EUGENE, Ore. – Sulman Raza made a 7-foot birdie putt on the third extra hole to outlast Taylor Funk and give Oregon its first NCAA men’s golf title, 3-2 over short-handed Texas on Wednesday.

Raza rallied in regulation at Eugene Country Club and finished off Funk – the son of PGA Tour Champions player Fred Funk – with the birdie on the par-4 10th on the 21st hole.

“Those last two holes of regular play and those three playoff holes, I felt like everybody was watching and everything was on my shoulders,” said Raza, a junior from Eugene. “I think I handled it great. I’ve worked so hard to put myself in this position and excel and achieve this goal. To do it on this kind of stage and in front of this many people and fans, I think it is going to give me a huge confidence boost.”

Oregon became the first host school to win since Oklahoma in 1989 at Oak Tree. The Ducks entered the tournament 26th in the NCAA ranking and were the No. 6 seed in match play.

“They are just competitors. They worked hard and they are great players,” Oregon coach Casey Martin said. “It is all about these guys. I haven’t hit a shot, I just told them to breathe. That was the extent of my work. These guys did an awesome job. It is a special group.”

Raza also scored the deciding point in the Ducks’ 3-2 semifinal victory over Illinois on Tuesday.

“This is a dream come true,” said Aaron Wise, also the individual champion Monday. “We have worked so hard for this exact moment. For Raza yesterday and today to do what he did is incredible.”

Spotted a 1-0 lead when Texas star Beau Hossler withdrew against Zach Foushee because of a left shoulder injury, Oregon made it 2-0 when Edwin Yi beat Gavin Hall 4 and 3 in the first match.

Hossler was unable to play after fighting through pain Tuesday to score the winning point in the Longhorns’ 4-1 semifinal victory over Southern California.

“With the way my shoulder is right now I don’t have a chance of competing at all,” Hossler said during the match. “I’d be doing my team a disservice to be out there and, obviously, be risking some serious injury on my shoulder.”

Top-ranked Texas missed a chance to become the first No. 1 seed to win since the format changed to match play. Texas won the last of its three titles in 2012 at Riviera when Jordan Spieth was a freshman

“We came up short today just a little bit,” Texas coach John Fields said. “The NCAA crowned a great champion in Oregon. It is their moment, and we gave it our best. We didn’t lose this golf tournament, they won it. I’m excited for them.”

Scottie Scheffler and Doug Ghim won for Texas. Scheffler beat Wise 4 and 3 in the second match, and Ghim topped Thomas Lim 2 and 1 in the fifth.

“Scottie just played a heck of match,” Wise said. “I just got beat.”

Set to turn pro, Wise became the first individual champion to also play on the team winner since Kevin Chappell at UCLA in 2008, the year before the format switch to match play.

It came down to Raja and Funk in the fourth match.

“I realized Scottie won and Doug was basically closing out,” Funk said. “I knew at that point it was going to come down to our match for the national championship. I played some good golf, and he played a little better golf.”

Raja tied Funk with a par on the par-4 17th, and they halved the par-4 18th with pars. On 18, Funk made a 5-footer to extend the match after Raja two-putted from 35 feet.

On the 10th on the first extra hole, Raza’s 6-foot birdie try for the victory slid right, and Funk made a 3 1/2-footer for par to extend the match. On the 18th on the second extra hole, Funk had a chance to win, but missed a 10-foot birdie try.

Funk took the lead with a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-5 15th. The sophomore escaped with a halve on the par-3 16th, getting up-and-down for bogey from the drop zone after hitting into the water.

“There were a lot of nerves,” Funk said. “Obviously, there is a hometown crowd for Oregon, so I wanted to keep that as quiet as possible. Obviously, the nerves were there. I loved every minute of it. That is what you live for and we didn’t come out on top this time, but there will be many more opportunities and I’m looking forward to those.”

Scheffler closed out Wise on the 15th after the Oregon star four-putted for bogey.

“I was pretty nervous out there, but I was able to handle it pretty well, thankfully,” Scheffler said.

Aurora, Oregon – Victoria, B.C., native Naomi Ko won the Cambia Portland Classic Amateur Open, earning a spot in the Cambia Portland Classic.

Ko, who just completed her freshman year at North Carolina State and who is a member of Team Canada, carded a 1-under par 71 at Langdon Farms Golf Club.

The Cambia Portland Classic will be held June 30-July 3, at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, OR and will be Ko’s first LPGA tournament.

Sydney Maluenda of George Fox University finished second with a round of 72 and UCLA signee Mariel Galdiano finished third at 74 earning opportunities to compete in the tournament’s Monday qualifier alongside professionals.  The qualifier will be held on Monday, June 27.  The top two finishers from the Monday qualifier will earn entry into the tournament proper.  2015 Tournament Champion Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., earned a spot in the event through the Monday qualifier last year and went on to win the event by eight shots over a strong field, for her first LPGA victory.

Ko recently qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open which takes place the week after the Cambia Portland Classic.  She finished 5th in the ACC tournament this season.

Ko, who knows Henderson from Team Canada, has actually roomed with her on occasion.

“I’m really excited to be playing in the Portland Classic,” said Ko.  “I know Brooke (Henderson) won it last year and look forward to seeing her here this year.”

Last year’s Amateur Open winner, Gigi Stoll, a Beaverton High School graduate, who just completed her freshman year at the University of Arizona, was unable to defend her title, shooting a 77 to finish three shots out of contention.  In 2015, Stoll set a course and tournament record with a 9-under par 63 at Langdon Farms.

The Cambia Portland Classic will take place at Columbia-Edgewater Country Club in Portland, OR, from June 30-July 3, 2016.  The 72-hole tournament features a purse of $1.3 million and broadcast coverage on the Golf Channel for all four rounds.  Brooke Henderson won the 2016 tournament, setting a new 72-hole tournament scoring record at 21-under par. Henderson became just the second player and first since 2000 to Monday qualify for an LPGA Tour event and go on to win. One of the hottest rising stars on the LPGA, Henderson has moved up to the 4th spot on the Rolex Rankings list of the world’s top women golfers.

Volunteer applications and Tickets to the Cambia Portland Classic are available now at www.portlandclassic.com.

TROON, Scotland – Royal Troon Golf Club, the host of this year’s British Open, is set to end its male-only membership policy after more than three quarters of members in a survey backed allowing in women.

Troon said in a statement on Wednesday that its committee will propose at a July 1 meeting that its membership grants approval for female members to join.

“Recently we spoke about the need for our club to reflect the modern society in which we exist and I am pleased that a large majority of members who responded to our survey agree and support opening the club to women,” Troon’s club captain Martin Cheyne said.

“Looking ahead to the Open Championship, we want Scotland to be proud of Royal Troon Golf Club and the Ladies’ Golf Club, Troon as we jointly host this most prestigious competition in front of a worldwide audience.”

Royal Troon, formed in 1878, is sharing the responsibility of hosting next year’s British Open with The Ladies Golf Club in Troon that uses its facilities.

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews decided in 2014 to open its membership to women after 260 years of male exclusivity.

But Muirfield was banned last month from hosting the Britsh Open after its membership didn’t approve female members joining.

The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, which owns Muirfield, announced its decision to retain the club’s male-only policy following a ballot of its members. A two-thirds majority was required for change. Out of 616 members who voted, 36 per cent were against allowing women.

Within minutes, the Royal and Ancient, which runs the British Open, said Muirfield was off the list of 10 courses that can host golf’s oldest major championship.

Golfers past and present backed the R&A’s stance.

PARKSVILLE, B.C. – Pristine conditions set the stage for the opening round of the 2016 edition of the Canadian University/College Championship at Morningstar Golf Club. Scott Secord opened with a 5-under 67 showing as the University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds seized the lead in the men’s division. Alexandra Pelletier shot 1-under to send the Université Laval Rouge et Or to the top of the day one leaderboard in the women’s division.

A dominant performance from defending champions UBC saw the school finish a combined 10-under to lead the men’s division by 20 strokes. Calgarian Scott Secord recorded four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 third hole en route to a 67 to lead the men’s individual standings. Fellow teammates Jack Wood (69) and Andrew Harrison (70) are T3 and 5th, respectively. Evan Holmes and Nate Ollis matched 72s to complete the UBC men’s contingent.

The 23-year-old Secord remained focused when asked to reflect on the effect of past success on this year’s competition. “It helps; it definitely does. But we’re trying to stay modest because there are lots of good players here and it can change every day. We’re just trying to go with our game plan and stick with it. If that works for four days, great.”

With team totals of 10-over 298, the Camosun College Chargers and the Queen’s University Gaels are knotted in second-place. Five shots separate second- to ninth-place in the men’s team standings.

Secord – the 2014 individual champion – liked what he saw of the course and appreciates the opportunity to once again represent the Thunderbirds. “Chris and the boys graciously invited me back to play. It’s nice that all the members are allowing us to take the golf course from them for five days. The course is awesome. The greens are rolling great; they’re nice and smooth – a little fast, which is nice to see. The fairways and everything are just awesome, as well. You’ve just got to be careful out there.”

Chris Crisologo of the Simon Fraser University Clan is in second-place at 4-under. The Richmond, B.C., native notched five birdies and made an eagle on the third hole. Vernon, B.C., product Brady Stead of the Camosun College Chargers is T3 after collecting four birdies.

The Université Laval Rouge et Or finished the first day of competition at 18-over 234 to lead the women’s division by two strokes. The host University of Victoria Vikes are in second, while the UBC women hold third – one stroke behind their fellow British Columbians.

Alexandra Pelletier was the lone player in the women’s field to finish below-par. The native of Montréal tallied four birdies in a 1-under 71 performance. Caroline Ciot of the defending champion Université de Montréal Carabins opened with a 75. The native of Québec City is hoping to improve upon last year’s runner-up result in the women’s individual standings. Calgary’s Quinn Fitzgerald from the University of Victoria completes the Top-3 after carding a 76.

The 2016 competition features 20 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams from across the country vying for team and individual honours. Following the third round, the field will be reduced to the top 10 men’s teams and the top six women’s teams, in addition to any individuals within 15 shots of the lead.

The second day of competition begins with the women’s division at 7:30 a.m., while the men tee off at 8:10 a.m. Additional information regarding the championship, including pairings and up-to-date scoring can be found here.

MIDLAND, Ont. – A hot and humid day, punctuated by a booming thunder clap, closed out the 2016 edition of the CN Future Links Ontario Championship at Midland Golf & Country Club. Brandon Lacasse and Isabella Portokalis emerged from tight groups of competitors to claim the Junior Girls and Junior Boys titles.

The Junior Boys leaderboard was crowded throughout the final day of competition. Lacasse separated himself from the group and the Châteauguay, Que., product matched his second-round 70 to finish 212 overall. The 18-year-old, who entered the day with a share of the lead, finished with two birdies for a two-stroke victory.

“I just tried to play as if it was a fun round,” said Lacasse. “I always finish second or third, so I’m happy to finally win a big tournament.”

Lacasse noted the bittersweet nature of the victory with this being his final year of eligibility on the junior circuit. “It’s fun to finish with a win,” he said. “Last year, I finished sixth at the Canadian Juniors, so maybe a win this year will help me perform better.”

Toronto’s Tyler Nagano remained competitive throughout the round, tallying four birdies, but could not catch the leader. The 17-year-old finished 4-over 214, while Beaconsfield, Que., native Remi Chartier earned third-place with a 69 – his lowest round of the weekend.

As the Top-5 in the Junior Boys division, Lacasse, Nagano, Chartier, Ty Celone (Long Sault, Ont.) and Jake Bryson (Dunrobin, Ont.) earned spots into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, which will be contested at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L. from August 1-4. Kelvin Young Woong Lim claimed the sixth available spot following a playoff-victory over Charles-David Trépanier of Québec City and Anthony Occhiuto from Guelph, Ont.

A clap of thunder forced the brief suspension of play with players being evacuated from the field due to safety concerns. After players returned to the course, Vancouver’s Tiffany Kong and Surrey, B.C., native Hannah Lee began play before the championship committee had allowed the resumption of play. After careful review of the situation, the committee decided to waive the penalty of disqualification as per Rule 6-8: Discontinuance of Play; Resumption of Play, and to issue each with a two-stroke penalty.

Isabella Portokalis tallied a pair of birdies en route to a 2-over 72 on the day. The London, Ont., native made par on hole 18 to sit 6-over 216 alongside Kong. When the two-stroke penalty was applied following the round, Portokalis claimed the win by two strokes.

“I just tried to keep calm and keep making pars, and if a putt went in then that was great,” said the 14-year-old when asked to reflect on the day. “I got into the scoring tent and everybody said that I won and I didn’t even realize it.”

Portokalis sees this victory as a building block towards future success, including the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship in August. “Now I know that I can win any tournament,” she said. “I was three back on the first tee, but I bounced back on the back nine.”

Kong and Lee – members of Team Canada’s Women’s Development Squad – claimed second- and third-place in the tournament. Kong collected four birdies and an eagle on hole 15, but finished with a 2-over 72 showing. Lee finished third following a 75.

All players within the Top-6 in the Junior Girls division earned entries into the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship from August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S. Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont,), Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.), and Grace St-Germain (Orleans, Ont.) will compete alongside Portokalis, Kong, and Lee.

Four additional CN Future Links Championships will cross the country this summer:

• June 3-5 – CN Future Links Quebec – Beauceville, Que. – Club de golf Beauceville
• June 10-12 – CN Future Links Prairie – Neepawa, Man. – Neepawa Golf & Country Club
• July 4-6 – CN Future Links Western – Medicine Hat, Alta. – Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club
• July 12-14 – CN Future Links Atlantic – Fairview, P.E.I. – Countryview Golf Club

Additional information regarding the 2016 CN Future Links Ontario Championship can be found here.

MIDLAND, Ont. – Temperatures flared at Midland Golf & Country Club during the second round of the CN Future Links Ontario Championship. Monet Chun claimed sole possession of the lead in the Junior Girls division, while James Parsons and Brandon Lacasse share top spot in the Junior Boys division.

Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont., shot 1-under 69 to improve upon her opening-round 72. The 15-year-old tallied four birdies, including two back-to-back on holes 13 and 14, en route to a 1-under 35 across the back nine.

Three Team Canada Women’s Development Squad members are within the Top-5. First round leader Grace St-Germain (Orleans, Ont.) carded a 5-over 75 and sits two strokes behind Chun. Teammate Hannah Lee of Surrey, B.C., sunk five birdies for a 1-over 71 and shares 3rd with London, Ont., native Isabella Portokalis. National Team member Tiffany Kong of Vancouver also recorded five birdies on the day, advancing to T5.

The low round of the day in the Junior Girls division came courtesy of Ellie Szeryk. The dual-citizen and product of London, Ont., collected six birdies and finished 2-under 68 to climb into a share of 5th. Chloe Currie of Mississauga, Ont., and Kathrine Chan of Richmond, B.C., are T12 and T17, respectively.

The Junior Boys’ top-spot is split between James Parsons of Almonte, Ont., and Brandon Lacasse of Châteauguay, Que. The pair sit 2-over 142 and hold a one-stroke advantage after matching 70s on the day.

Jake Bryson of Dunrobin, Ont., is third following a 73. The 16-year-old was one of three players to collect an eagle on the day. Two Ontarians – Thomas Code of Dorchester and Toronto’s Tyler Nagano – are tied at 4-over to complete the Top-5 in the Junior Boys division. Men’s Development Squad member Thomas ‘Jack’ Simpson (Aurora, Ont.) is part of a six-way tie for 21st.

The top six finalists in the Junior Boys division will earn exemptions into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L., from August 1-4. Exemptions will be decided via a hole-by-hole playoff in the case of ties. All competitors in the Top-6, including ties, in the Junior Girls division will gain exemptions into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The tournament will be held August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S.

The second day of competition will see the Junior Boys division tee-off at 7 a.m. before the Junior Girls take to the course at 11:10 a.m. Additional information, including pairings and up-to-date scoring is available here.

Florida’s Tyler McCumber and New York’s Dan McCarthy reached 10-under par through 36 holes at Point Grey Golf and Country Club on Friday to share the second round lead at the Freedom 55 Financial Open, the opening event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

McCumber, a two-time winner on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica in 2014, birdied the 18th hole for one of his six birdies in a round of 68 on Friday to match the lead set earlier by McCarthy, who was bogey-free with six birdies on the day.

“It was nice to get a shot back coming down the stretch. There were so many good shots today, but those are the ones to focus on for me,” said McCumber, a University of Florida graduate and the son of 10-time PGA TOUR winner Mark McCumber.

McCarthy, a veteran of 39 Mackenzie Tour starts, credited a more conservative approach to Point Grey’s tree-line layout than his last two starts in Vancouver, both of which resulted in missed cuts.

“I hit a ton of greens, so I wasn’t grinding out pars out there,” said McCarthy. “The pins are challenging, so you kind of have to make decisions to not go after them and play towards the fat part of the green, and that’s something I’ve learned over the years.”

One shot behind McCarthy and McCumber was Florida’s Taylor Hancock, a recent University of North Florida grad making his pro debut this week.

“Surprisingly, I was just really calm. I don’t know why. It was just fun to be able to say I’m a professional,” said Hancock. “A couple of holes down the stretch, I started to feel it a little bit, but you live for that and that’s what you enjoy.”

Devin Carrey of Burnaby, B.C., and Manitoba’s Aaron Cockerill lead the Canadian contingent at T10.

National Team member Eric Banks of Truro, N.S., is tied for 32nd at 2-under. Team Canada Development Squad members Tony Gil (Vaughan, Ont.) and A.J. Ewart (Coquitlam, B.C.), who finished 2-over and 8-over, respectively, will not head into weekend play.

MIDLAND, Ont. – The nation’s junior golfers were treated to a healthy dose of sun during the first round of the 2016 CN Future Links Ontario Championship at Midland Golf & Country Club. Team Canada Development Squad member Grace St-Germain took the lead in the Junior Girls division after shooting 2-under 68. Louis-Alexandre Colgan, Jake Bryson, and Thomas Giroux carded even-par rounds to share the Junior Boys lead.

St-Germain, a native of Orleans, Ont., shot four birdies on the day, including two back-to-back on holes 11 and 12 en route to the day’s only score below-par.

“It was a very good round, I was hitting the ball really well today,” said the 17-year-old. “The greens were really fast, so I’m just going to take it one shot at a time tomorrow.”

Isabella Portokalis of London, Ont., notched a birdie on No. 18 to move into second at 1-over-par, while fellow Ontarian Monet Chun of Richmond Hill and Mary Parsons of Delta B.C., are T3 after matching 72s. Parsons, the 2016 CN Future Links Pacific champion, collected three birdies across a bogey-free back nine.

St-Germain’s quartet of Women’s Development Squad teammates are all within the Top-15, led by Surrey, B.C., product Hannah Lee who sits fifth at 3-over-par. Vancouver’s Tiffany Kong and Chloe Currie of Mississauga, Ont., each tallied three birdies on the back nine to reach T6. Kathrine Chan, of Richmond, B.C., is T14 after opening with a 77.

In the Junior Boys division, three players hold a share of first at even-par. Québec City’s Louis-Alexandre Colgan and Jake Bryson of Dunrobin, Ont., each made five birdies on the day. Georgetown, Ont., native Thomas Giroux completes the trio of leaders, having tallied four birdies – including three across holes 6 through 9 – for a 1-under 33 on the front nine.

Three Ontarians are one shot behind the leaders. Johnny Travale (Stoney Creek), Sam Meek (Peterborough) and Eric (Joohyung) Byun (Richmond Hill) sit T4 on the crowded leaderboard. Aurora, Ont., product Thomas ‘Jack’ Simpson – the lone Men’s Development Squad member in the field – holed two birdies and is T14.

The top six finalists in the Junior Boys division will earn exemptions into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L., from August 1-4. Exemptions will be decided via a hole-by-hole playoff in the case of ties. All competitors in the Top-6, including ties, in the Junior Girls division will gain exemptions into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The tournament will be held August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S.

The second day of competition will see the Junior Girls division tee-off at 7 a.m. before the Junior Boys take to the course at 8:50 a.m. Additional information, including pairings and up-to-date scoring is available here.

BEAUCEVILLE, Que. – Club de golf Beauceville, founded in 1990 in Beauceville, Que., will host a field of 121 junior athletes from June 3-5 for the 2016 CN Future Links Quebec Championship. A total of six CN Future Links Championships are presented by Golf Canada in partnership with CN. These championships provide opportunities for junior golfers across Canada to develop their games in a safe and encouraging environment.

“Golf Canada is thrilled to work with Club de golf Beauceville for our third CN Future Links Championship this season,” said Justine Decock, Tournament Director. “The course will be a great test for a strong field. We look forward to seeing these athletes learn and grow through this competition.”

Charles-Éric Bélanger will represent the National Team Men’s Development Squad at the competition. The native of Quebec City collected second- and third-place finishes at last year’s Quebec and Ontario editions of the CN Future Links Championships. The 2015 CN Future Links Junior Boys Order of Merit winner is coming off a season in which he claimed the Canadian Junior Boys title.

Club de golf Beauceville member Louis-Michel Guay will make his debut on the CN Future Links circuit. The 18-year old from St-Isidore, Que., who was fifth on the Quebec Garçons Juniors Order of Merit in 2015, will try to translate his familiarity with the course into championship success.

The Junior Girls field will see the return of four of the top five finishers from the 2015 championship held at Golf Château-Bromont in Bromont, Que. Reigning Quebec Junior Match-Play Champion Sarah-Ève Rhéaume looks to improve upon last year’s runner-up result. Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., native Céleste Dao – the 2015 Quebec Junior Girls Champion – and Noémie Paré of Victoriaville, Que., will attempt to best their T3 finishes, while Rosemère, Que., product Brigitte Thibault seeks to build upon a 5^th-place showing.

Three more CN Future Links Championships will be played this season:

• June 10-12 – CN Future Links Prairie – Neepawa, Man. – Neepawa Golf & Country Club
• July 4-6 – CN Future Links Western – Medicine Hat, Alta. – Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club
• July 12-14 – CN Future Links Atlantic – Fairview, P.E.I. – Countryview Golf Club

The top six in the Junior Boys division will gain exemptions into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship, held August 1-4 at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L. A hole-by-hole playoff will determine exemptions in the case of ties. Those who make up the top six in the Junior Girls division, including ties, will earn entry into this year’s Canadian Junior Girls Championship, hosted by The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S., from August 2-5.

Additional information on the 2016 CN Future Links Quebec Championship, including a full list of competitors and tee-times, is available here.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON – Niagara College’s Professional Golf Management (PGM) program celebrated their continued support of Golf in Schools with a donation exceeding $1,900 to three schools in the Niagara region (with additional funds to follow).

The donation marks the sixth consecutive year students in the PGM program have donated to Golf Canada’s in-school program. Since 2010, over $10,000 has been raised resulting in 14 Niagara schools adopted into the Golf in Schools program. Funds are generated through the program’s PGM Invitational Golf Tournament, an annual fundraising event conducted by the 3^rd year PGM class that attracts 80 participants including students, alumni, faculty, and industry supporters.

With the funds, Niagara College adopted three intermediate schools in the St. Catharine’s region. Each school received the intermediate kit (valued at $635), which comes equipped with age-appropriate equipment and a teacher-friendly learning resource that was developed in conjunction with PHE Canada and the PGA of Canada.

“On behalf of Golf Canada, I’m very proud of the continued dedication of the professional golf management students at Niagara College and their support of junior golf in their community,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer. “Their investment in the Golf in Schools program represents an important link between education, community and junior golfers—the future of our sport.”

Grant Fraser, Coordinator of the PGM program at Niagara College, continues to see the benefits of this initiative for the community, the college and his PGM students.

“I believe that it is important for the golf community to support the Golf in Schools program and to do all we can to help grow the game. The professional golf management students at Niagara College are part of that community,” said Fraser. “One of the key topics we discuss in our Event Management class is the importance of giving back and doing what we can to introduce the game to students at schools throughout the Niagara region. Supporting Golf Canada’s Golf in Schools program helps us do this.”

Niagara College’s generous contributions have added to the national total of over 2,900 schools delivering the best-in-class program. Offered at the elementary, intermediate and high school level, Golf in Schools has instilled the fundamental values and life skills associated with golf to over 300,000 Canadian students.