New men’s intercollegiate team championship at Öviinbyrd Golf Club will mark the first NCAA Division I golf event held in Canada

Oakville, Ont. – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the creation of the Canadian Collegiate Invitational tournament that will take place at Öviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ont. from September 15 – 17, 2024.

The tournament will be conducted by Golf Canada and co-hosted by Kent State University and Penn State University who are both led by Canadian head coaches, Jon Mills (Kent State) and Mark Leon (Penn State). The tournament will feature NCAA Division I men’s golf teams with prominent Canadian ties along with the team champions of the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship.

Joining the co-hosts from Kent State and Penn State will be Miami University (Ohio), University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Missouri, University of Notre Dame, Rutgers University, and Washington State University. Also competing will be the 2024 Canadian University/College Men’s Team champions crowned next spring at Idylwylde Golf & Country Club in Sudbury, Ont.

The inaugural Canadian Collegiate Invitational marks the first time that an NCAA Division I men’s golf tournament will be played in Canada.

In addition, the selection camp tournament for the Team Canada – NextGen boys squad will be contested concurrently with the Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Öviinbyrd Golf Club as Canada’s best junior boys look to qualify for the 2025 Team Canada – NextGen squad. Invitation criteria for the selection camp will be made available early in the new year.

“We are excited to add a new tournament to our Amateur Championship schedule and we thank Kent State and Penn State for co-hosting this invitational as we welcome some of the top Division I NCAA collegiate programs to compete in Canada for the first time,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Director, Amateur Championships and Rules, Golf Canada. “We also extend our thanks to Öviinbyrd Golf Club and the partners Paul McLean, Peter Schwartz and Rob Fraser for their gracious support in hosting this inaugural invitational at their golf course. We are also excited to concurrently run our Team Canada – NextGen selection camp tournament, which will provide high-level junior players the opportunity to compare themselves with top-tier NCAA competition.”

Öviinbyrd Golf Club is one of Canada’s premier golf courses, designed by Thomas McBroom and opened in 2004 in Muskoka, Ont. The 7,118-yard layout is set amongst the forests and exposed granite of the Canadian shield in Ontario’s famous cottage country and will create a challenging and memorable experience for the players. Öviinbyrd’s recently renovated practice facility features world class training conditions and state-of-the-art technology and will benefit players participating in both the NCAA event and the Team Canada – NextGen selection camp.

“The Öviinbyrd members and management team look forward to sharing our unique club culture with some of the best NCAA college players and top Canadian junior boys in the fall of 2024,” said Lindsay Franklin, General Manager, Öviinbyrd Golf Club. “With Muskoka as the backdrop to this inaugural event, we are excited to give back to Canadian golf, while creating memorable experiences for the players and helping to advance Canada as a world-class golf country.”

The inaugural championship will be contested over 54 holes in two days, with 36 holes played in the opening round and 18 holes in the final round. The team component will feature five members per team with the top four scores for the day counting to the overall team score. The individual competition will be stroke-play with the winner receiving an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open and the top-five receiving exemptions into the 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.

Consideration is on-going for the addition of a women’s NCAA Division I tournament in parallel with additional opportunities to expand the women’s competitive golf schedule in Canada. The full 2024 Amateur Championship schedule including the Team Canada – NextGen Girls selection camp tournament will be announced in the new year.

ABOUT THE TEAMS…

Kent State Golden Flashes (Co-Host)
The Golden Flashes earned four top-10 finishes this fall, including a second-place finish at the Gopher Invitational in September. Kent State are led by head coach Jon Mills of Belleville, Ont. and have three Canadians currently on their roster with Team Canada – NextGen member Ben MacLean of Niagara Falls, Ont., Chris Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que. and James Newton of Ottawa. 2023 NextGen Ontario winner Isaiah Ibit of Ottawa will be a freshman in the fall of 2024. Kent State has been a feeder program to the PGA TOUR for Canadians in the past with Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith all having played for the Golden Flashes during their collegiate careers.

“Kent State has long been associated with excellence in Canadian golf, and we are very excited to welcome other college teams to compete in Canada for the first time and experience Muskoka in the fall,” said Jon Mills.

Penn State Nittany Lions (Co-Host)
The Nittany Lions earned four top-10 finishes during the fall season. Penn State are led by head coach Mark Leon of Toronto and have one Canadian on the roster—Zach Smith of Brampton, Ont.—who will be a sophomore in 2024.

“As a proud Canadian and Penn State Nittany Lion, I’m very proud to be hosting some of the best NCAA programs at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational at Oviinbyrd. Canada continues to emerge as a globally significant golfing country and Penn State looks forward to this groundbreaking event,” said Mark Leon.

Miami (Ohio) RedHawks
The RedHawks have earned four top-10 finishes during the fall season including a pair of fourth place finishes at the Island Resort Collegiate and the Virtues Intercollegiate. Miami features two Canadians on the roster—Cameron Pero of Bloomfield, Ont. and Michael Weber of Burlington, Ont.—who will both be entering their junior years in 2024.

Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines have had a successful fall season winning two tournaments in September. Michigan won their season opener, the Island Resort Intercollegiate, finishing at 30-under and followed it up a couple weeks later winning the Virtues Intercollegiate with a score of 34-under. Michigan closed the fall season with a runner-up finish at The Clerico. Michigan’s Director of Sports Performance and Assistant Coach is Matt Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont. The Wolverines also have two Canadians on their roster—Hunter Thomson of Calgary, Alta. and Bavake Sihota of Caledon, Ont.—who will both be seniors in 2024.

Michigan State Spartans
The Spartans finished as runners-up in the Folds of Honor Collegiate tournament in September. 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Champion and 2023 World Amateur Team Championships Team Canada member, Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont. will be entering his senior year for the Spartans in 2024.

Missouri Tigers
The Tigers enjoyed a strong fall season with one win and one runner-up finish in six tournaments. The Tigers were co-winners with Wake Forest at the Chicago Highlands Invitational in September after finishing at 31-under. Missouri opened the season with a runner-up finish at the Golfweek Collegiate Kickoff, finishing 13-under.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame are led by head coach John Handrigan of Bracebridge, Ont. and have one Canadian on the roster—Owen Mullen of Truro, N.S.—who will be a senior in 2024. The Fighting Irish won their first tournament of the fall season, the Folds of Honor Collegiate by overcoming a five-shot deficit on the final two holes of the tournament, finishing at 8-over.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Scarlet Knights earned five consecutive top-10 finishes during the fall season. Current senior and team captain Xavier Marcoux is a Canadian citizen and represents Canada in competition.

Washington State Cougars
The Cougars have had a strong fall season earning four top-five finishes in five tournaments. The Cougars finished as runners-up at the Golfweek Fall Challenge and the Oregon State Invitational and added a third-place finish at the Visit Stockton Pacific Invitational. 2021 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion and Team Canada member Max Sekulic of Rycroft, Alta. is a recent graduate.

Over 100 players are expected to take part in the 2024 Saskatchewan Mixed Championship hosted at Golf Kenosee next summer.

The event will be held on Aug. 24 and 25.

The co-ed, alternate shot format event is a highlight on the Golf Saskatchewan schedule each year. The two-day, 36-hole championship has been bringing golfing friends, couples, relatives, and strangers together since 1999 when it was added to the provincial lineup. Golf Kenosee hosted the event in 2019, 98 players took part in the championship that year. Proshop Manager Ben Brown said the course is thrilled to welcome the event back to Kenosee Lake.

“We’re very excited,” Brown said. “We’re super proud of our little golf course down here in the southeast and we’re looking forward to showing it off to the rest of the province for sure.”

Not only does Golf Kenosee provide a full-service, championship calibre 18-hole course carved into the forest of Moose Mountain Provincial Park, the entire region provides the full resort feel which makes the golf tournament more of a getaway for players.

“We see a lot of couples coming through, usually once they come and check us out, they are coming back and bringing some friends as well, so it’s a great fit for the Mixed Championship,” Brown said.

Lorie Boyle and Chris Knoop of Moose are the defending champions of the Mixed Championship that was held at Hillcrest Golf Club this year. When Golf Kenosee hosted in 2019, Kathy Ziglo and Ian Larocque won their sixth of seven total Mixed titles.

Golf Saskatchewan Manager of Championships and Rules Alex Schmidt said having Golf Kenosee welcome the championship back is fantastic for the organization as the facility and Kenosee Lake region are a perfect fir for the event.

“First off, Golf Kenosee is a beautiful course, with a top-notch proshop and restaurant. Alongside the entire beach and resort area, nearby casino, campgrounds, and stuff for kids to do, we welcome players to make an entire weekend escape and play some fun, but competitive golf. Alost 100 players enjoyed the event in 2019, next summer is expected to be even better,” Schmidt said.

Registration will open April 15.

Yorkton’s Ella Kozak has signed a Letter of Intent to play collegiate golf at Western Carolina University.

Kozak, 17, made the signing announcement on Thursday at Sacred Heart High School in Yorkton.

She spoke with Golf Saskatchewan about the committment.

The 2024 Saskatchewan Junior Golf Championships will be held at Deer Park Municipal Golf Course in Yorkton next July.

Already a busy golf course for competitive junior events in the province including the Maple Leaf Junior Tour and the Canadian Junior Golf Association, Director of Golf Services Allan Sauser said they have noticed an uptake in junior golf in the city and the excitement of hosting the provincials will only help grow the game.

“It is really exciting for us,” Sauser said. “We have seen a strong resurgence with the junior membership this last year. With the Dr. Brass Academy, we have seen some solid golfers playing a little more golf and being affiliated with a school, that’s certainly the right direction for us.”

The 18-hole championship course last hosted a provincial event in 2020 when Sauser and the Deer Park staff took on the task of hosting the Senior Championships on short notice during the pandemic. The last time the under-19 championships were held in the east-central Saskatchewan city was in 2015. A pair of Prince Albert golfers were crowned champions that year with Brooke Hobson and Cory Selander each won in playoffs. Sauser was there for the event, and many others over the years. He said with the addition of the recently built clubhouse the event and course will provide the players with a great week.

“It’s been a few years, so it is exciting. It’s always nice to host a provincial tournament or a national tournament every few years. It’s exciting because people from other areas come to the golf course, also the new clubhouse, it’s also a good opportunity to get some fresh faces in there as well,” Sauser said.

Since the 2020 senior event the course has made some alterations not including the clubhouse. The signature par-3 hole-8 has been redone, still a magnificent par-3, plus the new seventh green will be in play as it was under construction in 2020. Sauser said those improvements simply add to an already fantastic layout at the course.

“Number eight has always been a fantastic hole and it’s hard to believe they could improve on what it was, so it’s turned out to be a great hole. The new green, the other one was flat, this one has more angulation and is definitely trickier. The new holes are definitely making the golf course a little more exciting,” he said.

The 54-hole championships will be held from July 3-5, with practice rounds being played on July 2. New junior champions will be crowned in Yorkton, as defending champions Sarah Armstrong and Luke Cote each graduated to amateurs. Golf Saskatchewan Manager of Championships and Rules Alex Schmidt said Deer Park will provide everything needed for a great week of golf.

“Deer Park has always been a great place to visit and play,” she said. “The course is playable from all tees, the staff is always fantastic, and now with that beautiful new clubhouse, a couple hole renovations, I can’t wait to see how everything plays out in July in Yorkton.”

Registration will open on April 15.

Saskatchewan had 10 players competing in Litchfield, Ariz. on the Remembrance Day long weekend at the 2023 Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) National Championship.

Heading the results was Ochapowace First Nation product Drayjon Sparvier who won the junior boys age category with a 54-hole score of 212, three ahead of Edmonton’s Ryan Garbutt. Sparvier, 19, carded rounds of 67, 76, and 69 at Wigwam Resort claiming the win in in his final MJT event.

Golf Saskatchewan spoke with Sparvier upon his return to Regina.

Kipling’s Winston Grayson and Carter Degelman of Saskatoon tied for 20^th in the age group at 236.

Saskatoon’s Aricin Franklin fell just short of claiming the bantam boys age group. The 14-year-old Riverside Country Club competitor lost in a playoff after he was tied with Pitt Meadows, B.C. player Jaden August. Franklin shot rounds of 73, 71, and 69 for a 54-hole total of 213.

Ethan Hunter was the other Saskatchewan player in the bantam age division. The Casa Rio product opened with an 80 in round one, a 74 during the second round, he concluded the event with a 79 for a total of 233, he tied for 15^th in the age group.

Brayden Skene of Martensville competed in the juvenile boys age group, as did Dane Giesbrecht of Warman. Skene tied for 26^th at 233 (84,74,75) and Giesbrecht was 28^th at 235 (75,75,85).

Pilot Butte youngster Austin Nesbitt placed fourth in the peewee boys age category. The 12-year-old Wascana Country Club member posted scores of 75, 77, and 74 for a three-day total of 226, six shots back of the winner.

In the women’s age groups of under-15 and 15 to 19 Saskatchewan had two players in Arizona competing. Tayla Perry of Regina placed fifth in the under-15 division shooting 87, 84, and 89 for a 54-hole score of 260.

Chloe Wills of Kyle was in the field for the older age group, the Sask. Landing Golf Resort member went 82, 87, 77 at Wigwam to finish in sixth place at 246.

The complete results can be found here.

(St Andrews, Scotland and Liberty Corner, NJ, USA) – The R&A and the USGA today announced the first update to the World Handicap System™ (WHS™) as part of an ongoing review of the Rules of Handicapping™ and Course Rating System™ with a continued emphasis on accuracy, consistency and equity. The latest revisions will go into effect January 17, 2024.

Many countries have seen significant increases in the number of scores being submitted for handicapping purposes since the WHS was introduced, reflecting golf’s broadening appeal. More than 100 million scores have been posted each year, unifying millions of golfers through a standard measure of playing ability. The 2024 update leverages the performance data gathered from around the world, in addition to feedback received from many of the 125 countries now using the system.

Significant updates to the WHS include:

• Inclusion of Shorter-Length Golf Courses Within the Course Rating System: The overall length requirements for Course Rating in the WHS will be significantly reduced. A set of tees on an 18-hole course may be as short as 1,500 yards [1,370 metres] to be eligible for a Course Rating and Slope Rating^®, and a set of tees on a 9-hole course may be as short as 750 yards [685 metres]. This change is intended to expand the WHS to thousands of shorter length courses, including par-3 courses, and enable more golfers to obtain and use a Handicap Index.
• Use of an Expected Score for a Hole Not Played: Improvements have been made to the method used to handle holes not played, which will now be based on a player’s expected score rather than a score of net par. This new method will produce a 9-hole or 18-hole Score Differential that more accurately reflects a player’s ability. As golfers across the world are playing more 9-hole rounds, an expected score can also be used to convert a 9-hole round into an 18-hole Score Differential. For some countries, this means that 9-hole scores will be considered in the calculation of a player’s Handicap Index immediately after the day of play, rather than waiting to combine with another 9-hole score.
• Playing Conditions Calculation Adjustments Made More Frequent: The Playing Conditions Calculation (PCC) has been modified to increase the likelihood of an adjustment for abnormal playing conditions. National associations were given discretion, beginning in July 2022, to introduce this revision within their computation platforms, which will be complete by 1 April 2024.
• Enhanced Guidance on Conducting a Handicap Review: The role of the Handicap Committee is vital to the success of the WHS and the Rules recommend that a Handicap Review is conducted regularly, or at least once a year to ensure a Handicap Index^® remains reflective of a player’s ability. New reporting tools have been developed that national associations can incorporate into their handicapping software to assist Committees in conducting the review process effectively and consistently.

Since its inception, the WHS has embraced the many ways golf is played around the world by giving national associations scope to apply regional discretionary items, with the objective for greater alignment over time. For this reason, the governing bodies expect countries to continue to shift the way they calculate Course Handicaps so that they are relative to par, making a golfer’s target score to “play to handicap” more intuitive.

Golfers are encouraged to visit their national association’s website to learn more about the discretionary items that apply to their region. Contact details for national associations can be found on the WHS website here: www.whs.com/#association.

The R&A and the USGA have also recently launched a new WHS Software Accreditation and Interoperability Programme to help ensure that there is consistency and accuracy in the calculation of handicaps worldwide, and to assist with the retrieval of a Handicap Index and the return of away scores from country to country. 

Claire Bates, Director – Handicapping at The R&A said, “We have made good progress in the early stages of the WHS but we know there are always areas that can be improved as we gather more data and information on the system from around the world. Conducting a regular review process is important in terms of good governance and enables us to examine some of the key areas in which we have received feedback. We will continue to work with the handicapping bodies and national associations around the world to ensure that the WHS is providing golfers with a system that provides a sensible balance between inclusivity and integrity, making it as easy as possible to get a Handicap Index, subject to meaningful safeguards.”

Steve Edmondson, Managing Director – Handicapping & Course Rating at the USGA said, “The game of golf continues to evolve and the WHS has embraced those changes in a dynamic way to help all golfers, everywhere they play. It is a monumental time in golf, and improving both the accessibility of obtaining a Handicap Index and leveraging powerful data and technology to easily and accurately track performance is a great step forward.”

The R&A and the USGA jointly launched and govern the WHS to provide a modern and responsive system, that gives an accurate reflection of a player’s demonstrated ability. It is calculated by incorporating the Rules of Handicapping and the Course Rating System and is administered by a range of handicapping bodies and national associations around the world.

The more flexible and accessible nature of the system has led to the introduction of successful initiatives from a number of national associations aimed at making it easier to obtain a Handicap Index and be part of the WHS. 

Mirroring the review processes of other areas of governance in golf, including the Rules of Golf and the Rules of Amateur Status, reviews of the WHS will continue to be conducted at regular intervals, taking into consideration performance data and feedback to help identify areas for improvement.

To learn more about the World Handicap System please visit www.WHS.com.

The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) National Championship will tee off Friday at Wigwam Golf Resort in Litchfield, Ar.

The 54-hole championship will feature 10 players from Saskatchewan including their hometown, age division and tee time, in Saskatchewan time.

Tayla Perry (Regina) | U15 Girls – 9:40 a.m.
Chloe Wills (Kyle) | 15-19 Girls – 9:10 a.m.
Carter Degelman (Saskatoon) | Junior Boys – 10:40 a.m.
Aricin Franklin (Saskatoon) | Bantam Boys – 9:10 a.m.
Dane Giesbrecht (Warman) | Juvenile Boys – 10:30 a.m.
Winston Grayson (Kilping) | Junior Boys – 10:50 a.m.
Ethan Hunter (Casa Rio) | Bantam Boys – 9:20 a.m.
Austin Nesbitt (Pilot Butte) | Peewee Boys – 9 a.m.
Brayden Skene (Martinsville) | Juvenile Boys – 10:40 a.m.
Drayjon Sparvier (Ochapowace First Nation) | Junior Boys – 10:30 a.m.

The practice rounds are taking place on Thursday.

For more details on the event click here.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR announced the 2024 PGA TOUR Americas schedule, which features 16 tournaments spanning eight countries, beginning in March and concluding in September with the Fortinet Cup Championship. PGA TOUR Americas, which was introduced in April 2023, is the merger of PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Canada into a singular Tour.

“We are thrilled to announce the schedule for the inaugural PGA TOUR Americas season in 2024,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin, who also oversees PGA TOUR Americas. “We are extremely grateful for our partners in their support of our members, our tournaments and our communities, and I’m confident our 16-event schedule will prepare our members for the next step in their professional golf journey.”

Fortinet is expanding its relationship with the PGA TOUR and sponsoring the season-long points race for PGA TOUR Americas, which will be referred to as the Fortinet Cup Standings. The top 10 players from the final 2024 Fortinet Cup Standings will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the 2025 season, as well as a share of a $100,000 USD bonus pool, with the No. 1 player earning $25,000 USD. In addition to the $100,000 USD bonus, players will compete for $3.6 Million USD in prize money across the 16 events ($225,000 USD purse for all 16 events).

The 2024 PGA TOUR Americas season opens with the Bupa Championship in Tulum, Mexico, at PGA Riviera Maya from March 21-24, which moves from its previous position at the end of the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica season to become the season-opening event.

Following a two-week break, the Tour will resume with the 69th Brazil Open at Rio Olympic Golf Course, which will mark the first time since 2017 a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event will be held at the course which famously hosted the 2016 Olympics. Over the subsequent three weeks, PGA TOUR Americas will travel to Santiago del Estero, Argentina, for the Termas de Rio Hondo Invitational presentado por Zurich (April 18-21), followed by the Diners Club Peru Open at Lima’s Los Inkas Golf Club (April 25-28), and the KIA Open at Quito Tenis y Golf Club in Quito, Ecuador (May 2-5).

The Inter Rapidisimo Golf Championship in Bogota, Colombia (May 16-19) will mark the conclusion of the six-event Latin America Swing, at which time the top 60 players from the Fortinet Cup Standings will earn access into the 10-event North America Swing. Additionally, the No. 1 and No. 2 finishers from the Fortinet Cup Standings at the conclusion of the Latin America Swing will earn conditional membership for the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour season, though those players can improve their status through the season-long standings.

During the four-week break between the Latin America and North America swings, PGA TOUR Americas will host six Qualifying Tournaments throughout North America, allowing players opportunities to earn access into the final 10 events of the PGA TOUR Americas season. Also taking place during the midseason break, players who finish Nos. 6-25 in the final 2024 PGA TOUR University Ranking will earn access to the North America Swing, which will see fields increase from 144 to 156 until the Fortinet Cup Championship.

The North America Swing, which features nine events in Canada and one in the United States, opens June 20-23 with The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist, at the Uplands Golf Course in Victoria, British Columbia, immediately followed by a trip east to Strathcona County, near Edmonton, Alberta, for the ATB Classic at Northern Bear Golf Course.

Following a one-week break in play, PGA TOUR Americas resumes with the inaugural playing of the Explore NB Open, which will be played at Mactaquac Golf Course in New Brunswick from July 11-14. This marks the first time PGA TOUR-sanctioned golf will be contested in the province of New Brunswick. The Tour then heads to the province of Quebec, for the Quebec Open at Golf Chateau-Bromont (July 18-21), followed by back-to-back weeks in Ontario with the Commissionaires Ottawa Open at Eagle Creek Golf Club and the Windsor Championship at Ambassador Golf Club.

The season resumes after an off week with the Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open presented by Brandt (Aug. 15-18) in Waskesiu Lake, Saskatchewan, immediately followed by the CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open at the Southwood Golf & Country Club in Winnipeg (Aug. 22-25).

The season’s penultimate event – the CRMC Championship presented by Gertens – will be contested in Brainerd, Minnesota from Aug. 29-Sept. 1. At the conclusion of the CRMC Championship, the top 120 players from the Fortinet Cup Standings will earn access to the season-ending Fortinet Cup Championship at TPC Toronto’s newly renovated North course, where the top 10 players on the final Fortinet Cup Standings will earn 2025 Korn Ferry Tour membership.

2024 PGA TOUR Americas Schedule

Date	Tournament	Course	Location
March 21-24	Bupa Championship	PGA Riviera Maya	Tulum, MEX
April 11-14	69th Brazil Open at Rio Olympic Golf Course	Rio Olympic Golf Course	Rio de Janeiro, BRA
April 18-21	Termas de Rio Hondo Invitational presentado por Zurich	Termas de Rio Hondo Golf Club	Santiago del Estero, ARG
April 25 – 28	Diners Club Peru Open	Los Inkas Golf Club	Lima, PER
May 2-5	Kia Open	Quito Tenis y Golf Club	Quito, ECU
May 16-19	Inter Rapidisimo Golf Championship	Club El Rincon de Cajica	Bogota, COL
June 20-23	The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist	Uplands Golf Club	Victoria, BC
June 27-30	ATB Classic	Northern Bear Golf Course	Strathcona County, AB
July 11-14	Explore NB Open	Mactaquac Golf Course	Mactaquac, NB
July 18-21	Quebec Open	Golf Chateau-Bromont	Bromont, QC
July 25-28	Commissionaires Ottawa Open	Eagle Creek Golf Club	Ottawa, ON
August 1-4	Windsor Championship	Ambassador Golf Club	Windsor, ON
August 15-18	Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open presented by Brandt	Elk Ridge Resort – Tournament Course	Elk Ridge, SK
August 22-25	CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open	Southwood Golf & Country Club	Winnipeg, MB
August 29-Sept. 1	CRMC Championship presented by Gertens	Cragun’s Legacy Course	Brainerd, MN
September 5-8	Fortinet Cup Championship	TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course)	Caledon, ON

Now into their fourth year of the golf cart business, CMX Powersports says everything is “trending up.”

Harv Martinez, the EZG0 Golf & Fleet Coordinator for Saskatchewan spoke to Golf Saskatchewan regarding their carts and services.

One aspect of the EZGO fleet Martinez highlighted was the Samsung designed lithium batteries, that are said to save courses money.

PGA TOUR Communications

Montréal – The Presidents Cup and American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) announced that the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup will feature Canada’s Graham DeLaet and the United States’ Charley Hoffman as captains of the International and U.S. Teams, respectively, when the event is contested on the Blue Course at Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac in Montréal, Québec, Canada on Monday, Sept. 23 and Tuesday, Sept. 24. The 2024 Presidents Cup will tee off two days later at The Royal Montréal Golf Club.

The Junior Presidents Cup is a two-day, team match-play competition featuring 24 of the world’s top junior boys 19 years old and younger – 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world, excluding Europe – that takes place just days before the start of the biennial Presidents Cup. The Junior Presidents Cup was developed to give the world’s best non-European juniors a unique playing opportunity to compete in an international team match-play competition and showcase the global reach of junior golf.

“In what has quickly become a beloved tradition of Presidents Cup week, we are honored to once again partner with the AJGA to contest the Junior Presidents Cup and set the stage for what will be another exciting competition at nearby Royal Montréal for the Presidents Cup,” said 2024 Presidents Cup Executive Director Ryan Hart. “As we’ve seen with each playing, the Junior Presidents Cup is a preview of the talent that will one day take the spotlight in the main event, and we’re grateful to the prestigious Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac for opening their doors to this unique competition.”

The teams will compete in six Four-ball and Foursomes matches on Monday, Sept. 23, followed by 12 Singles matches on Tuesday, Sept. 24. 

“Partnering with the Presidents Cup and the PGA TOUR to bring the Junior Presidents Cup to Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac in Montréal, is a remarkable opportunity to showcase these junior golfers to the world,” said AJGA Executive Director Stephen Hamblin. “Having two captains who are so involved with the Presidents Cup as well as AJGA alumni is a dream come true and we are excited for this event to help us further our mission of developing golf’s next generation.”

DeLaet, a proud Canadian who represented his country at the 2013 Presidents Cup, put on a show in front of the crowds at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, earning a 3-1-1 record. He opened with a victory in the first match of the event, partnering with Jason Day to defeat Hunter Mahan and Brandt Snedeker, 1-up, in Four-ball. 

But DeLaet’s indelible moment at the Presidents Cup came on Saturday morning, when he holed a bunker shot at the 18^th hole for birdie to claim a 2-up victory against Jordan Spieth and Steve Stricker. The next day, DeLaet defeated Spieth in Singles, 1-up.

Three years later, DeLaet represented Canada again, this time in golf’s return to the Olympics at the 2016 Games in Rio. 

Off the course, DeLaet and his wife, Ruby, started the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation to provide support for children and junior golfers in his home province of Saskatchewan. During his own junior golf days, DeLaet played in the 1999 AJGA Lucent Western Canadian Jr.

“It was a total honor to get the call, and I was honestly taken aback at the opportunity, but it’s going to be a lot of fun to see these kids make memories for a lifetime in a city as special as Montréal,” DeLaet said. “A lot of these kids on both teams will end up playing on the PGA TOUR at some point in time, so I’m looking forward to getting them together to have fun and hopefully play their best golf.”

Hoffman, a Rancho Santa Fe, California native, has competed on the PGA TOUR since 2006 and owns four career victories and nine runner-up finishes. Known for his consistency and longevity, Hoffman advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs in 15 consecutive seasons from 2007-2021.

In 2017, Hoffman qualified for the United States Team at the Presidents Cup, where he compiled a 1-2-0 record in his debut at Liberty National Golf Club, highlighted by a dominant 6-and-5 victory in Four-ball over Charl Schwartzel and Anirban Lahiri.

As a junior golfer, Hoffman competed in 13 AJGA events, including a victory at the 1994 PING Phoenix Junior Championship. He also went on to win the California high school state championship in 1994 and 1995, becoming the first two-time winner at the time. 

“My first reaction was complete honor that I was even considered,” Hoffman said. “The relationships that are formed through these AJGA team events are special, and to represent your country on top of that is second to none. This experience will no doubt prepare them for future Presidents Cups, but at the end of the day my job is to make sure they have fun and enjoy the experience.”

Founded in 1917, Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac is considered as one of Canada’s most prestigious clubs, with both of their courses – the Green and Blue – being named among the Top 100 golf courses in Canada. The Junior Presidents Cup will be played on the Blue Course, which was redesigned in 2013 by 2024 International Presidents Cup Captain Mike Weir and Ian Andrew.

“We are very excited to host this event,” said Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac President of the Board, Christian Leblanc. “For us it is very important to help the juniors from Canada see what a great club this is and to help develop junior golf not just in Canada, but around the world. The club and the members are very excited to show what Laval sur-le-Lac is all about.”

The U.S. Team defeated the International Team by a score of 13-11 in the third edition of the Junior Presidents Cup in 2022 at Myers Park Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a Notah Begay III-led U.S. Team mounted an improbable comeback in Singles against South Africa’s Tim Clark and the International Team.

Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac

Junior Presidents Cup Eligibility

Teams will consist of the top 24 junior boys from the United States and around the world, excluding Europe, split up into teams of 12. Participants for both teams must be at least 12 years old by the start of the tournament and must have not reached their 19th birthday or have yet graduated high school as of January 1, 2024*.

Additionally, participants must be amateurs who have not yet started college and are not members of a competitive collegiate golf program in order to be eligible to play in the Junior Presidents Cup.

*Players graduating in the final four months (Sept. – Dec.) of the year will be considered part of the following year’s graduating class.

U.S. Team Selection / Eligibility Criteria

• On August 8, 2024, the leading 10 qualified players based on the Rolex AJGA Rankings will be selected along with the 11th player, who will be selected by the U.S. Team Captain.
• The 12th and final spot will be awarded to the leading player based on the Rolex AJGA Rankings as of September 5, 2024, who is not otherwise qualified.
• In the event of a tie, the selection will be decided by the individual ranked highest on the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) list at that time.
• For the August 8, 2024, selection date, the 52-week rankings window will include ranked events with an end date of August 8, 2023 – August 5, 2024, while the September 5, 2024, selection date 52-week rankings window will include ranked events with an end date of September 5, 2023 – September 2, 2024.
• Each U.S. Team participant must also be a citizen of the United States and must be a current AJGA member in good standing.

International Team Selection / Eligibility Criteria

• On August 8, 2024, the leading 10 qualified players based on the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) will be selected along with the 11th player, who will be selected by the International Team Captain.
• The host country is guaranteed at least one spot on the International Team. If no players from the host country are ranked as part of the leading 10 qualified players, the 10th spot will go to the top-ranked qualified player from the host country.
• The 12th and final spot will be awarded to the leading player on the WAGR® list as of September 5, 2024, who is not otherwise qualified.
• In the event of a tie, the selection will be decided by the individual ranked highest on the most recent previous World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) revision.
• Each International Team participant must be a citizen of an eligible international Presidents Cup country (excludes European Ryder Cup countries).
• To be eligible to appear on the International Team standings, players MUST have their birthdate on file with WAGR®. Once a WAGR® Ranking is established, submit the WAGR® Player Submission Form.

The 2024 Presidents Cup will be held at The Royal Montréal Golf Club, September 24-29. For more information about the Presidents Cup, or to purchase tickets, please visit PresidentsCup.com.