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USA Today
05-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
The Rink at RBC Canadian Open is ready to rock. Will 2025 deliver the first hole-in-one?
The Rink at RBC Canadian Open is ready to rock. Will 2025 deliver the first hole-in-one? One year ago, during the third round of the RBC Canadian Open, Canadian golfer Mackenzie Hughes arrived at the par-3 13th hole at Hamilton Golf & Country Club and described the scene as pandemonium. Before he could hit his tee shot, the fans at The Rink, the hockey-themed hole wrapped in boards on both sides of the tee, goalie helmets as tee markers, a goal on the tee, and a Zamboni ice-resurfacing machine nearby, serenaded him with Canada's national anthem. 'The hair on the back of my neck stood up,' Hughes said. They sang 'Hey, Baby!' before Trace Crowe teed off and John Denver's 'Take Me Home, Country Roads,' in between groups, while Rory McIlroy was treated to a Ryder Cup-esque 'Ole! Ole! Ole! Ole!' When the pounding of hands slapping the boards slows down, there's organ music just like they used to play at the old Maple Leaf Gardens (now Scotiabank Arena) and DJ Summer Knocks, the official DJ of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs added some authenticity this year. The Rink, born eight years ago, might see its first hole-in-one It was a hare-brained idea that debuted eight years ago and is now part of the fabric of the RBC Canadian Open. This year, The Rink is slimmed down from 230 yards a year ago and is set up at the downhill, 144-yard par-3 14th hole at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) in Greater Toronto's Caledon, Ontario, and some players say this could be the year for the first hole in one at The Rink. 'It's on a shorter par-3 and there's a couple pin locations (including back left) where you could see an ace and hopefully a lot of birdies and give the fans something to cheer for and get loud for,' said Canadian pro Taylor Pendrith, who dunked one on just his third swing of the day during charity scramble last summer. Credit goes to the executive director of Golf Saskatchewan, who suggested a hockey-themed hole to combine Canada's most popular pastimes, golf and hockey. It debuted originally in 2017 at Glenn Abbey. The first year, rowdy fans lined the hockey-style boards, which replaced traditional roping, on one side of the seventh hole. The next year, at St. George's, the boards were positioned on both sides of the 16th hole, which created a different vibe, and it just keeps growing with a double-decker tent lining the left side of the hole last year. Former RBC Canadian Open tournament director Bryan Crawford told PGA "I don't think anybody could have dreamed when that idea was brought forward that it would have grown to what it is today.' Shades of TPC Scottsdale's 16th hole It creates an electric atmosphere that is shades of the infamous 16th at TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course during the WM Phoenix Open, only these fans tend to be buzzed rather than three sheets to the wind and while they slap the boards and singalong to their heart's content, it becomes quiet enough to hear a pin drop before a player tees off. "They get it," two-time RBC Canadian Open champion Rory McIlroy once said. So, too, do the pros, who have bought into putting a slice of Canada's national pastime into the act, wearing their favorite hockey jersey. Mike Weir has worn a Detroit Red Wings jersey. Dustin Johnson, a past champion before departing to LIV, used to rock an Edmonton Oilers jersey of his father-in-law, 'The Great One,' Wayne Gretzky. Former touring pro Graham DeLaet used to sport a Calgary Flames jersey. Three years ago, Golf Canada introduced The Rink at the Canadian Women's Open, with Brooke Henderson donning a sweater of her hometown Ottawa Senators and Nelly Korda a Chicago Blackhawks jersey, the team that her boyfriend played for at the time. And the players aren't the only ones dressing the part. The volunteer marshals rock the black-and-white vertical-striped shirts and black shorts resembling referees, and have dubbed the area around the tee "The Penalty Box." Just like at a hockey game, the fans booed and chanted 'Referees suck,' when one of them confiscated a plastic hockey puck that was being toss in the stands. It's fast become one of the more unique experiences at a professional golf tournament without feeling too contrived or the fans getting too out of control. 'On that Rink, there's like no space. It's just like the boards are right there on the tee and they're banging and they're screaming,' said Hughes, who wore a jersey as a tribute to a late friend last year. 'Walking on that tee, again, just a total hair-raising moment where, I mean, I'm trying to play it pretty cool, but inside I'm thinking this is really, really cool.'
NBC Sports
18-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Scottie Scheffler's career PGA Tour wins: A list of every event Scheffler has won on Tour
Scottie Scheffler earned his 14th career PGA Tour win in May's CJ Cup Byron Nelson. It was Scheffler's first victory of the season, which continues an incredible run of success over the last four years. From his first victory in 2022 at TPC Scottsdale to his most recent one at TPC Craig Ranch, here's a look at Scheffler's career PGA Tour victories (majors in bold).
The Star
12-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Ashley puts in better show to improve ranking
Ashley Lau competing at the Carlisle Arizona Women's Classic. Credit - Epson Tour PETALING JAYA: Pro golfer Ashley Lau (pic) did well to improve her score over four rounds to finish in the top 10 at the Carlisle Arizona Women's Classic on Sunday. The 25-year-old carded rounds of 71, 72, 68, and 67 to finish six-under 278 at the tournament for a joint 10th position with Minori Nagano of Japan, Lindsey Peek and Cristie Kerr of the United States at the TPC Scottsdale's Champions Course.
USA Today
12-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Major champion Sophia Popov wins for the first time as a mom on Epson Tour
Major champion Sophia Popov wins for the first time as a mom on Epson Tour It proved an especially sweet Mother's Day for Sophia Popov, who won the Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic close to her Arizona home. The last time Popov competed in an Epson Tour event was 2020, the same year she went on to win a major championship. The 32-year-old German began the final round with a four-stroke lead at TPC Scottsdale's Champions Course and won by two over China's Michelle Zhang, finishing at 14-under 270 for the 72-hole event. Popov wasn't the only major champion in the field. Another local mom, Cristie Kerr, competed in the event and took a share of 10th. It's been a strange year for Popov, who was stripped of her results from her first three starts of the LPGA season after an administrative error placed her in the wrong spot on the original 2025 Priority List. To correct the error, her CME points, earnings and Aon Risk Reward Challenge points were removed from official standings. Popov went from getting into limited-field events early season to not even qualifying for the Ford Championship, the full-field event near home. She did, however, have a spot in the Chevron Championship by virtue of her 2020 victory at the AIG Women's British Open. She took full advantage of that with a T-30 showing in Texas. After a recent reshuffle, she's now 371st on the priority list. In June 2023, Popov gave birth to her daughter, Maya Mae Mehles. Her original medical leave turned into a maternity leave, and she returned to the tour in 2024, competing in 17 events. She finished 136th on the CME points list and went to the final stage of LPGA Q-School last December finishing T-58th, which means she failed to improve her status. A player is entitled to the equivalent of one full season of events upon returning from maternity leave. Popov, who was incorrectly placed in the highest category on the LPGA Priority List at No. 57, told Golfweek that she reached out to the LPGA in January to clarify her status. She received confirmation from the tour that her priority number of 57th was correct and she was good to go. The tour notified her of the error in March. Earlier this year at the JM Eagle in Los Angeles, where the former USC player competed on a sponsor exemption, Popov said that while she's disappointed in what transpired, she's trying to leave it in the past. "Because I think in the end," she added, "good golf takes care of everything. I think that's just my mindset now." Three weeks later, she's a winner once again and, for the first time, as a mom.
USA Today
01-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Can this top amateur 'stay in the zone' at Cognizant Classic to earn his PGA Tour card?
AI-assisted summary Florida State junior and top-ranked amateur golfer Luke Clanton is aiming to secure his PGA Tour card at the Cognizant Classic. Clanton needs to make the cut at the tournament to earn enough points for his PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program. He narrowly missed the cut at the Phoenix Open after getting ahead of himself but learned to stay present and focused on his game plan. Clanton is familiar with the course at PGA National, having played it numerous times in his junior golf career and even sneaking onto the course in his younger years. PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Luke Clanton learned his lesson at the Phoenix Open. Do not get ahead of yourself. Stay in the moment. Do not obsess over one point. Clanton, a Florida State junior and No. 1 amateur in the world, needed one point at TPC Scottsdale to earn his PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program. That would have happened if he made the cut. But after playing into the weekend in eight of his first 10 PGA Tour events, Clanton missed the cut at the Phoenix Open by one shot after opening with a 74 and following with a 67. "I kind of got a little ahead of myself the first day and had to do something pretty amazing the last eight holes," Clanton said Wednesday. "I'm going to stay in the zone and stay with my game plan." And he almost pulled it off. Clanton, 21, birdied four of the final eight holes. But on the final hole, he could not get an 18-footer to drop that would have put him on the cut line. This week, he gets another chance at the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, and he is in the same position. Sort of. Clanton's second attempt to make the cut to secure that elusive 20th point and earn his PGA Tour card comes on a course he estimates he's played 40 times. And perhaps it was meant to be this way. If it happens, it will come in the closest PGA Tour event to his home in Hialeah and in front of several family members and friends. So many that he told his mom she was in charge. "I told my mom … 'I don't want to know who's coming. I'll see them on the first tee,' " he said. Luke Clanton tees off at 7:07 a.m. on PGA National's 10th tee Which actually will be the 10th tee, where Clanton tees off at Thursday at 7:07 a.m. in a group that includes Jupiter's Daniel Berger and Palm Beach Gardens' Max Greyserman. Berger, a follow Seminole, recently met Clanton through Jeff Leishman, Clanton's coach who worked with Berger for several years. He's looking forward to getting an up close look at his game. "He's winning college golf tournaments and he's competing and contending in PGA Tour events," said Berger, who is 10 years older than Clanton. "He's got game. So it's going to be fun to watch." Clanton returned to Florida State this year to pursue a national championship. That will not change even if he earns his card this spring. But whenever he makes his first start as a professional he'll have plenty of experience. Cognizant will be Clanton's 12th start in a PGA Tour event. He has four top 10s, including a pair of runners-up at last year's RSM Classic and John Deere Classic. But none has been on a course with which he is so familiar. Clanton played junior and high school golf on the Champion Course at PGA National. He has played 36 holes in one day a couple of times on the course and even played in the pro-am for this event 10 years ago with Kevin Kisner. Oh, and he said he used to sneak onto the course around No. 3 to play a few holes, after saying "I don't know if I should say this." But his scouting report sounds familiar but more like the way a college kid would sum it up. "If you just don't hit it in the fairway, you're kind of screwed," he said. Clanton appears ready to clear his mind and take on the challenge. What he's concentrating on now after his test run at the Phoenix Open is just playing well. If that happens, he will be around on Saturday and the tour card will be secured. "My time will come," he said. "We don't know if it's this week or next week or whenever it will be. I would love for it to be this week with all the friends and family coming up, but I'm just going to focus on one shot at a time." Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@
