OAKVILLE, Ont. – Dustin Johnson pulled away from the field after a nearly two-hour rain delay to win the RBC Canadian Open for the first time.

Johnson shot a 6-under 66 to finish the only Canadian stop on the PGA TOUR at 23-under par.

The world No. 1 tied for second in the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in 2013 and 2016.

Byeong Hun An (69) and Whee Kim (69) finished as runners up at 20-under in the US$6.2 million event, with Keegan Bradley (64) placing fourth at 19-under.

Mackenzie Hughes (68) of nearby Dundas, Ont., was the low Canadian, tying for eighth at 15 under overall to claim the Rivermead Cup.

A Canadian has not won the national title since Victoria’s Pat Fletcher accomplished the feat in 1954.

Johnson entered the day in a four-way tie for the lead with Kim, Hun An and Kevin Tway but had seven birdies and a bogey to pull away from the group.

A nearby lightning storm delayed play for an hour and 45 minutes and shrunk the massive crowd that usually trails Johnson from hole to hole.

Hamilton Golf and Country Club will host the 2019 RBC Canadian Open. It is also shifting forward in the PGA TOUR’s schedule, moving to early June in the week before the U.S. Open.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – No. 7 at Glen Abbey Golf Club has become the featured hole at the RBC Canadian Open the past two years. With hockey boards surrounding the tee, goalie masks being used as tee blocks, and officials wearing referees’ stripes, it’s a distinctly Canadian experience.

But with the RBC Canadian Open moving to Hamilton Golf and Country Club in 2019 and Glen Abbey possibly slated for redevelopment by course owner ClubLink, there were questions about the fate of the so-called Rink.

“The rink is on wheels, the rink’s going to go where we go,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum on Sunday. “The rink’s going to move with us. We’ve already got those officials from that hole, they want to go with it. The players love it.”

In particular, Applebaum loves how fans pound their fists on the boards after players tee off. Although it caused some confusion among players in 2017 when the Rink was first unveiled, they’re now on board with it too.

“Bring the noise, bring the thunder,” said Applebaum from the media centre in the bowels of Glen Abbey’s clubhouse.

Glen Abbey was the first course designed solely by golf legend Jack Nicklaus and was completed in 1976. It’s become the home of Golf Canada and the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, which holds its induction ceremony the same week as the Canadian Open, as long as the tournament is being held at Glen Abbey that year.

Applebaum thinks this year’s RBC Canadian Open – which saw a four-way tie atop the leaderboard between world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Whee Kim, Byeong Hun An and Kevin Tway heading into the fourth round – is the perfect sendoff for the storied course.

“Beer sales are up, food sales are up, merchandise sales are up and attendance will be up,” said Applebaum, who predicted that total attendance for the week would be over 80,000. “For me, it’s a win across the board. Spectacular.”

Hamilton will host the 2019 and 2023 events, with Applebaum believing the host for 2020 will be announced within the next two or three months. His intention is to keep the men’s national championship in the Greater Toronto Area, while the CP Women’s Open will continue to move back and forth across the country.

In addition to changing locations, the RBC Canadian Open will occupy a new spot on the PGA TOUR’s calendar beginning in 2019.

Historically, the RBC Canadian Open was held in September, but starting in 2007 it was played in late July, the prime golf season. But starting in 2019 it will be held in early June, the week before the U.S. Open, essentially turning it into a tune-up event for some of the biggest names in golf.

“The guys that have traditionally played our event seem like they will continue, but all the new people that haven’t played in the past, are talking about it,” said Applebaum. “The Phil Mickelsons, the Rory McIlroys, the Rickie Fowlers, it’s great to have that grouping of players who haven’t played it.”

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Stephen Ames was in the top three after all four rounds this week at The Senior Open presented by Rolex, including T1 after 36 holes. He carded a final-round 69 and finished T3, his best finish and third top-10 in a senior major.

Miguel Angel Jimenez became the first Spaniard to win The Senior Open presented by Rolex on Sunday, edging defending champion Bernhard Langer by one shot.

Jimenez dropped only one stroke en route to a final round 3-under 69 and ended on 12-under 276 at the historic Old Course.

Jimenez was following in famous footsteps as the second Spaniard to win at St. Andrews after Seve Ballesteros won The Open in 1984.

“This is the place where everyone wants to win and the place where Seve won his second British Open,” Jimenez said. “It has always been my ambition to win here. It feels like I am part of history.”

The 54-year-old Jimenez played the sort of round every professional golfer dreams of on the final day at St. Andrews, and often in unpleasant — occasionally vicious — weather conditions.

Langer shot a 68 to come second.

Americans Kirk Triplett (69) and Scott McCarron (68) tied for third alongside Canada’s Stephen Ames (69). All three finished on 10 under.

Jimenez won the Regions Tradition in May, holding off a hard-charging Steve Stricker for his first senior major title.

On Sunday, in the immediate aftermath of his second major title of the year, the self-styled “most interesting man in golf” played down his celebrations but the prolonged raising of his arms was evidence enough of his delight.

And relief. Only by making a vital nine-foot putt for par on the penultimate green had Jimenez held onto his overnight lead.

“I didn’t play too good over the last few holes,” Jimenez said. “I didn’t hit many solid shots. And I missed short putts on both the 14th and 15th. At that stage I was feeling the stress. My heart was really pumping very fast.”

In search of a fourth victory in this event, Langer had cause to regret a couple of lapses, most notably the three-putts he needed to complete the par-4 13th hole. It was his only bogey of the day, but it was enough to give Jimenez a three-shot edge that proved just too much to overcome.

“Miguel played an awesome four days of golf, and he’s a very well-deserved winner,” said Langer, who closed with a 4-under 68. “I was pretty happy overall. It wasn’t easy in some of the conditions that we had.”

The leaders made their share of mistakes down the stretch into a diminishing wind but their problems were nothing compared with earlier in the day. At its height, the wind and rain transformed the back-nine into a succession of par-5s. Despite the late improvement in the conditions, the 72-man field was a collective 136-over par.

Former Australian Open champion Peter Fowler – not exactly the shortest hitter in the field – was short of the 465-yard 13th after a good drive and full-blooded 3-wood. Even worse, two holes later he was unable to reach the fairway on the 455-yard 15th with his best drive. Around three hours later, Jimenez comfortably found both greens with mid-irons.

There was ultimate disappointment for Tom Watson. Playing what could be his final competitive round at St. Andrews, the 68-year old American — five times a British Open champion and three-times a winner of this event — had a closing 77 that left him in a lowly tie for 21st place at 1 under.

Watson was still afforded a rousing send-off.

“As ever, the fans were really very good to me,” Watson said. “I gave it right back to them. I appreciate what they do for me. This is a unique setting in golf, probably the most unique. You come into the town on the last hole and finish amongst all the buildings with the people hanging over the rail up there. There’s no other place like it.”

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Yealimi Noh shot even par 71 to capture the Duchess of Connaught Gold Cup at the 105th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship on Friday at Marine Drive.

It was another beautiful sunny day and Noh carded a single birdie and a single bogey to shoot her only round in the 70s.

Noh and Dylan Kim duked it out all day. Noh made the turn even after recording her only birdie and only bogey and Kim made the turn also firing a birdie and bogey but still sat one shot ahead.

It wasn’t until Kim bogeyed hole 11 where the duo sat tied through the next 6 holes.

Coming up to the 18th tee the two sat tied at even par. Kim pulled her tee off to the left in the rough and hit her second shot fat and it landed only about 20 or 30 yards ahead, that’s when Noh knew she had a chance to take the lead and decided to change her club.

“I changed clubs, I was about to hit the yardage but then I just wanted to be safe and I’m just going to hit it on the green. I clubbed up and just hit a short shot, I was just going for the green,” said the 17-year-old.

Noh hit her ball off the fairway on to the left of the green and successfully pared the hole where Kim bogeyed it.

“I didn’t think at the beginning of the day I would win. I thought I would shoot at least a couple under, because there was also the other group in front of us. I never try to let my guard down. I think coming through 16, 17, 18 I wasn’t really thinking about it, just wanted to get through each hole.” said Noh.

Just this month Noh has won the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and the Girl’s Junior PGA Championship, as well as celebrated her 17th birthday on July 26.

“This month has been a whirlwind, the beginning of the year I set my goals for the three this month and this summer, since I’m not playing as much this summer,” said the 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur Champion. “The biggest goal of mine was to win, well, all of them, but I didn’t think I would win all of them. I would have been really happy to just win one out of three. Winning three in a row is just crazy.”

Kim finished 2-over for the day and a total score of 10-under 274 for the tournament. The 21-year-old from Sachse, Tex. took home the silver medal as well as the Marlene Stewart Streit trophy which, after almost 15 years, was reinstated this year.

Tiffany Kong remained the low scoring Canadian. She finished the tournament 2-over 286 with a share of 14. The Vancouver B.C. native has earned exemption into this year’s CP Women’s Open in August.

Kong is excited at opportunity to play this year at the CP Women’s Open and feels better equipped to play this year than she did three years ago, at age 14, when she played in the CP Women’s Open at Vancouver Golf Club.

“Well, three years ago I was hitting decent for my age but compared to the pros I was like 60 yards behind — hi, I’m way back here.  I had to hit 3-woods onto some greens. There were some holes where I couldn’t even reach it with a 3-wood. So now I think I have a better chance of playing better.” said Kong.

Three players walked away with a share of third after carding 9-under 275: Lilia Kha-Tu Vu from Fountain Valley, Calif., Allisen Corpuz from Waipahu, HI. and Gina Kim from Chapel Hill, N.C.

Noh’s victory earns her an exemption into both the 2018 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and the CP Women’s Open at Wascana Country Club on August 20-26, 2018.

For full results click here.

Six under-19 golfers are in Medicine Hat this week chasing a national junior boy’s championship.

Saskatchewan junior champion Josh Nagy of Saskatoon, Bradley Moser also of Saskatoon, Deer Valley’s Cole Obrigewitsch, and Colby Friedrich from Battleford make up Team Saskatchewan. They were the top four finishers at the provincial junior championship played at Moon Lake Golf and Country Club from July 9 to 11.

Saskatchewan also had a pair of quota spots to fill in this year’s national tournament taking place at the Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club. Saskatoon’s Steven Duchscher and Connor Scissons tied for sixth place in the Saskatchewan championship earning them a spot at nationals. An Edmonton golfer placed fourth in the event.

Duchscher is the first to tee-off, he begins at 8:36 a.m. Monday, Obrigewitsch starts his round at 9:09 a.m., Moser will tee-off at 9:20 a.m., Nagy hits the course at 9:31 a.m. Friedrich will hit his first shot at 12:33 p.m. and Scissons will be in the 12:41 p.m. group.

Team Saskatchewan is coached by Jason Schneider.

The tournament is four rounds, they will have cuts after the second round on Tuesday. An inter-provincial team competition is built in for the first two days of the championship as well.

You can follow online here.

Home course advantage proved crucial for a pair of Golf Kenosee members who won provincial golf championships Thursday.

Golf Saskatchewan held their 99^th Senior Men’s Championship from July 24 – 26 at the Kenosee Lake course along with the championship for the Mid-Master’s (plus-40) division. Players could play both divisions if the age requirements were applicable. Going into the championship round Thursday Regina’s Ken Rodgers led both fields but the final 18 holes rewrote the story.

Carlyle resident Jason Mohr carded a 76 on day one and 77 on day two, going into the final round four shots back of Rodgers. The defending senior champion couldn’t hold his one shot lead, Rodgers posted a nine-over, 81 opening the door for Mohr. He said he played well but didn’t realize he was in the mix until late.

“It feels good, I didn’t know I was in the hunt until about 17 or 18,” he said. “I made some good par saves, made a couple 16 footers for par, it was just one shot at a time,” he said.

Mohr’s third round of 73 was the lowest round of the day by four shots.

Golf Kenosee member Rick Hallberg came in second overall, a stroke behind Mohr but his three round total of 227 was low enough to claim the Senior’s Championship. He said it’s an experience he won’t forget.

“It’s been a long time coming to win a provincial championship,” Hallberg said. “I’ve been working pretty hard on my game, it was a lot of fun,” he said.

Hallberg will lead Team Saskatchewan’s field into the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship taking place in New Brunswick from Sept. 4 – 7.

”It will be great, I can’t wait to go,” he said.

Rodgers defeated Tony Turay in a one-hole playoff deciding second and third place. Final tournament results can be found here.

Biggar’s Keith Silvernagle (below) was the top “Super-Senior” shooting 231 over the three days. He will take part in the national championships as an alternate along with Hallberg, Rodgers, and Tony Turay.

Tucked into the boreal forest of northeast Saskatchewan is Pasquia Regional Park and a golf course that has “everything’ for the family.

Under new management this year the course is looking to get more young golfers on the course. Over 450 kids take part in swimming lessons at the park every year, many camping with their family for a week or more when the lessons are underway. Manager Therza Hansen relocated to the region from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. where she managed a 27-hole course. She said the learning curve for her has been challenging moving to a smaller course but she’s excited for the future and opportunities.

“The main thing is to focus on those kids and getting them on the course more. They already come out with their parents anyways, but we’d like to create a little junior league or something even if they are only here for a week,” she said.

The swimming pool is part of the regional park’s amenities as well as an interpretive centre. Hansen said working with those facilities as early as next year is something the course wants to do.

“I think our main thing right now is to how to figure out how we’re going to get all these kids golfing too,” she said.

Overall, Hansen said she’s looking forward to the chance to grow the game among youth in the area around Nipawin and Carrot River. Coming from a busy course in the Edmonton area she said the pace at Pasquia took some getting used to in her first year.

“I don’t have as many staff, it’s really nice, it’s way more relaxing. Everyone is laid back, we don’t have the city people complaining the course is backed up. Our players are more laid back,” she said.

The nine-hole course itself features a par-4 and par-5 to begin followed by five holes located in a scenic valley according to their website. Three sets of tee blocks are available on the 37-par course to match any player’s skill level. Power carts, pull carts, and a driving range as well as fully stocked proshop are among the amenities. Hansen said visitors don’t leave the course or park without enjoying everything they have to offer.

“It’s a beautiful course, very beautiful, it has everything to offer a family or avid golfer,” she said.

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Gina Kim, Yealimi Noh and Dylan Kim all sit 7-under after the second round of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Marine Drive on Wednesday.

Gina Kim started the day at 4-under then carded three birdies and a bogey on her front nine. She made the turn and fired three more birdies and a bogey to finish with a 3-under 68, one stroke lower than her score on Tuesday.

“I thought it was a fairly solid round. My shots were really consistent, and I managed to play all the smart shots today and the putts were dropping. I’d say overall I was pretty happy with what I came out with,” said the 18-year-old from Chapel Hill N.C.

“This course is narrow and tricky in its own way. Considering yesterday went pretty well I thought why not just continue to go with what I’ve been doing, and I think it worked out again today and I think I’m going to keep going with that for the rest of the week,” she said.

Dylan Kim came in at 2-under today after starting with two birdies and a bogey on her front nine. The 21-year-old from Sachse, Tex. ended strong with a beautiful birdie on hole 18.

“I got off to a good start and then I went a little rough in the middle there, but I’m proud of the way I finished. I finished with a birdie and that was really nice. I also had a nice par on hole 17, which is a hard hole, so I’m really glad I got through that one,” she said.

Dylan Kim recorded a 66 on Tuesday, to tie Yealimi No’s new course record before Jennifer Kupcho carded a 7-under 64.

“I thought the pins were tougher today, when I was looking at them before my round I was thinking ‘Ok today is going to be a little tougher, I need to be a little bit smarter today,’” said Dylan Kim.

Yealimi Noh from Concord, Calif. also came in at 2-under and had a strong round. She recorded 5 pars in a row on her front nine before adding a birdie to her scorecard. Right before she made the turn she recorded another birdie on hole 9. She finished her back nine with a bogey and a third birdie.

Tiffany Kong, a former Team Canada Development Squad member, recorded a 3-under 68 to land herself in fourth and as the low Canadian. She sits 5-under par for the tournament, just two strokes behind the lead trio.

73 players have advanced to the final two rounds of the national championship. The first groups will tee off Thursday at 7:30 a.m. from holes 1 and 10.

Team British Columbia won the inter-provincial competition after the team consisting of Naomi Ko, Mary Parsons and Christina Proteau shot a combined 8 over par through the two-round event. Team Ontario came in second at 13 over par and Quebec finished 9 back in third.

The 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur title, the individual champion will earn an exemption into the 2018 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and – along with the low Canadian – the CP Women’s Open at Wascana Country Club on August 20-26, 2018.

For full results click here.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Dustin Johnson pulled on the Edmonton Oilers jersey with “Gretzky 99” on the back, lined up his shot and hit it over the water and on to the green at No. 7 on Glen Abbey Golf Club.

Jersey: 9⃣9⃣
Swing: ?@DJohnsonPGA pays homage to @WayneGretzky with an @Oilers jersey at “The Rink” during his @RBCCanadianOpen pro-am.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/NyVSspUOVz

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 25, 2018

American through-and-through, the RBC Canadian Open is Johnson’s home tournament by marriage, with future father-in-law Wayne Gretzky growing up in nearby Brantford, Ont.

But playing in a pro-am tournament on Wednesday morning, Johnson was encouraged to embrace his extended family’s sport of choice at Glen Abbey’s seventh hole, which has a tee box surrounded by hockey boards and tournament volunteers stationed at the hole wearing referee’s stripes.

“I’m sure Wayne had something to do with it,” said Johnson with a laugh. “They wanted us to wear our favourite hockey jersey when we hit the shot on No. 7 so I had the Gretzky jersey on.”

Johnson leads a highly competitive field that also includes U.S. Open winner Brooks Koepka, two-time RBC Canadian Open winner Jim Furyk, and top-20 players Tommy Fleetwood and Bubba Watson. Jhonattan Vegas, who has won the last two RBC Canadian Opens, is also back.

As world No. 1, Johnson always draws a big crowd. But the added boost of having family ties to hockey royalty makes him extra popular at the RBC Canadian Open.

“I get a lot of fans up here, thanks to Wayne. Thanks Wayne, I appreciate that,” said Johnson, who is engaged to Gretzky’s daughter Paulina. “I get a lot of fans and it’s great. It’s always fun to play for a big crowd, to have them cheering you on.”

Johnson will tee off with Watson and Canadian Adam Hadwin to start the first round on Thursday. Hadwin, ranked No. 55, is the top Canadian on the PGA TOUR this season. Although he’s from Abbotsford, B.C., he also sees the RBC Canadian Open as his hometown event, even if it’s more than 4,000 kilometres from home.

“It’s always exciting to come back in to Canada and play,” said Hadwin. “They love golf up here. They love supporting Canadians. I’m really just proud to represent them.”

Hadwin is one of 21 Canadians in the field at this year’s tournament, which also includes PGA regulars Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont.

Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., the 2003 Masters champion, and David Hearn, from Gretzky’s home town of Brantford, are other Canadians to watch.

Pat Fletcher of Victoria was the last Canadian to win the national championship in 1954, finishing at 8-under with a four-stroke lead at Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf Club.

“We all want to do well, we all want to play well,” said Hadwin. “I know it’s been a long time (since a Canadian won).”

The RBC Canadian Open’s undergoing major changes after this season. With Glen Abbey possibly slated for demolition, it could be the last time the Jack Nicklaus-designed course will be used for the event. Hamilton Golf and Country Club will play host next year.

It’s position on the PGA TOUR’s schedule is also being moved from mid-July, a week after the British Open, to early June, the week before the U.S. Open. The change in schedule will improve the strength of the RBC Canadian Open’s field as many golfers like to rest after the British Open.

“I like playing the week before (a major),” said Koepka. “I think it’s good prep to know where your game is at. I wouldn’t be surprised if the (Hamilton) golf course, they grow the rough up just to kind of imitate, I guess, Pebble Beach a little bit.”

Saskatchewan’s women’s amateur golf team was middle of the pack among the nation’s provincial race however none of the four competing made the cut at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

Saskatoon’s Carla Odnokon, Melville’s Chloe Sies, Regina’s Brooke Hill, and Ella Kozak of Yorkton are taking part in the event at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver. Odnokon was the province’s top performer, she shot 158 (78, 80) over the first two rounds of the tournament. Hill finished at plus-28 after firing rounds of 84 and 86; Sies finished with 176 after posting back-to-back rounds of 88. Kozak, 12, carded a 97 on day one Tuesday, her second round was 93, she finished with 190.

The cutline was plus-8, just 65 golfers from the 156 player field made the final two days of the event.

Team Saskatchewan is currently fifth in the provincial competition.

American Gina Kim is going into the third round as the leader. The event concludes on Thursday.

The leaderboard can be found here.