Beautiful Gallagher's Canyon Golf & Country Club Will Host The Inaugural GolfBC Championship In Kelowna From June 6 -12th - Image Courtesy GolfBC

By Brian Decker, Makenzie Tour - PGA Tour Canada

The Mackenzie Tour heads to Kelowna for the first time this week for the inaugural GolfBC Championship, a brand-new event at Gallagher’s Canyon Golf and Country Club. Here’s a look at the storylines for the week, including what’s at stake, players to watch and key notes.

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – The PGA TOUR announced today that PGA TOUR Canada – Mackenzie Tour President Jeff Monday will be retiring from the PGA TOUR after more than 30 years of service.

In 2012, Monday led exploratory efforts to determine the PGA TOUR’s role with the Canadian Tour, and he subsequently assumed the position of President when the TOUR agreed to assume operational control of the Tour starting with the 2013 season.

Monday has overseen significant growth of the Mackenzie Tour, with the schedule now including 12 official events with an average purse of $200,000 (CAD).

Mackenzie Tour alumni since 2013 include 31 PGA TOUR players, including TOUR winners Mackenzie Hughes, Nick Taylor, Aaron Wise, Tony Finau, and Adam Long, and more than 190 Web.com Tour players.

The Mackenzie Tour has also made an impact in the communities in which it plays, having donated $4.1 million (CAD) to charity since 2013, including more than $1 million in each of the last three years.

“Jeff Monday has made incredibly significant contributions to our business during his career at the PGA TOUR,” said PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan.

“Thanks to Jeff’s vision and leadership, establishing the Mackenzie Tour has been a cornerstone of our international growth over the last six years, and the Tour is set up to flourish well into the future. We can’t thank Jeff enough for his contributions and leadership over the last 30 years.”

Prior to his position with the Mackenzie Tour, Monday held leadership roles as Senior Vice President and Chief of Operations for PGA TOUR Champions; Senior Vice President of Tournament Development; Vice President of Tournament Business Affairs for PGA TOUR Champions and Web.com Tour; and Vice President, Retail Marketing.

He joined the TOUR in January 1988, leaving to oversee the American Golf Sponsors for five years before returning to TOUR employment in 1995.

“It has been my profound honor to work for the PGA TOUR for these last 30 years. My first thought has been about the great people I have met and the experiences I have had. To be in an environment where you provide competitive opportunities for players while seeing the positive impact these tournaments have in communities has been something very special, and I will always value and treasure my involvement with that,” said Monday.

“To work extensively on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, the Web.com Tour and, for the last seven years, the Mackenzie Tour has left me with a great appreciation for how many really good people there are in the golf world. It has been a true joy to be a part of this wonderful sport. I just feel so privileged and grateful.”

The transition in Mackenzie Tour leadership will include longtime Championship Management Executive Director Todd Rhinehart alongside current Mackenzie Tour Vice President Scott Pritchard.

Rhinehart will serve as a Managing Director for several of the TOUR’s international business interests, including the Mackenzie Tour.

Previously, Rhinehart oversaw the PGA TOUR’s CIMB Classic in Malaysia as Executive Director, beginning in 2012, also assisting in the TOUR’s business development in Southeast Asia.

Prior to his stint overseas, Rhinehart was the executive director of the TOUR Championship in Atlanta with additional responsibilities with various World Golf Championships events and the Presidents Cup.

He has been with the TOUR since 1999.

Pritchard will continue to be based in the PGA TOUR’s Canada offices in Toronto, Ontario.

As Vice President of the Mackenzie Tour, he will assume additional responsibilities overseeing tournament business affairs, marketing, sponsorships, and scheduling.

Pritchard is a veteran of the golf industry, having previously worked for the PGA of Canada in a number of roles from 2003 to 2011.

He joined the PGA TOUR in February 2012 after working at the Canadian Tour as Director of Business Development and Communications.

About the Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada

The Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada is a series of tournaments played across Canada each summer, where tomorrow’s stars begin the path to the PGA TOUR.

The leading five money winners at the end of each season earn status on the Web.com Tour for the following year.

The Tour’s alumni include 31 PGA TOUR players and more than 190 Web.com Tour players since 2013.

The Mackenzie Tour’s mission is to deliver a PGA TOUR experience for its members, fans, volunteers and partners in order to develop the future stars of professional golf and enrich the communities it visits.

The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada is busy preparing for another strong season, announcing on Thursday the dates and sites for its six 2019 Qualifying Tournaments, events that determine the membership of the Mackenzie Tour.

The six sites will be: TPC San Antonio in San Antonio, TX (February 25-March 1), Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howie-In-The-Hills, FL (March 4-8), Carlton Oaks Golf Club in Santee, CA (March 25-29), Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, AZ (April 1-5), TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (April 22-26) and Crown Isle Resort & Golf Club in Courtenay, BC (April 29-May 3).

Each event is a 72-hole, no-cut qualifying tournament, with fields of 120 players.

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.

2017 B.C. Amateur Winner Jake DuVall Of Victoria Will Be Trying His Hand At The Crown Isle Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada Q-School This Week - Images Courtesy Golf Canada/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Class will be in session once again at Crown Isle Golf Resort in Courtenay, where the last of five Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada spring qualifying schools is being held May 1-4.

It’s the last chance for players to earn a ticket to this year’s 13-stop Mackenzie Tour, which begins its season May 31-June 3 with the Freedom 55 Financial Open at Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver. Victoria’s Jake DuVall, last year’s B.C. Amateur champion, and 2014 B.C. Amateur runner-up Mike Belle of Burnaby are among the field of 132 players who will compete in the 72-hole competition at Crown Isle.

Image Courtesy PGA TOUR

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit has released an eight-event schedule for Canadian-based players that concludes with tournaments in Kelowna and Victoria in late September and early October.

The schedule touches both coasts as it includes two tournaments in Prince Edward Island in late August and early September.

The schedule begins July 29 - Aug. 1 with the Mackenzie Investments Open in Blainville, Que. It concludes Sept. 31 - Oct. 3 with the DCBank Open presented by Times-Colonist at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria.

The GolfBC Championship at Gallagher’s Canyon in Kelowna goes Sept. 23-26. The tour’s regular Vancouver-area event will not be played this year.

The Pacific Links Championship Has Announced The Addition Of (L-R): Sandy Lyle, Tom Kite & Ian Woosnam To The Field For The September Event At Bear Mountain In Victoria - Image Courtesy Pacific Links

Strong Field Continues To Build For September Event On PGA TOUR Champions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Victoria, B.C. (August 2, 2016) – World Golf Hall of Fame members Sandy Lyle and Tom Kite, along with 1991 Masters Tournament winner Ian Woosnam, have committed to play the 2016 Pacific Links Championship. The event will be contested on Bear Mountain Golf Resort’s Mountain Course in Victoria, British Columbia the week of September 19-25, 2016, featuring a US$2.5 million purse, with 81 players competing for a winner’s share of $440,000.

Justin Shin From Maple Ridge Was The Top Finisher From BC Among The 10 Canadians Who Took Part In The Final Stage At Web.com Tour Q-School Coming In T35 - Image Golf Canada

Golf Canada

Winter Garden, FL - Thornhill, Ont., native Ben Silverman tied for 6th and led the way for the 10-player Canadian contingent taking part in the final stage of Web.com Tour qualifying at Orange County National near Orlando, Fla.

Silverman birdied three of his last five holes to finish at four under on the day and 10-under overall, seven shots back of the winning score. By virtue of finishing in the top 10, Silverman is guaranteed spots in the Tour’s first 12 events of 2017.

Calgary’s Ryan Yip carded had a 70 on Sunday to tie for 23rd at 6-under. Justin Shin of Maple Ridge, B.C., fired a 69 for a share of 35th at 4-under. Listowel, Ont., native and Team Canada Young Pro Corey Conners tied for 42nd at 3-under.

Marc-Etienne Bussieres Closed With A Final-Round 6-under 66, Making An Eagle And Three Birdies Over The Final Nine Holes To Win The PGA Assistants Championship - Image Courtesy PGA of Canada 

[RICHMOND, B.C., Sept. 14, 2017]—Marc-Etienne Bussieres parlayed an incredible final nine holes at Richmond Country Club into a win at the PGA Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf.

Bussieres closed with a final-round 6-under-par 66, making an eagle and three birdies over the final nine holes to chase down and eventually pass his good friend Sonny Michaud.

Adam Hadwin Holds Valspar Trophy Follwing His First PGA TOUR Victory - Image Credit Kelly Murray

First A PGA TOUR Win And Now A Wedding. And Next Month, The Masters

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Adam Hadwin knew March was going to be a special time in his life. Just not this special.

His March 24th wedding in Scottsdale, Ariz., to fiancee Jessica Kippenberger figured to be the highlight of his year -- and still will be -- but Hadwin will also remember March 12, 2017 as another big day in his life.

His wedding will change his life and so will his first PGA TOUR win Sunday at the Valspar Championship on Florida’s west coast.

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.

Tennessee's Andrew McCain Claimed Medalist Honours In The Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada Q-School Stop At Crown Isle Resort In Courtenay, B.C. With Burnaby's Michael Belle (Inset) Finishing as Top Canadian At T6 - Images Courtesy Minnesota Golf Assosciation & Vancouver Golf Tour)

Via Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada Communications

(Courtenay, British Columbia) — Making 22 birdies and an eagle through four rounds at Crown Isle Resort, Andrew McCain claimed medalist honours by three strokes at the sixth and final Mackenzie Tour Q-School event of the 2019 season.

“It’s not really like a normal golf tournament because it’s more stressful all the way through,” said the Knoxville, Tennessee native. “At the same time, it’s almost more satisfying just because you have one shot every year to do it, so to show up and have some game when it matters, that means a lot.”

CPKC Women's Open Champion Megan Khang With The Trophy From Her First LPGA Victory - Brad Ziemer/BC Golf Photo

By Brad Ziemer. British Columbia Golf

Through it all, through all the close calls and the 33 top-10s, Megan Khang never stopped believing. She knew there would be a magical moment like the one that unfolded early Sunday evening on Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club’s 18th hole.

Finally, Khang is a winner on the LPGA Tour. She did it in the most dramatic fashion, birdieing the 72nd hole to force a playoff with South Korea’s Jin Young Ko and then winning it on the first extra hole.

by Alfie Lau

Kelowna’s Megan Osland’s golf future continues to burn bright after she finished T12 at the Stage 1 LPGA Qualifying School in Rancho Mirage, CA from Aug. 3-9.

Osland, who just completed her senior year at San Jose State University, shot rounds of 73-72-69-72 to finish at (-2) 286 and handily advances to Stage 2 LPGA Q School, which will be held Oct. 19-25 at the Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, FL.

Merritt, BC's Roger Sloan (R) Shown Here At A Media Event At Bear Mountain Golf Resort In Victoria Last Year, Moved 84 Places Up The World Golf Ranking This Past Week - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

Courtesy Golf Canada

It was another stellar week for BC golfers in the Top 10 Weekly rankings as published by Golf Canada. Merritt's Roger Sloan and Victoria's Lawren Rowe both made signifcant gains in the OWGR while Abbotsford's Adam Hadwin, now solidly inside the Top 50 Professional Male Ranking in the world took some time off to get married ahead of his first appearance in next week's Masters at Augusta, GA.

Outside of the 'Top 10' some other very impressive gains by Canadians were also made, including Coquitlam's Euna Han whose victory in the CJGA Western Canadian Junior Championship in some very difficult conditions at Surrey's Northview GC vaulted her 315 places up the world standings for amateur women.

By BRENDAN STASIEWICH, PGATOUR.COM

Struggle. Is there a more appropriate word to describe life as a professional golfer attempting to reach his PGA TOUR dream?

Canada's Mike Weir Will Make His Third Appearance As A Presidents Cup Asst. Captain - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — International Team Captain Trevor Immelman announced his four captain’s assistants for the 2022 Presidents Cup: Canada’s Mike Weir, Korea’s K.J. Choi, Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy, and Colombia’s Camilo Villegas. The foursome will join Immelman at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 20-25.

Weir will make his third appearance as captain’s assistant after serving for Nick Price at the 2017 Presidents Cup and in 2019 for Ernie Els. The Canadian has competed in five Presidents Cups (2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009) and was teammates with Immelman in 2005 and 2007. An eight-time PGA TOUR winner, Weir is 13-9-2 all-time at the Presidents Cup and is one of five International Team members with 10 or more match wins in competition.

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.”

Mission Native Kevin Stinson Has A Spot In The Season-Opening Mackenzie Tour Event At Point Grey, But Is No Longer Chasing The PGA TOUR Dream - Image Credit Mike West/VGT

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Much is made of the considerable success the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit has had in developing players and helping them move on to the Web.com and PGA TOURs.

We hear less about the many others who don’t make it to golf’s promised land. Mission’s Kevin Stinson is one of those and he’s okay with that.

Jimmy Jones, The Son Of Former LPGA Tour Winner Dawn Coe-Jones From Lake Cowichan, BC, Has Received A Sponsor’s Exemption To Play In The Freedom 55 Financial Open At Point Grey GC - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Jimmy Jones will begin his professional career later this month at Point Grey Golf & Country Club, the same Vancouver course where 15 years ago his mom, Dawn Coe-Jones, was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Jones attended that ceremony, held the week of the Canadian Women’s Open, but doesn’t remember much about it. He was only seven years old, after all. “I have seen some pictures and I remember one of my mom’s friends was there and he played for the Islanders and had four Stanley Cup rings and I was hockey player at the time, so that got my attention,” Jones recalled during a telephone interview from his Florida home.