Stuart Macdonald Turned It On Late To Secure Himself Status On The Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada Circuit At Q-School In California - Image Credit Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Birdie. Birdie. Birdie. That’s how Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald finished his first qualifying school Friday to secure status on this year’s Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit. That would be your textbook definition of clutch.

The 22-year-old member of Point Grey Golf & Country Club, who is a member of Canada’s national amateur team, finished the 72-hole Q school at the Country Club at Soboba Springs in San Jacinto, Calif., tied for ninth place at three-under par. That guarantees him the first four starts of the Mackenzie Tour season and means he won’t be an amateur much longer.

Stuart Macdonald Looks To Begin The Transition To His Professional Career With A Good Week At Q-School - Image Credit PNGA

by Brian Decker/PGATOUR.com

Vancouver, B.C.'s Stuart Macdonald is looking to earn Mackenzie Tour status this week a Q-School. The member of Golf Canada's National Amateur Team plays out of Point Grey Golf and Country Club, host of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, and recently finished his collegiate career at Purdue University.

MacDonald plans on competing as an amateur into this summer, but has eyes on his next steps and professional future this week in California.

Vancouver, BC's Stuart Macdonald Is Tabbed By Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada Experts As One To Watch This Week At Q-School In California - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Courtesy Brian Decker/ Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada

The quest to earn Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada status resumes this week at The Country Club at Soboba Springs in San Jacinto, California, where 120 players will look to earn their cards to compete on the Mackenzie Tour this season.

Below are all the details from this week along with storylines to watch for from California:

...Sometimes life just needs to get in they way. Like when Henrik Stenson's young daughter ran out to give her Dad a hug during the Valspar Championship. Perfect.

BC's Jared du Toit Is Showing No Signs Of Slowing Down In His Senior Year At Arizona State University - Image Credit Golf Canada

courtesy Golf Canada

LAS VEGAS – National Amateur Squad member Jared du Toit continued his impressive run last week, finishing in a tie for third at the Southern Highlands Collegiate.

The 21-year-old senior (and captain) at Arizona State closed the event at 5-under par—one stroke off the lead. His final-round scorecard included a hole-in-one on the par-3 2nd hole, lifting him into contention down the stretch.

British Columbia Golf Executive Director Kris Jonasson (Far Right) And Four Members Of The 12-Member Board Of Directors  (L-R) -- Patrick Kelly, Helen Jung, Jasvinder Dhaliwal and Michelle Collens -- Participated In A 45-Minute Session Entitled 'Driving Innovation Through Inclusion' - (USGA/Steven Gibbons)

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The board of directors of British Columbia Golf was held up as a shining example of inclusion at the United States Golf Association’s North American Golf Innovation Symposium in Vancouver.

“What makes the organization unique and quite frankly unique in golf, as well as unique generally in business, is the nature of inclusion that exists on the board of directors,” the USGA’s Steve Schloss told the symposium at the Marriott Pinnacle hotel.

USGA Chief Executive Officer Mike Davis Delivers Closing Address 'Imagining The Future' At The Conclusion Of The 2017 North American Golf Innovation Symposium In Vancouver - (USGA/Steven Gibbons)

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Variable-distance golf balls, courses that are more brown than green, hard and fast fairways, slower greens and balls with chips embedded in them that you will always be able to find.

Those are just some of things Mike Davis, executive director of the United States Golf Association, sees in golf’s future.

FAR HILLS, N.J., USA and ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND (March 1, 2017) – The USGA and The R&A have unveiled a preview of proposed new Rules of Golf, as part of a joint initiative to modernize the Rules and make them easier to understand and apply.

The online release of this preview begins a six-month feedback and evaluation period during which all golfers worldwide can learn about the proposed changes and provide input before they are finalized in 2018 and take effect January 1, 2019.

Two-Day Gathering Draws Golf’s Leaders to Vancouver March 6-7

(Feb. 28, 2017) – Entrepreneur and technology investor Jerry Yang will headline a noteworthy lineup of speakers at the 2017 North American Golf Innovation Symposium, which will be hosted by the USGA in conjunction with Golf Canada and the Mexican Golf Federation on March 6-7, 2017, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The co-founder and former CEO of Yahoo! and the founding partner of AME Cloud Ventures, Yang exemplifies the focus on data, innovative thinking and transformative technology that are keystones of the symposium and bedrocks of the USGA’s work in advancing the game toward a stronger, more sustainable future.

Kimberley, BC Product Jared du Toit Breaks Through With A Four-Stroke Victory After Nine Top-10 Finishes With The Sun Devils

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

With the clock ticking on his collegiate golf career, Kimberley’s Jared du Toit desperately wanted to win before he finished his senior year at Arizona State University.

He had come oh, so close. Du Toit had registered nine top 10s since transferring to ASU from the University of Idaho after his sophomore year, including a playoff loss at a tournament in Kona, Hawaii in early February.

SFU's Sy Lovan Fired A 3-Under 69 In The Second Round To Finish In A T13 With Teammate Chris Crisologo - Image Courtesy SFU Athletics

Stockton, CA – The final round of the Stockton Cactus Thaw saw freshman Sy Lovan turn in one of his best performances as a member of the SFU Clan men's golf team, as the Clan ended the two-day competition in a tied for 19th overall. After posting a an 11-over-par 299 yesterday, SFU finished with a six-over-par 294 on day two, totalling 593 strokes over the two rounds.

Clockwise From Top Left: Devin Carrey, David Rose, Patrick Williams, Matt Hill, Russell Budd & Ally Tidcombe Have All Earned Status On The PGA TOUR Lationamérica Circuit For 2017

courtesy Golf Canada

The remaining two of four PGA Tour Latinoamérica Qualifying Tournaments came to a close on Friday in Argentina and Colombia, with three more Canadians earning status in 2017.

In total, six Canadians have earned status on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica by way of Q-school. The Canucks were led by Nova Scotia’s Ally Tidcombe, who finished solo fourth at the Argentina event for the strongest finish by a Canadian. With the result, Tidcombe is exempt through the first half of the season (subject to reshuffle for second half).

A sport environment in which participants - athletes, coaches, volunteers, and officials - are exposed to negative experiences such as bullying can be harmful and cause individuals to quit.

55% of BC sports organizations surveyed know of athletes who have dropped out of #sport because of bullying. 

That’s why viaSport and the Government of B.C. have launched a new #ERASEbullying initiative for every provincial and local sport organization, and all B.C. citizens.

Click HERE or on the image above to take the online Erase Bullying in Sport pledge. 

On February 22, 2017, provincial sport organizations will celebrate the Province’s first Declaration of Commitment to erase bullying in sport across B.C.

Learn more about this initiative and how you can get involved as an organization or individual at www.viaSport.ca./erasebullying

Sammamish, Wash. - Sahalee Country Club and the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) are pleased to announce the return of the Sahalee Players Championship on July 5-7, 2017.

The championship took a hiatus in 2016 while the club hosted the 2016 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, won by Brooke Henderson in a playoff with Lydia Ko.

Quebec's Hugo Bernard Was The Low Canadian For Team Canada At The South American Amateur - Image Credit Golf Canada/ Graig Abel

Golf Canada

PILAR COUNTY, Buenos Aires, Argentina – Team Canada’s Hugo Bernard saved his strongest play for Sunday’s final round of action at the South American Amateur, carding a 5-under par 67 to jump into a three-way tie for seventh place.

Bernard, a Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., native, recorded six birdies at the Martindale Country Club en route to finishing as the low Canadian at 6-under par. The 22-year-old trailed men’s champion Paul Chaplet of Costa Rica, who secured a two-stroke victory at 14-under par.

Abbotsford, BC's Adam Hadwin Followed His Record-Setting 59 In The 3rd Round To Stand-Alone 2nd Place Finish At The PGA TOUR's CareerBuilder Challenge In La Quinta

Golf Canada / PGA Tour Communications

LA QUINTA, Calif. – Hudson Swafford won the fittingly named CareerBuilder Challenge on Sunday for his first PGA TOUR title, following three straight birdies with a closing par for a one-stroke victory.

Swafford shot a 5-under 67 on the Stadium Course at PGA West to finish the three-course, pro-am event at 20-under 268. Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C.,came back with a 70 after his third-round 59 to finish second.

The 2017 Qualifying Tournament will take place at five sites in 2017 Including Crown Isle On Vancouver Island - Image Credit (Chuck Russell/PGA TOUR)

How and when to sign up for this year's Q-Schools

The application for the 2017 Mackenzie Tour Qualifying Tournament will be open to the public on January 19th at 12 p.m. ET.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE APPLICATION

You may access more information about the format, entry fees, field size, eligiblity and more at the above link prior to 12 p.m. ET on January 19th.

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS:

• The application will be available online only
• Payment can be made by VISA or MasterCard only
• The application will go live at 12 p.m. ET

NOTE: Applicant may only play one site. Once applicant is assigned a site, it may not be changed. Sites will be assigned in the order the applications are received.

Should an applicant withdraw within one week of their assigned competition, a processing fee of $1000 will be assessed. Should they withdraw prior to one week of their assigned competition, a processing fee of $250 will be assessed.

No refunds will be issued to contestants after they have started play in the Qualifying Tournament. Contestants who withdraw during the round may be subject to disciplinary action.

Full refunds will be offered to those who withdraw while on the alternate list.

Image Credit Enrique Berardi/PGA TOUR -  Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brian Decker/ Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada

A late rally by the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada fell short on Saturday at Tierra del Sol Resort and Golf, giving PGA TOUR Latinoamérica victory in the first-ever Aruba Cup.

Though the Mackenzie Tour put together a valiant charge, winning five of the first seven singles matches of the day, it wasn’t enough to overcome a daunting 8.5-1.5 deficit, with Latinoamérica prevailing by a 13-7 final score over the three-day match play competition between the two Tours.

Chief Executive Of The R&A, Martin Slumbers - Image Courtesy Twitter

courtesy Golf Canada with files from the R&A

St Andrews, Scotland – The merger of the Ladies’ Golf Union (LGU) and The R&A has been finalized and will come into effect January 1, 2017.

The heads of agreement between the two organisations was signed in June leading to the integration of the LGU’s business operations and its members of staff into The R&A group of companies. An agreed governance structure has also been implemented to give LGU Board members representation on relevant R&A Committees.

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.