EATONTON, Ga. – Team Canada’s Amateur Squad member Hugo Bernard finished T4 on Tuesday at the Bobcat Invitational to record his third consecutive top-5 collegiate finish.

Bernard, a freshman with the Div II Saint Leo Lions, finished at 4-over par (71-69-74) to share a three-way tie of 4th place at the Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee course. The group was chasing Lynn University’s Jose Andres Miranda, who ran away with a three-stroke victory thanks to a tournament-low 66 in Sunday’s opening round.

Collectively, Bernard led the Lions to a 6th place finish overall, with Lynn University taking home the hardware.

Since joining the Lions in January, Bernard has made a significant impact. The 21 year-old Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., product notched a T20, 4^th, and two T4 finishes in his first four events.

Canadian standout and Team Canada graduate Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., won medalist honours for Barry University in 2014.

Bernard, last year’s Canadian Men’s Amateur runner-up, will look to keep up his hot play when the Lions hit the Argonaut Invivational from Apr. 4–5.

Click here for full scoring.

There will be a first for Canadian golf in 2016. For the first time ever, two Canadian clubs will play host to U.S. Amateur championship qualifiers.

Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver will host a qualifier for the men on July 18, while Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont., will host a qualifier for the women on June 27.

“Golf Canada has been working on several initiatives with the USGA to strengthen our partnership and these qualifiers are the beginning of what we hope to be larger collaborations,” says Mary Beth McKenna, manager of rules and competitions for Golf Canada. “With Canadian golfers experiencing more and more success on the professional and amateur level, it was likely a natural fit for the USGA to expand these qualifiers into Canada.”

Brampton Golf Club

At Brampton, Head Professional Emerson Mahoney says the club is “very excited” to host the qualifier and is “looking forward to having the best women amateurs in the area vying for a spot in the very prestigious event.”

Built in 1963, the Robbie Robinson layout also hosted the 2014 Ontario Women’s Amateur. And unlike hosting a weeklong event and coordinating course availability with members, the qualifier is only a one-day event.

“The club has been very supportive of the idea,” Mahoney continues. “The management is very excited to showcase the golf course, and it’s an opportunity that’s good for golf overall, which is something our membership is all about.”

Meanwhile, at Marine Drive, the longtime director of golf Tim Tait told the Vancouver Province that he was contacted and asked if the club would be interested in hosting a sectional qualifier in Canada for the U.S. Amateur, and of course he said yes.

“Actually, I said yes and then I went to my board and they said yes. It happened quite quickly,” he tells the newspaper.

Marine Drive has long been a hotbed for Canadian golf greatness, as a number of Canadian Golf Hall of Famers like Richard Zokol and Stan Leonard have been involved with the club for a number of years.

According to McKenna, this year is hopefully just the start of a long-standing relationship between the USGA and Golf Canada in terms of qualifiers for their historic championships.

“Golf Canada is excited to offer the opportunity for Canadian players to compete at home to earn their way into the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur,” says McKenna.

The U.S. Amateur will take place from Aug. 15-21 at Oakland Hills Golf Club in Michigan, while the U.S. Women’s Amateur goes Aug. 1-7 at Rolling Green Golf Club in Pennsylvania.

In 1988, the Cherry Hill Club in Ridgeway, Ont., hosted a qualifier for the U.S. Amateur qualifier.

For more information on USGA championships, click here.

SURREY, B.C. – Team Canada’s Development Squad wrapped up a two-tournament stint in B.C. on Saturday by collecting two additional wins at the CJGA Western Junior Championship presented by the Tour Performance LAB at the Northview Golf & Country Club.

In the Junior Girls (U19) Division, Development Squad member and Surrey, B.C., product Hannah Lee collected her second consecutive CJGA victory with a three-stroke victory over fellow Surrey native Susan Xiao. Lee, 16, captured the U19 Division despite being eligible for the U17 category. She proved to be up to the test, posting her second straight wire-to-wire victory with a 6-under (69-69-72) finish.

Team Canada’s Tiffany Kong of Vancouver came in at 2-under (76-68-70) to climb to a third place finish. Teammates and Richmond, B.C., natives Alisha Lau and Kathrine Chan finished 6^th and 9^th, respectively. All three Canucks also competed in the older U19 division despite being eligible for U17.

Vaughan, Ont., native and Development Squad member Tony Gil led the way for the Junior Boys (U19) Division, posting a 14-under (68-67-67) par score for the wire-to-wire victory. Fellow teammate A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., trailed by three strokes to finish as runner-up at 11-under (70-71-64). Jae Wook Lee of Langley, B.C., rounded out the top-three by finishing at 9-under (74-69-64) to finish two back of Ewart.

Jack Simpson (Aurora, Ont.) and Charles-Éric Bélanger (Québec) were also in action for Team Canada, finishing T12 and 14^th, respectively. Bélanger struggled down the stretch after a come-from-behind victory at the CJGA Junior at Cordova Bay a week earlier.

Click here for full scoring.

SHIPPAGAN, NB – Darren Ritchie of St. John is one of six new members who will be inducted into New Brunswick’s Sports Hall of Fame June 4, 2016.

“These dedicated, sports-minded New Brunswickers are being recognized for athletic excellence and leadership in promoting active living in our province,” said Tourism, Culture and Heritage Minister Bill Fraser. “Their commitment to sport inspires individuals and families to take part in physical activities in their communities for better health, improved quality of life and a stronger province.”

Ritchie is the first and only Maritimer to win the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship (1992). His match play victory over Mike Weir was made even more impressive by the fact that he had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma just three months prior to competing. From 1990 – 1992 Ritchie placed either first or second during twelve provincial golfing competitions.

Ritchie and the other five members will join the hall when it holds its induction ceremony at Centre des congrès de la Péninsule acadienne de Shippagan on June 4. The inductees will bring the total number of honourees to 249.

“We are proud to announce that these 5 distinguished athletes and 1 sports builder are to be inducted into the hall of fame,” said Clem Tremblay, chair of the hall’s board of governors.

The other inductees are Patty Blanchard (running); David Foley (soccer); Kevin Foran (hockey); Bernard DeGrâce (officiating) and Eldridge Eatman (running).

For more info, visit www.nbsportshalloffame.com.

Last year, the Golf in Schools curriculum was revised to include a new Life Skills component that placed focus directly on the core values the sport teaches to youth:

With research support from the University of Ottawa, Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada carefully integrated Life Skills into the lesson plans provided to teachers delivering the program.

The model includes two core Life Skills (focus and sportspersonship) and six associated skills (perseverance, goal setting, emotional regulation, honesty, teamwork, respect). As outlined in the model, a balance is achieved by ensuring that children are exposed to both intrapersonal and interpersonal skills during the lessons.

Fast forward to 2016, where the success of Life Skills has led to a transition into Canada’s leading junior golf program, CN Future Links.

The Learn to Play program—CN Future Links’ feature offering—will begin to distribute brand new manuals highlighting Life Skills to registered instructors at the end of March. All four stages of the program will incorporate Life Skills throughout the lesson plans, providing instructors with suggested methods to convey the importance of each skill.

The added value of the revised manual is best summarized by its opening introduction from PGA of Canada CEO Gary Bernard and Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons:

This updated program has been developed with the guidance of experienced golf professionals from a variety of backgrounds and they ensured that it met the highest technical standards and that it aligns with the Long-Term Player Development (LTPD 2.0) guide for golf in Canada. This new program takes into consideration, child development principles, and stages of skill development and articulates benchmarks to be achieved at the appropriate time in the child’s development.

For PGA of Canada instructors looking to further their knowledge of Life Skills, online training sessions will be made available in early May.

Click here to register for CN Future Links.

TORONTO – St. George’s Golf and Country Club announced Jason Clarke as its new Chief Operating Officer, effective May 16, 2016. Clarke previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club since 2012.

Designed by Stanley Thompson in 1929, St. George’s underwent an extensive restoration of its greens in 2014 led by consulting golf course architects, Tom Doak and Ian Andrew.

“St. George’s Golf and Country Club is a Canadian gem. I am honoured and thrilled to be a part of this venerable Club,” said Clarke. “St. George’s delivers world-class services and I look forward to working with the Board, the Members and the Management Team to enhance the member experience.”

Jason’s previous management experience includes holding the COO/GM position at Toronto Lawn Tennis Club and General Manager at the Manitoba Club and the Halifax Club.

VALDOSTA, Ga. – Amateur Squad member Hugo Bernard kept up his hot play of late on Tuesday, collecting his second straight Top-5 collegiate finish for Saint Leo at the Southeastern Collegiate.

Bernard, last year’s Canadian Men’s Amateur runner-up, came in at 1-under par (72-71-72) for the tournament to finish tied for fourth. The 21-year-old is making an impact early in his freshman season with the Lions. In three events since joining the squad in February, the Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., product has posted a T20 and fourth place finish to go along with Tuesday’s result.

Overall, Bernard finished two back of co-medalists John Coultas (Valrico, Fla.) of Florida Southern and Mateo Gomez (Colombia) of Lynn University.

Collectively, the Saint Leo Lions slipped one spot in Tuesday’s final at the Kinderlou Forest Golf Club to finish T5. They will tee-it-up next from Mar. 21–22 at the Bobcat Invitational.

Click here for full scoring.

UXBRIDGE — In preparation for the spring launch of the Golf Association of Ontario’s (GAO) new Strategic Plan, significant upgrades to the existing Operational Committees have been announced. Many committees will be eliminated and replaced with Golf Advisory Teams (GAT) that will help review the tactics outlined in the new strategic plan.

“Our goal is to align our feedback and advisory mechanism with our new strategic direction in an effort to build the sport together,” said Mike Kelly, GAO Executive Director. “We want to focus our volunteers’ time and support towards answering the question ‘how are we doing?’ and then integrate all feedback and recommendations to ensure our implementation plan is effective.”

The new GAT model will aim to support the GAO’s new Strategic Plan. The GATs will help to accomplish the goal of becoming  the Best Provincial Sport Organization in Canada; innovate golf by providing industry leading services; drive more people to play the sport and encourage more children to get into the game; support golf clubs/facilities and all people involved in the game by aligning golf organizations, creating positive partnerships and ensuring that golf remains the most popular sport in Ontario.

The GAT’s input on the strategic plan comes at a vital time for the golf industry as it prepares for the return of the sport at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The GAO recognizes how important it will be to capitalize on the exposure of the sport and to channel that exposure into more people playing the game.

In 2016, there will be six GATs:

• Golf Communities – local collaboration with all golf industry stakeholders to build the sport together;
• Golf Services – designing, marketing and delivering services and benefits for facilities and golfers at all levels;
• Next GEN – initiatives to build a stronger and larger base of junior golfers in Ontario;
• Communication – how to effectively deliver relevant information to the right people, at the right time;
• Championships – Ensure the delivery of world class Championship events;
• Course Rating and Handicapping – effective course rating and handicapping services to our members;

Remaining intact are a trio of committees. The Hall of Fame, Scholarship and Team Selection committees will continue to operate in their current structure.

“Ultimately, the goal of restructuring our Operational Committees is to optimize support for our staff in the operation of our golf business as we further the objectives of the Government of Ontario’s Sport Plan,” added Kelly.

The GAO is currently seeking enthusiastic and motivated individuals from the Industry for its 2016 GATs. For more information on the specific GATs or to volunteer click here.

VICTORIA – Three members of Golf Canada’s Development Squad shone through dark clouds and falling rain at the Canadian Junior Golf Association (CJGA) Junior at Cordova Bay to capture their respective divisions. Despite strong winds which gusted to 50km, Charles-Éric Bélanger, Grace St-Germain and Hannah Lee emerged victorious at the two-day event held at Cordova Bay Golf Course. The tournament marked the second event of the season on the CJGA national schedule.

Charles-Éric Bélanger of Québec, claimed the Junior Boys (U19) Division with a second straight 2-over 73 performance. The 16-year-old began the day in fifth, trailing fellow Development Squad member A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., by three strokes. Ewart succumbed to the difficult conditions, finishing in fourth at 9-over 150. Aurora, Ont., native Thomas ‘Jack’ Simpson shot 5-over 76 on the day to claim second. Fellow Ontarian Tony Gil of Vaughan – the final male member of the Squad at the event – finished fifth at a combined 7-over 152.

Orleans, Ont., native and Development Squad member Grace St-Germain secured a four-stroke victory atop the Junior Girls (U19) Division with a second-round 8-over 80. The 17-year-old held off Megan Ratcliffe of Bowser, B.C., who notched three birdies on the day en route to a 4-over 76 to match St-Germain’s opening round.

Hannah Lee of Surrey, B.C., did not relinquish her first-round lead and earned a six-stroke victory in the Juvenile Girls (U17) Division following rounds of 75-76–151. Lee, 16, led the Development Squad contingent to a sweep atop the division. Chloe Currie of Mississauga, Ont., finished 13-over 157 to claim runner-up, while British Columbians Tiffany Kong (Vancouver) and Kathrine Chan (Richmond) were T3, one-stroke back of Currie.

Complete results from the CJGA Junior at Cordova Bay are available here.

Here’s the winners @CJGA @TheGolfCanada @lee_hannahh @gracestgermain @chloe_currie27 #toughconditions pic.twitter.com/sfLGavxSNf

— ann carroll (@AnnAnncarroll) March 14, 2016

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Charleston Southern University junior Austin James of Bath, Ont.,  finished third and lead the Buccanners to an eighth-place finish at the 2016 General Hackler on Sunday at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club.

James, the 2014 Canadian Junior Boy’s Champion, played his final 14 holes 5-under par to finish in sole possession of third at 7-under par 209, two shots back of medalists Jimmy Stanger of Virginia and Matthew NeSmith of South Carolina.

James fired a 68 (-4) in the final round and played all three rounds under par.

James and the Bucs tee-it-up next April 3rd at The Hootie at Bulls Bay in Awendaw, S.C.