resort Community in Langford on Vancouver Island and two more at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. Fields will consist of Canadian professionals and elite amateurs, as well as Mackenzie Tour members, regardless of citizenship, who are already in Canada. Officials anticipate field sizes between 90 and 120 players, with purses set at $50,000 (CAD) per event.

The Canadian Pacific Women’s Open LPGA Event Will Return To Shaughnessy In 2021 - Image Courtesy Facility

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The Canadian Pacific Women’s Open has become another COVID-19 sports casualty and will not be played late this summer at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver. 

Golf Canada made the announcement Tuesday. With the Canada-U.S. border remaining closed and strict self-quarantine restrictions in place, it simply was not feasible to play the event, which was scheduled for Sept. 3-6. There was some good news for Shaughnessy and Metro Vancouver golf fans, however, as the Southwest Marine Drive layout will play host to the event in 2021.

Vancouver Golf Professional Stuart Macdonald Recorded His Best-Ever Finish With A T27 At The Utah Championship Improving His Exempt Status - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Stuart Macdonald has conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour and knows that means he must take advantage of every opportunity he gets to play. So far, the Vancouver native is doing just that. Macdonald had his best-ever finish on the Korn Ferry Tour this past weekend when he tied for 27th at the Utah Championship.

Macdonald has drawn into three events this year on the Korn Ferry Tour and has made the cut in each tournament. That will help him when the tour reshuffles its priority rankings in late July.

Nick Taylor First Broke 80 On Ledgeview Golf Course, Then 70. Now He Is On A Quest For A Sub-60 Round - Image Credit Darren MacDonald/UFV Athletics

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Ledgeview Golf Club is as comfortable as a pair of old shoes for Nick Taylor, who feels right at home at the Abbotsford layout he literally grew up on.

It seemed fitting that as he prepares to head back to the PGA TOUR after a nearly four-month absence, Taylor dropped by Ledgeview to play one final round. He was there Friday, June 26th, as the host of his annual fundraiser for the University of the Fraser Valley -- the Nick Taylor Charity Pro-Am.

Trail Native And Former Burnaby Mountain Assistant Kate Weir Is The New Head Pro At Rivershore, A Robert Trent Jones Sr. Layout In Kamloops - Image Courtesy PGA of BC

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Ask Kate Weir how she got started playing golf and the new head pro at Rivershore Golf Links will tell you that she really didn’t have a choice. 

Her parents golfed and they were determined their daughter would, too, so Weir accompanied them to Rossland-Trail Country Club (now called Birchbank Golf Course). 

It wasn’t exactly love at first swing.

Abbotsford, BC's Nick Taylor Poses With His Wife Andie, Young Son Charlie, And The Pebble Beach Pro-Am Winner's Trophy From Earlier This Year - Image Courtesy @ntaylorgolf59/Twitter

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Nick Taylor has a plan for his return to the PGA TOUR and it has everything to do with his family. 

Taylor is not in the field for this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Tex., as the PGA TOUR resumes play after a three-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Abbotsford native won’t be playing the following two weeks, either, at the RBC Heritage and Travelers Championship.

Taylor instead plans to return for the first of two events at Muirfield Village in Columbus, Ohio in early July. Then he plans to play every week through, hopefully, the Tour Championship on Labour Day weekend in early September.

Jared du Toit Of Kimberley BC Is Intrigued By The PGA TOUR's Hint At Having Some 'Make-up' Events For Players Who Have Been Affected By The Shutdown. James Allenby Of Langley And Riley Wheeldon Of Comox Are Also Interested - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

This year was supposed to be a golfing adventure of sorts for Jared du Toit, the former B.C. Junior Boys champion who has exempt status on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica circuit.

But instead of visiting and playing in exotic locales like Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, du Toit has been playing all of his golf in the East Kootenays near his Kimberley home. He returned home from his winter base in Arizona in late March and has tried to keep his game in shape, which wasn’t easy at first with snow still on the ground.

Riley Wheeldon (Top Left) And James Allenby (RIght) Will Have To Wait Another Year To Get Back Out On The Mackenzie Tour - Images Credit BC Golf/Golf Canada (Chuck Russell)

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

James Allenby and Riley Wheeldon were not surprised by the official word that the 2020 Mackenzie Tour - PGA Tour Canada season was being cancelled. Just profoundly disappointed.

Their professional golf dreams are on hold for another year. Langley’s Allenby and Comox native Wheeldon both had exempt status for this year’s Mackenzie Tour, which was officially cancelled on Friday.

The Full-Operational Focus For The Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada Points Toward A 2021 Restart - Image Courtesy Mackenzie Tour/Golf Canada

TORONTO, ONTARIO – Due to border restrictions, mandatory quarantines for those entering Canada and gathering restrictions in all provinces because of COVID-19, the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced Friday that it is canceling its 2020 season.

“With growing uncertainty surrounding the border and the 14-day quarantine regulations, among other factors, we’ve weighed all of our options and concluded that it is not feasible to play this summer,” said Mackenzie Tour Executive Director Scott Pritchard.

Image courtesy Jim Epler/Flickr

Courtesy Golf Canada (Written by John Chidley-Hill/ Canadian Press)

As far as Mike Weir is concerned, 50 is the new 20.

The Canadian golfing legend will reach his half-century mark on Tuesday and qualify to join the PGA Tour Champions, the senior circuit for professional men’s golf. Although the date of the next tournament is still up in the air thanks to restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Weir is ready for a new beginning in his career.

“The interesting thing about professional golf is that you look forward to your 50th birthday instead of dreading it,” said Weir. “I’ve been looking forward to this for quite a while.”

Image - Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

MEDIA RELEASE

 – Golf Canada and RBC will now pivot all efforts towards planning for a celebrated return of the RBC Canadian Open in 2021 – 

TORONTO – With continued public health concerns as well as international travel and government restrictions due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the PGA TOUR, in consultation with Golf Canada and RBC, has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 RBC Canadian Open.

The event was scheduled for June 8-14 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club with Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility. The cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open also includes the RBCxMusic Concert Series which was scheduled to take place June 12-13 at Richview Collegiate Institute, featuring headline performances by The Chainsmokers and Keith Urban.

“The RBC Canadian Open has always been a rallying point for Canadian golf and while we share in the crushing disappointment with our fans, players, volunteers and many event partners, our primary responsibility is the safety of our people and our communities,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum.

“It is now our full intention to push forward together with RBC, the PGA TOUR, the City of Toronto and our host clubs with the goal to bring the 2021 RBC Canadian Open to St. George’s Golf and Country Club with Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Korn Ferry Tour aims to restart in mid-June;

Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada postpones first six events of its season

April 16, 2020 – With additional time needed to ensure PGA TOUR tournaments are staged in the most safe and responsible manner possible given the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the PGA TOUR is announcing further schedule modifications for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, as well as plans for the opening portion of the 2020-21 PGA TOUR Regular Season, the restart of the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour season and updates regarding the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada schedule.

The PGA TOUR had previously targeted the week of the Charles Schwab Challenge (May 18-24) as the restart of the TOUR season, which has been suspended since THE PLAYERS Championship was canceled on Thursday, March 12. For health and safety reasons due to COVID-19, today’s announcement delays that timeline three weeks – to June 8, starting with the Charles Schwab Challenge – with additional tournaments being repositioned between then and the season’s conclusion, which is the TOUR Championship, ending on Labor Day (September 7).

At this time, the TOUR plans to resume play with the first four events closed to the general public but will continue to monitor the situation and follow the recommendations of local and state authorities in order to determine the most appropriate on-site access in each market. As such, the TOUR will continually review available COVID-19-related protocols that could be implemented at PGA TOUR events to ensure the health and well-being for all involved.

Courtesy Golf Focus and YouTube

Over the years, The Masters has become a tradition unlike any other, taking place every April. This year however, it has been postponed to November. In lieu of an April 2020 Masters, we present this video of some of the greatest shots and moments from The Masters over the years.

The Masters was started by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, and was first played at Augusta National (designed by Jones and Alister MacKenzie) in 1934. In 1949, the tournament began giving out a Green Jacket to the champion.

Enjoy.