When Alex Swinnerton was six years old he started playing golf with his dad at Waskesiu Golf Course. Starting with the back nine and eventually taking on the entire 18 holes the Saskatoon product said he’s “never stopped.”

Now 15, the years on the course are leading to podiums and championships. Swinnerton picked up his first win at the start of the 2019 Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour (MJT) schedule and followed the performance with a second-place finish. Since then Swinnerton made up his mind that golf is something he could excel at.

“When I first one my MJT, it was my very first win and I think it was my first podium too,” he told Golf Saskatchewan. “I decided to work hard after that and see how I’d do for the rest of the summer. Again, I just started working hard, kept working and the wins came out and the hard work paid off.”

Swinnerton capped the 2019 season with a trip to the Western Canada Summer Games as a member of Team Sask. He placed ninth overall and assisted in the team winning the bronze medal. He was the under-15 Order of Merit Tour (OMT) winner as well.

He was lucky enough to win a trip to Florida last year and take part in a week long camp hosted by renowned golf coach Sean Foley. Swinnerton said the experience really elevated his game.

“The coaching there is unreal,” he chuckled. “I worked a lot on my short game and got that dialled in with the coaches there and my putting. They have a lot of different technology, it wasn’t so much like a TrackMan or anything, it was more manual, but they showed you a lot of data. They also gave us a lot of drills to work through over the rest of winter and then into the summer which helped me quite a bit. It was a really good experience.”

Swinnerton admits he didn’t have a great MJT season in 2020 but claiming the under-17 Saskatchewan championship, a third place and national spot at provincials, and the Junior Lobstick title fits the bill of a breakout season.

“MJT’s weren’t so good this, I wasn’t hitting the ball very well for some reason during those tournaments, but I got to provincials and I actually played really well. I was good enough to play with Josh (Nagy) the final day in the final grouping which meant a lot because he’s a really good golfer. I played pretty well that day and finished first in the u-17 and third overall which puts me at nationals which was really good. I come to Waskesiu which means a lot to me because it’s my home course and I’ve been here since I was three, that was probably one of the biggest tournaments I’ve ever won,” he said.

Swinnerton was the low qualifier for the match-play event. He defeated Luke Cote, Tommy Danielson, Adam Husli, and Will Blake on route to the Lobstick win. He said the format is different from stroke play and tests all aspects of your game.

“It’s a lot of fun but it can be pretty stressful at times if you are down a lot at the start you have to use your mental side to get back in it,” he said. “It works a lot on your game because if you get a triple-bogey you lose the hole and that’s it.”

His season results also gave him the under-19 OMT championship for the season with 2012.5 points, 37.5 ahead of Nagy. Swinnerton said the points were in the back of his mind but seeing he won was a nice feeling.

“I didn’t really think of it much this year because all of the great players under 19 and then suddenly I looked at the standings one day and I was first. I was pretty pumped, I did not think that was going to happen, but it worked out in my favour,” he said.

Swinnerton is now preparing for grade 11 but says he will find time to play if the weather allows. He said the itch to get better is stronger than ever and his focus consists on improving and a scholarship in the United States once he graduates.

You can hear more from Swinnerton who joined Golf Saskatchewan’s Clark Stork following the win.

Home club – Nipawin’s Evergreen Golf Course

Handicap – Was 20.

Rounds per year – I haven’t played for three years. I used to play about 25.

Right/Left handed – Right-handed.

Years with Golf Saskatchewan – I started in 2006.

Area(s) of Service – Rules official.

Favourite player – Brooke Henderson.

Favourite golf quote – “Achievements on the course are not what matters. Honesty and decency does.”

How did you become involved? A friend was attending a seminar and invited me along.

Why do you enjoy volunteering? I enjoy helping players, renewing friendships, and keeping the competitions fair.

What advice would you have for anyone thinking about volunteering for Golf Saskatchewan or any organization? If you have the time to spare and the health to do it, you will find that volunteering and helping people is very rewarding.  Golf volunteers are treated very well and the network of volunteers for any organization are there because they want to be. You will make life long friends with these people.

The Rings are amid 27 years owning Chitek Lake Golf Course and this year the couple is celebrating a monumental year.

The club cut into the northern Saskatchewan forest turns 50 this year.

The golf course was originally constructed by Hector Trout in 1970. The Saskatoon teacher carved five holes out of the forest and charged $1 for ten holes. The trees that were taken out by Trout during construction were used to build cabins at the lake and the clubhouse that still stands today. Golfers used two different tee boxes on hole five to fill ten holes. Hole five is now the ninth hole. Sandra Rings owns the course now with her husband Jim and remembers playing the course growing up. After careers in the mining industry the couple purchased the course and have been there ever since.

The course plays between 2,740 yards and 2,865 through rolling hills and plenty of trees, water hazards and rough. Jim said the nine-hole course is tricky and hole one provides some false security.

“You look down number one and you get this false sense,” he said. “It’s nice and flat and looks wide although people find the bush anyways. Two is much the same but as you work your way around and you get into the hills. You need to keep the game between your ears.”

The course features three par threes including a 225-yard tee shot on hole seven. There are a trio of par fives and three par fours. After a round Jim said the feedback is usually pleasant.

“We get a lot of compliments from people who haven’t golfed here before or maybe come once a year. Boy this is a beautiful place and it’s well kept. I guess we’re doing something right, they come back,” he explained.

The course is up for sale as the Rings would like to retire. The couple admits the years fluctuate but they don’t regret making the purchase 27 years ago.

“It’s been a nice place for us,” Sandra said. “We live here 12 months of the year, yeah we share it big time from May to the end of September but you’re always happy to get going in the spring. It’s worked out well for us. You make a lot of friends, people you would have never met otherwise,” she said.

Golf Canada uses significant milestones such as 25, 50, 75 or 100 years as celebrations. The Rings were new to the golf industry during Chitek’s 25^th anniversary. The couple is proud to still be in business at half a century.

“For people to be happy about 50 years, oh my god it’s 50 years, there’s some satisfaction to that. We’ve kept it open through all these years,” Jim said.

OTTAWA (Golf Canada) – The stars of the LPGA Tour will once again head to the nation’s capital as Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) have announced the 2022 CP Women’s Open will return to the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.

The 2022 edition of the CP Women’s Open will be held August 22-28 and will mark the championship’s fifth visit to the nation’s capital, as well as the fourth visit to Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, which previously hosted in 1994, 2008 and 2017. Canadian star Brooke Henderson from nearby Smiths Falls, Ont. will be a power draw once again as the nine-time LPGA Tour winner is an honorary member of Ottawa Hunt.

“We are extremely thrilled and enthusiastic for the return of the CP Women’s Open to Ottawa and the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club in 2022,” said Laurence Applebaum, Golf Canada’s CEO. “The CP Women’s Open always receives terrific community support, but when we’re in Ottawa that backing is intensified. With our 2017 event in Ottawa for Canada’s 150 celebration and the excitement around Brooke competing so close to home, we set records for attendance, volunteer enrollment and left a meaningful charitable contribution. I’m certain the community will embrace all facets of the event when the stars of the LPGA Tour return to Ottawa.”

Through its CP Has Heart campaign, CP will once again be making a significant charitable donation to the host community. In the first six years of CP’s title sponsorship of the event, more than $10.7 million has been raised in support of children’s heart health across Canada.

CP’s community investment program has proven itself an award-winning initiative, earning the CP Women’s Open Gold Driver Awards for Best Charity & Community Engagement among all LPGA Tour events in 2017 and 2019.

“Through terrific events like the CP Women’s Open we’re able to shine a spotlight on local heart charities that make a big impact in their communities,” said CP President and CEO, Keith Creel. “Together, with all involved with the event, including our CP Golf Ambassadors Brooke Henderson and Lorie Kane, we look forward to raising money for a worthy cause and leaving a lasting charitable legacy in Ottawa through CP Has Heart.”

The announcement of Ottawa as the 2022 host city is the core of a partnership between the City of Ottawa, Ottawa Tourism and Golf Canada.

“It is great news that Golf Canada and CP have decided to return to Ottawa in 2022 for the CP Women’s Open at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club,” said City of Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson. “The tournament was a major success in 2017, attracting a record number of fans and putting Ottawa on the map as a fantastic golf destination. We look forward to, once again, welcoming the best talent from across the world for this exciting event in 2022.”

“Ottawa Tourism looks forward to welcoming the CP Women’s Open back to Canada’s Capital in 2022 and to hosting the stars of the LPGA once more at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club,” said Ottawa Tourism President and CEO, Michael Crockatt. “We thank Golf Canada for choosing to return to Ottawa for this prestigious event which will build on the success of the 2017 CP Women’s Open. We will show off the best of our city to the athletes and spectators and are honoured to bring this exciting event once more to the passionate golf community in Ottawa”.

More than 50,000 people attended the event in 2017, where Sung Hyun Park earned a two-shot victory at Ottawa Hunt as part of an amazing season that saw her capture several LPGA Tour awards, including Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year, Rolex Player of the Year and the Season Money Title.

The Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club has welcomed numerous notable championships since its incorporation in 1908, including the three CP Women’s Open Championships in 1994, 2008 and 2017; the 1932 Canadian Open; and three Canadian Amateur Championships in 1937, 1960 and 1970.

The 18-hole championship course that will challenge the world’s best women golfers in 2022 was originally crafted by famed architect Willie Park and redesigned by international course designer, Dr. Michael Hurdzan prior to the 2017 event.

Gino Picciano, President of the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club Board of Directors recalls how the club and the community embraced the tournament in 2017 and anticipates it doing so once again in 2022.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to host the prestigious CP Women’s Open again in 2022 and welcome the top players in the world, including our own honorary member Brooke Henderson,” said Picciano. “Hosting the world-class event provides us with another opportunity to showcase our club as a challenging test and one of the premiere golf experiences in all of Canada.”

For CP Women’s Open Tournament Director Ryan Paul, a return to the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club is reason for excitement given the event’s past success in the nation’s capital.

“The City of Ottawa and Ottawa Hunt have hosted some of the most memorable and successful CP Women’s Opens in history,” said Paul. “The response from LPGA Tour players as well as golf fans, volunteers and community supporters has always been tremendous and with two years of runway, we have the opportunity make the return of our National Open to Ottawa in 2022 very special.”

The CP Women’s Open consistently draws one of the strongest fields in women’s golf vying for the largest purse (US $2.35 million) on the LPGA Tour aside from the five majors and CME Group Tour Championship.

Due to continued travel and border restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 CP Women’s Open at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver was postponed until 2021. Shaughnessy and the province of British Columbia will now host the event August 23-29, 2021.

First conducted in 1973, Canada’s Women’s Open Championship has allowed the brightest stars of the LPGA Tour to shine on Canadian soil and has inspired the nation’s next generation of female golfers.

Information regarding tickets, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the 2021 and 2022 CP Women’s Opens will be available online at www.cpwomensopen.com at a later date.

The Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour has concluded their season in Saskatchewan.

The tour stopped at Warman’s Legends Golf Club on Aug. 22 and 23 for the MJT/Golf Saskatchewan OOM Championship.

Regina’s Autumn Neiszner capped her season with a win in the 15-19 girls age group after shooting 150 (72. 78) over the two days. Neiszner edged Saskatoon’s Sarah Grieve by a shot to win the category. Symone Ripley, also of Saskatoon was third at 189 (97, 92).

Ella Kozak (above) found herself on the podium again, the Yorkton golfer shot 170 (83, 87) to win the under-15 girls division. Sarah Henderson of Saskatoon was second at 217 (114, 103) and T’Kayah Sim of St. Walburg placed third.

Cole Nagy (above) claimed the junior boy’s category and the overall championship with a 36-hole total of 145 (77, 68) on Sunday. Nagy, of Saskatoon was a stroke better than Regina’s Aidan Shanks and a pair of Alberta golfers who finished at 146. Zach Szakacs of Corman Park was fifth at 152 (75, 77).

Kindersley’s Cort Tunall (below) was in the hunt for the overall championship.

The 16-year-old carded rounds of 73 and 70 finishing just two strokes back of Nagy. Tunall did claim the juvenile boy’s division by four shots. Brett Leonard of Corman Park placed second at 147 (74, 73). Saskatoon’s Chase Pochylko and Guillermo Salazar of Waskesiu tied for third at 149.

Darien Herlick (above) of Weyburn found himself on top of the MJT podium again. The Weyburn Golf Club athlete won the bantam boy’s category with a score of 142 (72, 70). Herlick finished five shots ahead of Saskatoon’s Max Regier and nine strokes ahead of Warman’s Dane Giesbrecht.

In the peewee boy’s category Elias Haukeness (below) was the winner with a two-round score of 166 (86, 80). Cole Silverson of Regina was a shot back in second place. Saskatoon’s Lucas Sturgeon and Grady McDougall of Prince Albert tied for third place.

All the results can be seen here. The MJT has more details here.

This year has been a unique one – to say the least – but a big positive that’s come from the lengthy break from event-planning has seen Golf Canada accelerate meaningful initiatives that will benefit the future of the sport.

The Golf Canada Women in Coaching Program, launching this week, is one of those initiatives – an exciting partnership between Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada that will put the sport on the path to further balance between sexes at a high level, coaching-wise.

“Golf Canada has a vested interest in developing the coaching pool to fill the future pipeline of national team coaches – we want to ensure that in the future we have a coaching staff that better represents our players and the golfing community,” says Emily Phoenix, the manager of high performance sport at Golf Canada and one of the leaders of the Women in Coaching Program.

“There are PGA of Canada members out there who are female, that have invested in their own coaching skills and we want to provide some additional tools, along with our partners at the PGA of Canada, to further develop these existing coaches.”

In early 2019 Sport Canada approached all National Sport Organizations for programs or projects it wanted to do but maybe hadn’t had the funding to launch. The idea for the Women in Coaching Program fell under the Safe Sport and Gender Equity Fund while its inspiration came from Level Par, a comparable initiative in Ireland.

Hey @pgaofcanada LADIES!!! Check this out!👀⬇️ Love it!❤⛳ https://t.co/F6FQZkzXEQ

— Lisa Longball (@LisaLongball) August 17, 2020

Golf Canada applied for a wider collection of funding, so not only will it be doing a coach mentorship program, but there are some other exciting initiatives that Golf Canada has outlined either in the safe sport area or with gender equity that will span two years – 2020 and 2021 – says Phoenix.

The development of this particular program also relates well to Golf Canada’s commitment to the R&A’s Women in Golf charter.

In part, the R&A’s Women in Golf charter (of which Golf Canada is a signatory) intends “to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf around the world and enable more women and girls to flourish and maximize their potential at all levels of the sport.”

Tristan Mullally, the Women’s National Team Head Coach, will co-lead the program along with Phoenix. He says it’s huge any time you can support people who want to learn in both a functional program but also with financial aid.

“Good coaches will tell you they have to invest a lot of money in themselves,” said the PGA of Canada Class ‘A’ member.

Mullally also coaches the Women’s Young Pro Squad and led the Canadian Women’s Golf Team of Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Excited to be a part of this project and support aspiring coaches. Information and application details below #leveltheplayingfield https://t.co/brRulF0aB3

— Tristan Mullally (@tmullallygolf) August 17, 2020

He says although full-time coaching opportunities are limited, for both genders, this is a chance for Golf Canada to help level the playing field.

“There are many great female coaches across Canada but they tend to be a little more isolated and this was a way to bring expertise together,” he said. “This will bring together likeminded female coaches to build relationships and learn best practices from our national team program.”

As part of the mission of the program, Golf Canada will work closely with female PGA of Canada professionals interested in pursuing a career in coaching.

There will be four main elements to the program including lectures, hands-on training, project work, and a self-assessment. Each successful candidate will receive a $2,500 bursary from Golf Canada.

“The time is long overdue,” says Matt Allen, the chief innovation officer of the PGA of Canada, about this kind of program. “I think for us the rationale was really: we have a lot of female professionals who are doing great work and leading at the club level but we really saw an opportunity to grow the pool of high performance coaching in the country.”

The program launch aligns nicely with the continued growth of the DCM PGA Women’s Championship of Canada and the launch of the PGA of Canada’s Women’s PGA Cup in 2019, says Allen. A program like this, he says, helps with visibility and hopefully, growth of the game.

“There are lots of young, female golfers playing the game and picking up the game now. If they don’t see a high-profile female coach in our sport then they don’t see the pathway for them. If you don’t see it, you don’t believe it,” says Allen. “This is the time for us to say, ‘you know what, we’re putting a stake in the ground.’ These young girls who are starting to pick up the game today can have a viable career at the high performance level.”

PGA of Canada professionals interested in the Women in Coaching Program can click here to apply.

Applications will close on Monday, Sept. 7 at 5 p.m. ET

– Third annual business summit to inspire empowerment will be held online Tuesday, September 1, with complimentary admission –

– Panelists include CP Ambassadors Brooke Henderson and Lorie Kane; Olympians Marnie McBean and Perdita Felicien; as well as executive and educator, Candy Ho and CP executive Pam Arpin –

OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) — Golf Canada in partnership with Canadian Pacific (CP) has announced the third annual CP Women’s Leadership Summit will take place virtually on Tuesday, September 1, 2020, with complimentary access.

The intent of the CP Women’s Leadership Summit is to bring together like-minded female business leaders for an opportunity to network, as well as inspire empowerment and philanthropy among women. This year’s Summit will feature four sessions, running from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT, and will be hosted by TSN anchor Lindsay Hamilton.

The CP Women’s Leadership Summit will also help raise funds for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, the primary charity partner of the 2021 CP Women’s Open, with online donations supporting the health and wellness of children at the BC Children’s Hospital.

The opening-session of the Summit will discuss leadership in sport and will be led by Canadian rower, Marnie McBean, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and Chef de Mission of the 2020 Canadian Olympic Team at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The second session will be themed around leadership during uncertain times and will feature Candy Ho, CEO of The Cape on Bowen Community Development and a board member of Heart & Stroke Foundation of BC and Yukon along with Pam Arpin, Assistant Vice President, Customer and Corporate Services with Canadian Pacific who was named 2019 League of Railway Woman of the Year.

Perdita Felicien, a retired Canadian hurdler and world champion turned TV broadcaster and personality, will head up the third session touching on overcoming challenges and adversity.

The final session will touch on the growth and state of women’s golf and will feature emcee Lindsay Hamilton interviewing LPGA golfers and CP ambassadors Lorie Kane and Brooke Henderson.

Kane is a 4-time LPGA Tour winner who received the Order of Canada in 2006. She is an honoured member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame (2016) and was recently named as an inductee into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame (2020-2021).

Henderson, a 9-time LPGA Tour champion and winner of the 2018 CP Women’s Open, became the second youngest player in LPGA history to win a major championship at the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She also represented Canada at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio where she finished T7.

“I am very excited to participate in the CP Women’s Leadership Summit to share, hear and learn from some amazing female leaders,” said Pam Arpin, Assistant Vice-President Customer and Corporate Services, Canadian Pacific. “This is also a great opportunity to raise funds for a commendable cause and help to leave a lasting legacy for the hospital, children and families who need it.”

For Golf Canada, hosting the CP Women’s Leadership Summit aligns with the organization’s commitment to developing a more inclusive culture in Canadian golf.

“The CP Women’s Leadership Summit is an important event to provide a forum to discuss meaningful topics that can offer change within sport and the workplace,” said Mary Beth McKenna, a member of Golf Canada’s championship management team. “Our speakers are true leaders, both in their respective industries and as women’s empowerment advocates. While we can’t gather in person this year due to circumstances around the pandemic, we are excited to bring speakers together virtually who will provide participants with an inspiring experience and wide array of perspectives.”

The CP Women’s Leadership Summit typically takes place in conjunction with CP Women’s Open tournament week. In late June, Golf Canada, CP and the LPGA jointly announced the 2020 CP Women’s Open would be postponed until 2021 due to continued travel and border restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 CP Women’s Open will be held August 23-29, at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver. Information about the 2021 CP Women’s Leadership Summit will be announced in the coming months.

More information about the CP Women’s Leadership Summit, is available online at www.cpwomensopen.com/wls. 

For the last half decade the Prairie Spirit Schools Foundation has hosted a fundraising golf tournament at The Legends in Warman. Due to COVID-19 the 2020 version of the event was cancelled but the organization and course has revamped the fundraising initiative for this year.

Foundation Fund Development Manager Kari Dean said the group didn’t want to lose the traction they’ve built over five years of the event despite the government guidelines of no mass start golf tournaments.

“We didn’t want to lose our momentum and try something different, there is no harm in trying something different,” Dean said to Golf Saskatchewan. “We are finding a different audience, maybe people are feeling a little guilty about spending money to golf, they aren’t serious or members, but they’d be comfortable giving back and giving to charity. The participants receive a welcome gift from Save-On-Foods and a golf voucher from The Legends.”

From June 1 to Sept. 30 you can purchase and participate in a ‘Golf For A Cause’ round at the Legends Golf Course in Warman at a date and tee-time that is chosen by you and support enriched learning opportunities for students in the Prairie Spirit School Division (PSSD). The cost is $125 per participant but you receive the Save-On Foods package as well as a voucher for 18 walking holes at The Legends on another date of your choosing, a $55 value. Dean said the proceeds then go back into the foundation’s programming.

“We don’t take away from what the division is doing because they do an excellent job,” she said. “What we do is the little extras, we do those little things that maybe couldn’t be done because the funds aren’t there. There is only so much money to go around. We do learning grants and special projects, things like that. Without our golf tournament it’s a little more difficult to manage our funds.”

The Foundation dispersed $35,000 last year across the PSSD and approximately $38,000 the year prior. Since 2017 the organization has contributed $136,000 to schools in Blaine Lake, Dalmeny, Delisle, Hepburn, Leask, Warman, Martensville, Duck Lake, Pike Lake and many of the learning initiatives encompassed schools and students in the entire PSSD. Dean said over the years their programming has built off other schools.

“When someone else sees a program in their school, they go hey, that’s a great idea, why don’t we apply for that? They start reaching out to other teachers about programs and ask how can we do that? The key is working with the division where the needs are and what we can do to help them,” Dean explained.

“We’re reaching a lot of students and giving them opportunities to try something a little different,” she added.

For more details on the Foundation’s ‘Golf for a Cause’ program visit the Foundation’s website.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan announced today that the Presidents Cup will return to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal when the Presidents Cup shifts internationally in 2024. As host of the 2007 Presidents Cup, The Royal Montreal Golf Club will become the second international venue to host the Presidents Cup more than once, joining The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia.

The 2007 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club saw two legendary captains lead their respective teams for the final time, with four-time captain Jack Nicklaus guiding the U.S. Team to victory over three-time captain Gary Player and the International Team by a score of 19 ½ – 14 ½. Despite falling short, the highlight for the week for International Team fans was a Sunday Singles victory by Mike Weir over World No. 1 Tiger Woods, with the Canadian being supported by a massive and supercharged gallery of spectators.

“The people of Canada are some of the most loyal and passionate sports fans in the world, and given the overwhelming success of the Presidents Cup in 2007, it was a natural next step for the event to return to The Royal Montreal in 2024,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Our thanks go out to our global partners, Citi and Rolex, for making the Presidents Cup possible and to the leadership and membership of The Royal Montreal Golf Club, a venue that has already shown it can challenge and highlight the best players in the world. The Presidents Cup continues to grow and expand along with the global growth of our sport while leaving an indelible legacy of giving back throughout the world. I have no doubt that with the support of our fans, the corporate community and governments of Quebec and Canada and the City of Montreal, the Presidents Cup 2024 will continue to the positive trajectory of this event.”

As part of the news, Monahan announced a partnership between First Tee, Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation to launch First Tee – Canada. With plans to expand across the nation, the partnership will add First Tee’s youth development program to Golf Canada’s already impressive platform that reaches kids in schools and at golf facilities, helping to empower kids through a lifetime of new challenges and personal growth.

Founded in 1873, The Royal Montreal Golf Club is the oldest golf club in North America. Its Blue Course was designed by Dick Wilson and updated by Rees Jones in 2004 and 2005. In addition to hosting the Presidents Cup, The Royal Montreal has also held the RBC Canadian Open on 10 occasions, most recently in 2014.

“We are excited and more than pleased that we have been selected to host the Presidents Cup again, and we are thrilled that we will be welcoming the world’s best golfers to our club in 2024,” said Michael Richards, Chair of The Royal Montreal Golf Club’s bid committee. “Our club has experienced leadership and great members, and our goal is to make the 2024 Presidents Cup the best ever. With widespread support from leaders of the golf and business communities and from various levels of government and with the help of Tourisme Montreal, we are confident we will succeed.”

Graham DeLaet, Adam Hadwin and Mike Weir are the three Canadians who have competed in the Presidents Cup.

Weir, a five-time Presidents Cup participant, amassed a 13-9-2 record before spending the 2017 and 2019 Presidents Cup serving in the role of a captain’s assistant. Weir was famously drawn against Woods in his Sunday Singles match in 2007, which concluded with Weir winning the final two holes to capture the match, 1-up.

“I was very proud to be part of the Presidents Cup as a player in 2007, and to see it come back after being so well-supported the first time just speaks to how passionate we are in Canada about golf,” Weir said. “The fan turnout was tremendous, and as a Canadian I am very proud to have the Presidents Cup come back.”

Weir, the first Canadian to compete in the Presidents Cup, was later followed by DeLaet, who made his debut for Captain Nick Price in 2013. DeLaet, 31 years old at the time, delivered an inspiring 3-1-1 performance at Muirfield Village Golf Club, which included a Singles match victory over Jordan Spieth.

“I can only imagine the roars that will be heard around Royal Montreal, especially if a few Canadians are on the team,” DeLaet said. “Having the Presidents Cup is such a great way to grow the game in Canada and it’d be nice to see the International Team lift the Presidents Cup on Canadian soil.”

Hadwin became the third Canadian to participate in the Presidents Cup after qualifying for the 2017 International Team at Liberty National Golf Club. He then returned for the 2019 team thanks to one of four captain’s picks from Ernie Els, which he converted into a 1-1-1 record at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

“This is huge for Canadian golf,” Hadwin said. “The state of Canadian golf could not be better and I think it is such an appropriate time to bring it back into Canada. There’s a good chance that a few of us could end up representing the International Team there at Royal Montreal, so that adds to the excitement as well.

“I feel like we have some of the best golf fans in the world in Canada, and to bring a world-class event up to Canada is big for them and I know they’ll be excited to have it back.”

Also announced, Ryan Hart has been named as Executive Director of the 2024 Presidents Cup. Ryan has worked at the TOUR’s Headquarters for over 3 years, most recently as the Tournament Director of THE PLAYERS Championship. Raised in Winnipeg, Canada, Ryan returns home where he previously ran The Players Cup on Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada for seven years while leading a local marketing firm. Ryan will be returning to Canada to lead the TOUR’s efforts over the next four years.

Tournament dates for the 2024 Presidents Cup will be announced at later date.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada and First Tee announced today a new partnership to launch First Tee –  Canada. First Tee’s Board Chairman, PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan, shared the news during a global announcement that Presidents Cup will return to Royal Montreal Golf Club in 2024.

Together, the partnership will bring First Tee’s youth development emphasis to strengthen Golf Canada’s junior golf activities – previously conducted under the Future Links brand – that reach kids in schools and at golf facilities. The innovative First Tee curriculum will focus on empowering young people to build their strength of character through the game of golf. Golf Canada will serve as the national headquarters of First Tee – Canada.

“Partnering with First Tee towards the 2021 launch of First Tee – Canada will provide Canadian youth and especially those in underrepresented groups access to affordable and meaningful character education programs through golf,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada have developed a strong foundation for junior golf programming over the past twenty plus years through Future Links. We are excited going forward to partner with the globally recognized First Tee brand and work collaboratively with the Golf Canada Foundation to strengthen our youth development activities.”

“Golf Canada has made a significant impact on the growth of the sport in Canada through their multi-faceted junior golf initiatives and was a natural fit for us to partner with the launch of  First Tee – Canada,” said Greg McLaughlin, CEO, First Tee. “Together, we will bring the First Tee youth development program nationwide and build on Golf Canada’s impressive grassroots success with programming that reaches kids via nearly 600 golf facilities and 4,100 participating schools.”

The PGA of Canada will play a leading role in the training of coaches who will serve as mentors to the kids and teens in the program. Coaches will help bring the curriculum to life by introducing youth to fun and active experiences that help them build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that can carry to everything they do.

“We are proud that PGA of Canada professionals will play an important role in utilizing golf to teach First Tee core values of honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, judgement and courtesy,” said Kevin Thistle, CEO of PGA of Canada. “We look forward to supporting the development of youth and junior golfers through the coaching and mentorship of PGA of Canada professionals in alignment with the National Coaching Certification Program.”

First Tee – Canada will target to launch multiple chapters in 2021 with a growth strategy to establish First Tee chapters in markets across Canada through 2023. The inaugural First Tee – Canada chapter launching in 2021 will be located in Victoria, British Columbia at the Bear Mountain Golf & Tennis Resort Community which is also home to Golf Canada’s National Training Centre. This was made possible by the support of the Matthews and Kusumoto families. Dan Matthews is a global Trustee and a member of the Board of Governors of the First Tee and a member of the Board of Directors of the Golf Canada Foundation.  A First Tee chapter in Quebec will also be launched shortly thereafter, continuing the incredible legacy of past  Presidents Cups. With support from the Presidents Cup, First Tee has successfully launched global chapters in Australia (2019) and Korea (2015).

Through its deep network of donors and trustees, Golf Canada Foundation will be a critical partner in supporting the launch and advancement of First Tee – Canada through its fundraising and philanthropic efforts. Canada’s Provincial Golf Associations will also play a role in the advancement of First Tee – Canada as chapters begin to form in markets across Canada. In addition, Golf Canada will continue to work with the NGCOA Canada (National Golf Course Owner’s Association) and other key industry stakeholders towards a more inclusive golf experience for Canadian youth.

Since its inception in 1997, First Tee has impacted more than 15 million young people through its character-building programs on golf courses, in schools and at youth-serving locations.

The First Tee network has grown to over 150 chapters and more than 1,200 program locations across the United States as well as six international chapters—Australia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco and Canada—delivering programs that help young people build character and develop life skills through the game of golf. A First Tee chapter out of Vancouver is operating independently out of Vancouver, and previously out of Montreal, prior to the launch of First Tee – Canada.

To learn more about First Tee, visit thefirsttee.org.

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