Players At This Week's CP Women’s Open Will Be Wearing Yellow Ribbons In Honour Of Cowichan, B.C.'s Dawn Coe-Jones Who Passed Away From Cancer Last Year - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

by John Gordon (Courtesy Golf Canada)

When you see players wearing yellow ribbons at this week’s CP Women’s Open at the Ottawa Golf and Hunt Club, think “DCJ.”

Those are the initials of Dawn Coe-Jones, one of Canada’s most outstanding golfers who died of bone cancer last November at the age of 56. The ribbons are to honour her memory and to remind us all of the toll this terrible disease takes.

Born in Lake Cowichan, B.C., Coe-Jones won the B.C. Junior Championship in 1978 and 1979 and then the B.C. Amateur in 1982. In 1983, she defended her provincial amateur title and capped off the season by winning the Canadian Amateur Championship.

After being named an NCAA All-American at Lamar University in Texas, Coe-Jones headed to the LPGA Tour where she won three times, including the 1995 Tournament of Champions.

The Vancouver Open Charity Pro-Am put on by The Vancouver Golf Tour (VGT) takes place on Wednesday, September 20th at Northview Golf & Country Club in Surrey and they are actively looking for those interested in playing in the tournament and also for additional volunteers.

VGT Commissioner Fraser Mulholland has put out the following release and information on the event:

Richmond's Chris Crisologo, Shown Here At The B.C. Amateur At Morgan Creek Last Month, Is In The Field At The U.S. Amateur This Week At Riviera GC In Los Angeles - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

A tie for second on Sunday by veteran Wes Heffernan of Calgary notwithstanding, it has been a tough year for Canadians on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit.

Eight events into the 12-tournament season, Kimberley’s Jared du Toit is the top Canadian on the Mackenzie Tour’s money list. And he’s 22nd.

That’s right, there’s not a single Canadian inside the top 20. To this point anyway, it’s the worst year for Canadians since the PGA TOUR started running what used to be the Canadian Tour in 2013.

Clockwise From Top L: Tom Lehman, Mark O’Meara, Jerry Kelly And Rocco Mediate Have All Committed To Competing In 2017 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship In Victoria - Image Courtesy SportBox PR

VICTORIA, B.C. (August 10, 2017) – Tournament Organizers announced today that four golf stars have committed to playing in the 2017 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship; Tom Lehman, Mark O’Meara, Jerry Kelly and Rocco Mediate will all be joining the famed field.

The event will take place at Bear Mountain Golf Resort in Victoria, British Columbia the week of September 11-17, 2017.

TV Personality And Co-Host Of The Popular Canadian TV Show ‘The Social’ Cynthia Loyst Will Host The 2017 Pacific Links Championship Executive Women’s Day Initiative

VICTORIA, B.C. (July 13, 2017) – Tournament Organizers, Pacific Links International, and PGA TOUR Champions are excited to announce the launch of the 2017 Pacific Links Championship Executive Women’s Day initiative, which will be part of event week and hosted on Saturday, September 16 at The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa.

Cynthia Loyst, Co-Host of national CTV television program ‘The Social’ will act as the keynote speaker of the Executive Women’s Day event. She’s created an advice column, a clothing line, numerous documentaries and is the creator and lead contributor to the popular online destination Find Your Pleasure.

Abbotsford Pro Adam Hadwin Says He Has Lots To Learn About Links Golf Before Teeing It Up At Royal Birkdale - Image Courtesy adamhadwin.com

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Adam Hadwin doesn’t quite know what to expect, on or off the golf course, as he heads to England for his first Open Championship.“I haven’t been over there, I have never been to Europe, not even to vacation or anything,” Hadwin tells British Columbia Golf. “It is going to be different, but I am looking forward to that challenge.”

Well, for starters, Adam, they drive on the left side of the road over there. Seriously, that figures to be the least of Hadwin’s worries. He is more concerned about the crash course in links golf that will begin when he arrives at Royal Birkdale, site of the July 20-23 Open Championship.

Mark Calcavecchia Has Had Great Success In Canada And Is Looking For More In 2017 The Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship - Image Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

2005 Canadian Open Winner Discusses His Return to British Columbia in an Exclusive Interview

VICTORIA, B.C. (June 29, 2017) – Tournament Organizers have announced that 2005 Canadian Open winner and 1989 Open Championship winner Mark Calcavecchia has committed to playing in the 2017 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship.

Calcavecchia has won two tournaments in British Columbia on the PGA TOUR; the 1997 Greater Vancouver Open at Northview and the 2005 Canadian Open at Shaughnessy. Calcavecchia also won the 2012 Montreal Championship on PGA TOUR Champions.

Canadian Women's Golf Legend Lorie Kane (L) And Current LPGA Sensation, Brooke Henderson, Will Vie For The CP Women's Open Title At The Famed Ottawa Hunt Club In August - Image Credit Golf Canada

Courtesy Golf Canada

As part of Canada 150 celebrations, the nation’s capital is hosting the stars of the LPGA Tour, including a strong Canadian contingent led by 4-time LPGA Tour winner Brooke Henderson.

Golf Canada, in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP), has announced many of the world’s top players have committed to play in the 2017 CP Women’s Open from August 21-27 at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club.

Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn leads a stellar list of early commitments set to challenge for the $2.25 million USD purse, one of the largest prizes on tour.

A six-time winner on the LPGA Tour, the Thailand native recently climbed to No. 1 in the Rolex World Rankings following her victory at the 2017 Manulife LPGA Classic in Waterloo, Ont.

The 1979 BC Willingdon Cup Team Including Victoria's Rick Gibson (shown here), Vancouver's Doug Roxburgh, Kelly Murray and Steve Berry Wil Be Enshrined In The BC Golf Hall Of Fame - Images Courtesy Golf Canada & BC Golf Museum

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Victoria native Rick Gibson will be entering the British Columbia Golf Hall of Fame for the third time this fall.

Gibson, who is already in the hall of fame as an individual and as part of Canada’s 1994 Dunhill Cup-winning team, is being inducted again as part of the team that won the 1979 Willingdon Cup for B.C.
That team was unique in that it was comprised of all Marine Drive Golf Club members. Doug Roxburgh, Steve Berry and Kelly Murray were the other members of that team.

Canada's Brooke Henderson, Seen Here Teeing Off In The CP Women's Open At Vancouver Golf Club In 2015 - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Summer is just getting started and Brooke Henderson has an inkling she is going to have a very good one.

The 19-year-old Canadian LPGA Tour star sounded like she was oozing with confidence in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday. Fresh off a victory this past weekend at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Grand Rapids, Mich., Henderson feels like she has turned the corner on what had, by her high standards, been a disappointing start to her 2017 season.

“I really needed this win and I think it's going to turn around my entire season,” Henderson said.

Fred Funk And His Son Taylor - Image Courtesy SportBox PR

Courtesy SportBox PR

VICTORIA, BC (June 15, 2017) - Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship Tournament Organizers announced that PGA TOUR Champions legends Fred Funk, Jay Haas and Paul Goydos have committed to playing in this year’s event, held at Bear Mountain Golf Resort in Victoria, BC.

The three golfers join Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer, Stephen Ames and Scott McCarron on the growing list of PGA TOUR Champions stars that have committed to the 2017 event to date. The latest additions to the Pacific Links Championship are all proud fathers that share the theme of unique and touching stories on the impact that golf has on fatherhood.

Richmond's Chris Crisologo (L) And Kimberley's Jared du Toit (R) Had Solid Outings This Week - Images Credit British Columbia Golf/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Jared du Toit left the GolfBC Championship in Kelowna with his first top 10 as a pro and a course record.

The Kimberley native is just two events into his new professional career and has already seen plenty of highs and lows. Du Toit, the 2015 B.C. Amateur champion, shot a 10-under 61 to set a course record at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf & Country Club in the third round of the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada event.

That round came a day after du Toit had to birdie his final hole in the second round to make the cut. That was thanks mainly to a pair of triple bogeys in his first two rounds.

BC's Phil Jonas Will Be Teeing It With The Legends Of The Game In The 2017 U.S. Senior Open At Salem Country Club In Massachusetts 

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Phil Jonas is about to complete the Senior Open double.

Five years ago, Jonas played in the Senior Open Championship at Turnberry Golf Club in Scotland. On Monday, the 55-year-old Surrey-based teaching pro played his way into this summer’s U.S. Senior Open.

BC's Jared du Toit Debuts As A Professional This Week At Uplands GC In Victoria In The Mackenzie Tour/PGA Tour Canada's Bayview Place Cardtronics Open - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kimberley’s Jared du Toit will make his pro debut at this week’s Bayview Place Cardtronics Open at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria and that sounds very familiar to Max Rottluff, du Toit’s former Arizona State University teammate.

“That’s is where I made my pro debut last year,” Rottluff said after his round Sunday at the Freedom 55 Financial Open at Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver. Rottluff, who hails from Dusseldorf, Germany, thinks du Toit will do just fine on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit.

“Obviously he has shown his game is ready,” Rottluff said of du Toit, the 2015 B.C. Amateur champion. “He has the game, so I'm not too worried. Can he do it in his first event? Hopefully, but I wouldn’t be too worried. I am sure he will do just fine.”

The Combo Of Chris Crisologo And Caddy Alisha Lau, Both Accomplished Players Who Have Represented British Columbia On Numerous Occasions, Teamed Up For A Stellar Performance In The Freedom 55 Financial Open At Point Grey G&CC This Week - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

American Lee McCoy Wins Season-Opening Event On Mackenzie Tour By 8 Shots At Point Grey

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It wasn’t a banner weekend for Canadians at the Freedom 55 Financial Open, but at least one of them was smiling when the season-opening event of the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit concluded Sunday at Point Grey Golf & Country Club.

And he didn’t even cash a cheque.

Richmond amateur Chris Crisologo, teeing it up in his first pro event on a sponsor’s exemption, played like a seasoned veteran at Point Grey. The 21-year-old rising star of Simon Fraser University’s golf team closed with a two-under 70 Sunday to finish the 72-hole event at seven-under par.

Stephen Ames Added His Name To The List Of Those Questioning Bernhard Langer’s Putting Stroke When Asked About It At The Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship Media Day - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

VICTORIA -- Stephen Ames says Bernhard Langer is the talk of the PGA Champions circuit and not just because of his recent back-to-back victories at senior majors.

No, Ames and many of his colleagues on the 50-and-over tour are spending considerable time chatting about Langer’s putting stroke. More specifically, they are questioning whether the soon-to-be 60-year-old German is breaking the rules by continuing to anchor his long putter.

The Freedom 55 Financial Open Is The First Event Of The 2017 Mackenzie Tour Schedule And Will Also Be The Pro Debut For Vancouver's Stuart Macdonald (R) Shown Here With Teammate Lawren Rowe Of Victoria After Winning The Peruvian International Amateur Championship - Image Credit Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Stuart Macdonald practically grew up on the fairways of Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf & Country Club and during many of the “hundreds and hundreds” of rounds played there he would find himself dreaming about becoming a touring pro.

What he never dreamed of was making his pro debut at his home course.

Having Won His First PGA TOUR Event At The Valspar Championship This Year, Adam Hadwin Now Has His Eyes On Another Very Special Trophy - The Claret Jug - Image Credit Kelly Murray

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It wasn’t the finish he was looking for, but Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin still had reason to celebrate after Sunday’s final round of the Dean & DeLuca Invitational in Fort Worth, Tex.

Hadwin tied for 53rd spot at Colonial Country Club, but more importantly he remained inside the top 50 in the latest Official World Golf Ranking and clinched a spot in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

Saskatchewan's Graham DeLaet Poses With The Kids At The 2016 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship Junior Clinic for Kids - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

VICTORIA, B.C. – Tournament Organizers have announced that the 2017 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship Junior Clinic for Kids will take place on Saturday, September 16, from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The clinic will be held at The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa — the site of the PGA TOUR Champions event, and will be hosted by one of the PGA TOUR Champions players competing in the tournament.

Freedom 55 Financial Open Tournament Director David Lee Fay Addressed The Assembled Media At Point Grey Golf Club Prior To The Upcoming Web.com Event - Image Credit British Columbia Golf

Season-Opening Freedom 55 Financial Open Tournament Announces Canucks For Kids Fund Charity Ball Hockey Classic And Sponsor Exemptions 

(May 25, 2017 – Vancouver, B.C.) – The Freedom 55 Financial Open is set to open the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season next week at Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver.

In addition to the 72-hole tournament, the first of 12 Mackenzie Tour events this season that will see players compete to earn status on the Web.com Tour, the Freedom 55 Financial Open has incorporated a Canucks for Kids Fund Charity Ball Hockey event to raise both awareness and donations for the charity, along with the second annual Freedom 55 Financial Open Charity Walk.

Children between the ages of 8 – 12 will have the opportunity to participate in a ball hockey game, which will be coached by Canucks stars Daniel and Henrik Sedin, on the Sunday of tournament week, leading into the golf tournament’s exciting Sunday finish.

The tournament also announced six sponsor exemptions, adding to a field of 156 players from nearly 20 countries for the $175,000 event.