A strong contingent of Canadian and international players are set to compete at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship from September 15-19 at Barrie Country Club in Barrie, Ont.

A field of 156 players from Canada and the United States will vie for the coveted exemption into next year’s 2015 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club.

Kevin Carrigan, the reigning two-time Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion, is set to defend his title at Barrie after a record setting performance in Edmonton last year. Carrigan finished the championship at 20-under 264 to win by 11 strokes over Team Canada’s Garrett Rank and Ontario’s Michael Rutgers at Blackhawk Golf Club. 

“We have an extremely strong field again this year and it should make for a very exciting championship,” said Tournament Director Cam Crawford. “Barrie Country Club will surely test the top international and Canadian talent as they vie for that coveted exemption into Canada’s National Open Championship.”

Set to contend against Carrigan for the Mid-Amateur title will be Team Canada’s Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., who enters the event as the highest ranked player in the field at No. 95 in the World Amateur Rankings. The 27-year-old recently finished tied for sixth at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and also tied for second at the prestigious 2014 Players Amateur Championship.

Other notable contenders include three-time Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion Dave Bunker and Rob Couture of Dallas, Texas. Bunker recently finished tied for 18th at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, while Couture captured the Mid-Amateur title in 2011.

In the Inter-Provincial Team competition, the Team Ontario contingent of Bunker, Dean Henry and Michael Farrugia will look to defend last season’s eight-stroke victory over Team Nova Scotia. The team competition takes place over the first 36 holes of play, with the low two of three scores counting towards the final two-day team total for the R. Bruce Forbes Trophy. Additionally, the Men’s Mid-Master (40+) competition runs concurrently over the 72-hole championship.

Barrie Country Club has played host to multiple amateur and professional events over the years.  Highlights include the Ontario Open (1975), Ontario Ladies Amateur (1976, 1989), Ontario Men’s Amateur (1985), and the PGA of Ontario Championship for ten consecutive years (2003-2012).  Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members Marlene Stewart-Streit, Moe Norman and Bob Panasik have all won events played at Barrie Country Club.

“Everyone at Barrie Country Club is excited and we’re ready for the championship to get started. Our outstanding golf course has challenged our members along with the top amateur and professional players for many years,” said Bill Wogden, Head Professional.  “Now that we’re in our 101st year operating in the Barrie community, the quality and conditioning of our course and the amenities of our club have never been better. We’re looking forward to welcoming the competitors and encourage spectators to come out and enjoy amateur golf at its finest.”

Championship play will be conducted Tuesday, September 16 to Friday, September 19, with 18 holes of stroke play each day. The event will be contested over 72 holes with the field being reduced to the low-70 golfers and ties after the second round.

More information on the championship can be found here.

As part of Golf Canada’s Annual General Meeting in London, Ont., the association’s Rules & Amateur Status Committee has approved the use of Distance Measuring Devices (DMD’s) for all amateur championships beginning in 2014.

This Local Rule will be introduced at CN Future Links junior championships as well as Canada’s national amateur competitions. Competitors will not be allowed to use DMD’s at Golf Canada’s professional championships including Canadian Women’s Tour events, the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial, the RBC Canadian Open and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, including their respective qualifiers.

This Local Rule allows competitors to use Distance Measuring Devices that measure distance only – not those devices that can measure other conditions such as wind speed or direction, temperature or elevation.

“With recent technological advances designed to enhance the golfer experience, our Rules Committee felt that this decision to allow DMD’s was a step in the right direction without jeopardizing the spirit and challenge of the game,” said Dale Jackson, Chair of Golf Canada’s Rules & Amateur Status Committee. “We have received a tremendous amount of feedback from golfers and this decision allows us to align with all of our provincial and international partners that have moved to allow DMD’s at their respective amateur competitions.”

Since 2006, committees have had the option of adopting a Local Rule under the Rules of Golf to allow players to use Distance Measuring Devices that measure or gauge distance only. See note to Rule 14-3 of the Rules of Golf.

Recently, the R&A and the USGA Championship Committee’s decided it will allow the use of distance measuring devices (DMDs) in R&A amateur events in 2014.

For more information on the Rules of Golf, please click here.

To ask a Rules of Golf question, please click here.

For more information on how to proceed in various Rules of Golf situations, guidance on the Golf Canada Handicap System and more, please consult our Rules of Golf publications – for purchase in Golf Canada’s eStore, or at your local book retailer.

Registration opens today for Golf Canada’s Amateur Championships, CN Future Links and Canadian Women’s Tour events.

Competitors looking to play in one of Golf Canada’s eight national amateur championships, six CN Future Links stops or three Canadian Women’s Tour events can view the championship schedule and register online by clicking here.

Canadian Women’s Tour returns for its 13^th season

Golf Canada is pleased to announce the schedule for the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour – Canada’s only women’s professional golf tour.

This season’s scheduled stops include May 12-14 at Morningstar Golf Club in Parksville, B.C., June 23-25 at Legends on the Niagara in Niagara Falls, Ont. and the Tour’s final stop set for early July in Alberta to be announced in the coming days.

New for 2014, the top five (previously the top 3) players on the Canadian Women’s Tour season-ending Order of Merit will be awarded direct entry into LPGA Stage 2 Qualifying.

In addition, the champion of each Canadian Women’s Tour stop will receive an exemption into the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. As well, following the conclusion of play at the final Canadian Women’s Tour event, two (2) additional exemptions will be awarded to the top competitors, not otherwise exempt, on the 2014 Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit.

Groove Specifications for 2014 Golf Canada Championships

Golf Canada has determined our plans to implement the new groove specifications for our championships starting in 2014. The Rules Committee recently approved the following:

• Introduce the groove condition of competition for the 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur and the 2014 Canadian Women’s Amateur.  Note: this does not automatically include the qualifying events for these championships.  Please refer to the conditions of competitions at your respective provincial amateur championships.

• Introduce the groove condition of competition at all other championships (national amateur championships, CN Future Links, and Canadian Women’s Tour events) beginning in 2016.

For more information on the groove specification: Groove FAQ for Golf Canada Championships

Kevin Carrigan successfully defended his Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur title after carding a final round 5-under 66 at Blackhawk Golf Club on Friday.

The defending champion never relinquished the lead over 72 holes and set a new tournament scoring record finishing at 20-under 264 for the tournament, 11 strokes ahead of Garrett Rank and Michael Rutgers.

“It feels fantastic, little bit of a different feeling from last year, it was a little more of a grind last year but this year I brought my A-game,” Carrigan said. “There wasn’t a flaw at all as far as I could see, I missed couple of shots like everyone does but mentally I was tough and grinded the heck out of it.”

Carrigan opened the tournament on Tuesday by setting a new course record after firing a 8-under 63 and never backed down posting three straight round in the 60’s. His final round 5-under 66 was highlighted by a 5-under 31 closing nine and a birdie on the par-4 18th hole.

“I played great, the big thing for me and the one thing I’m the most proud of is that I never took my foot off the pedal,” he said. “It’s easy to get complacent and make mistakes coming down the stretch with a big lead.”

With the victory, the Victoria, B.C., native earns an exemption into the 2014 RBC Canadian Open at Royal Montreal Golf Club.

“It’s pretty exciting, it’s second to winning a national championship and I appreciate this more than anything in the world, what an unbelievable experience,” he continued.

Team Canada’s Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., and Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., finished in a tie for second a 9-under 275. Rutgers carded a final round 4-under 67, while Rank stumbled on Friday, carding a 3-over 74.

David Bartman of Los Angeles, Calif., finished in solo fourth at 1-under 283 after a 6-over 77 final round. The California native also captured the Mid-Master (40+) title by three strokes over Rob Cowan of Waterloo, Ont.

Final results from the 2013 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship can be found here.

Kevin Carrigan has the chance to repeat as the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion after carding a 4-under 67 at Blackhawk Golf Club on Thursday.

Carrigan currently sits at 15-under 198 for the championship after firing his third straight round in the 60’s. His third round was highlighted by a closing nine 4-under 32, after making a five-footer for eagle on the par-5 15th.

“I didn’t have my best day today but I managed to keep it in play and continued to hit good shots,” Carrigan said “I took advantage of the opportunities I did have and again rolled a lot of good putts just over the edge.”

On Thursday, the Victoria, B.C., native held off a valiant charge by Team Canada’s Garrett Rank, who was 8-under-par on the day through sixteen holes after two eagles on the back-nine.

“He makes a lot of birdies, he’s an explosive player,” Carrigan said. “Six birdies and two eagles today that’s unreal and he had a couple of mistakes.”

As the defending champion, Carrigan’s 198 total is a new personal best and leaves him in a good position to pick up back-to-back titles and earn the exemption into the 2014 RBC Canadian Open at Royal Montreal Golf Club.

“It’s a personal feat and I’m very proud of myself for accomplishing that,” Carrigan stated about breaking 200.

“I’ve had enough close calls to know that if I start putting pressure on winning it’ll probably affect the way I play,” he continued. “My objective tomorrow is to play my game and not let the circumstances affect how I play.”

Rank currently sits three strokes behind Carrigan in solo second at 12-under 201, after bogeying his final two holes on Thursday to card a 6-under 65. The Elmira, Ont., native has played his last 36 holes in 13-under par after making four eagles and 12 birdies.

Calgary’s Dustin Yeager and California’s David Bartman sit at 7-under for the championship in a tie for third. Yeager’s third round 69 earned him a spot in the final pairing tomorrow and was one of only five under-par rounds at Blackhawk on Thursday. Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., rounds out the top-five in solo fifth at 5-under 208 after an even-par 71 third round.

In the Mid-Master division (40+) Bartman’s third round 71 leaves him seven strokes clear of Rob Cowan of Waterloo, Ont., and Raymond Oh of Richmond Hill, Ont., heading into Friday’s final round.

Kevin Carrigan continued his solid play at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, carding a 3-under 68 on Wednesday at Blackhawk Golf Club.

The defending champion fired a 4-under 31 to open his second round but stumbled with two late bogeys on over his final three holes to finish at 11-under 131 for the championship.

“I left several out there on the front,” Carrigan said. “I think the only two greens I missed today were No. 16 and No. 18 where I made bogey.”

The Victoria, B.C., native set a new competitive course record yesterday at Blackhawk with a 8-under 63 and currently leads by four strokes over David Bartman of Los Angeles, Calif. Despite not making as many putts as he’d like, Carrigan said he has a ton of confidence in his swing this week.

“I’m not making much and it’s frustrating because every shot I hit is on my line,” he continued. “I’m just not getting the putts to go, I burned probably six or seven edges today but my swing feels great.”

Team Canada’s Garrett Rank carded the round of the day at Blackhawk after a 7-under 64. The Elmira, Ont., native fired a 5-under 30 on the front-nine after an eagle on the par-5 4th hole and added a second after pitching in from 30 yards on the par-4 9th.

“I should have been way lower,” Rank said. “I three-putted No. 18 and missed a short three-footer on five.”

Playing alongside Carrigan, Rank was gunning for the new course record after getting it to 8-under through 14 holes but lost momentum after a bogey on the par-5 15th.

“I was playing so good that on No. 15 I hit it a little left off the tee and instead of laying up and hitting a wedge close like I was all day I tried to hit the green,” he said. “I turned it into a bogey and I shouldn’t be making bogeys on that hole.”

California’s David Bartman carded a 3-under 68 to grab solo second at 7-under 135, while Rank sits in third at 6-under 136. Dave Bunker of Woodbridge, Ont., Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., and Calgary’s Dustin Yeager sit in a tie for fourth at 5-under.

Bartman currently holds a two-stroke lead in the Mid Master (40+) division over Bunker who fired a 6-under 65 on Wednesday.

In the Inter-Provincial team competition, Team Ontario’s Tyler McDannold of Brooklin, Ont., Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., and Darren Shaw of Stoney Creek, Ont., captured the R. Bruce Forbes trophy after a firing a 3-under 139 second round. The squad finished at 3-under 281 for the championship, eight strokes ahead of Nova Scotia’s Trevor Chow of Hammonds Plains, N.S., Glenn Robinson of Middle Sackville, N.S., and Greg Black of Halifax, N.S.

Kevin Carrigan opened up his title defence at the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship by firing a 8-under 63 on Tuesday at Blackhawk Golf Club.

The Victoria native carded three eagles and a closing nine 29 to set a new competitive course record at Blackhawk, after opening the day with an unplayable on the par-4 10th. Carrigan quickly rebounded with a birdie on the par-5 11th and rolled in his first eagle of the day on the par-5 15th hole.

“I took an unplayable on my first hole, didn’t seem like much of a round until I guess I made the second eagle, 3-under to 5-under I was hitting it well,” Carrigan said.

As the reigning Canadian Mid-Amateur champion, Carrigan lit up Blackhawk’s par-5’s playing them in 7-under par with three eagles on a windy afternoon.

“If you’re hitting it good, it doesn’t feel windy,” he continued. “I mis-clubbed a couple of times but never got myself into trouble, I didn’t really miss many shots.”

California’s David Bartman, trails Carrigan by four strokes after an opening round 4-under 67. Bartman’s round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 4th hole and leaves him three strokes ahead of Raymond Oh of Richmond, Ont., in the race for the Mid-Master (40+) title.

“I just kept it in play and took advantage of the par-5’s,” Bartman said. “If I did miss a green, my short game was solid.”

Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., sits in solo third after a 3-under 68, while Calgary’s Dustin Yeager opened with a 2-under 69 to grab a share of fourth place. Chris Moore of Vancouver and Oh currently sit in a tie for fifth at 1-under.

Saskatchewan’s Kris Carley recorded the shot of the day after holing a 255-yard hybrid on the par-5 7th hole for an albatross. The albatross was his second of the season and third double-eagle of his career.

In the Inter-Provincial team competition, Team Ontario’s Tyler McDannold of Brooklin, Ont., Michael Rutgers of Windsor, Ont., and Darren Shaw of Stoney Creek, Ont., combined to card a even-par 142 opening round. The squad currently leads by four strokes over Nova Scotia’s Trevor Chow of Hammonds Plains, N.S., Glenn Robinson of Middle Sackville, N.S., and Greg Black of Halifax, N.S., heading into the final round of Inter-Provincial competition.