By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Ward Stouffer, who spent more than 20 years as head professional and director of golf at Fairwinds Golf Club in Nanoose Bay, passed away Thursday, January 5th. He was 56.

Friends and playing competitors remember Stouffer, who stood about 6-feet, 8 inches, as a gentle giant with a heart of gold who hit the ball a mile.

Image Credit Enrique Berardi/PGA TOUR -  Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brian Decker/ Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada

A late rally by the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada fell short on Saturday at Tierra del Sol Resort and Golf, giving PGA TOUR Latinoamérica victory in the first-ever Aruba Cup.

Though the Mackenzie Tour put together a valiant charge, winning five of the first seven singles matches of the day, it wasn’t enough to overcome a daunting 8.5-1.5 deficit, with Latinoamérica prevailing by a 13-7 final score over the three-day match play competition between the two Tours.

Former No. 1 in World Golf Rankings Tiger Woods To Play Bridgestone Tour B330-S Golf Ball - Image Courtesy Bridgestone Golf

COVINGTON, Ga. (December 15, 2016) – Bridgestone Golf, a leading manufacturer of premium golf balls, clubs and accessories – announced that it has signed Tiger Woods to a multi-year agreement to exclusively play and promote its high-performance golf balls. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Woods, whose decorated career includes a record run of 683 weeks as the top-ranked golfer in the world, selected the Bridgestone Tour B330-S ball after thoroughly testing it against competing models from all major brands.

Justin Shin From Maple Ridge Was The Top Finisher From BC Among The 10 Canadians Who Took Part In The Final Stage At Web.com Tour Q-School Coming In T35 - Image Golf Canada

Golf Canada

Winter Garden, FL - Thornhill, Ont., native Ben Silverman tied for 6th and led the way for the 10-player Canadian contingent taking part in the final stage of Web.com Tour qualifying at Orange County National near Orlando, Fla.

Silverman birdied three of his last five holes to finish at four under on the day and 10-under overall, seven shots back of the winning score. By virtue of finishing in the top 10, Silverman is guaranteed spots in the Tour’s first 12 events of 2017.

Calgary’s Ryan Yip carded had a 70 on Sunday to tie for 23rd at 6-under. Justin Shin of Maple Ridge, B.C., fired a 69 for a share of 35th at 4-under. Listowel, Ont., native and Team Canada Young Pro Corey Conners tied for 42nd at 3-under.

From L-R: Seann Harlingten Of West Vancouver, Adam Cornelson Of Langley & Justin Shin From Maple Ridge, Will Tee It Up In The Final Stage Of Web.com Q-School This Week - BC Golf Image

Golf Canada

The Web.com Tour prepares to host its final stage of qualifying this week from Dec. 8-11 in Winter Garden, Fla., where 10 Canadians including three from British Columbia will compete for 2017 playing status.

The Canadian contingent will battle against 150-plus athletes in the 72-hole stroke play event, with players finishing inside the Top-45 (plus ties) earning guaranteed starts for the beginning of the 2017 campaign.

The 2016 Winner Of The Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship, Colin Montgomerie, Advocated For Having The Event Return To Victoria Locale And He'll Get His Wish - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

Courtesy Golf Canada

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The Champions Tour announced today its 2017 tournament schedule, featuring 26 official tournaments and two “Challenge Season” events.

The 23-event regular season will again highlight the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, which will be used to determine the season-long Charles Schwab Cup champion. The Tour will contest events in four countries and 18 states, with total prize money of $55.7 million (U.S).

Canada will once again have two Champions Tour stops. The Shaw Charity Classic will be played September 1-3 at Canyon Meadows G & Country Club in Calgary.

The Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship will be contested at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C. from September 15 – 17.

Two-Time B.C. Junior Girls Champion Jessica Wallace Is Stepping Away From Professional Golf And Hopes To Become A Certified Public Accountant - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It was Jessica Wallace’s best year on the Symetra Tour and it will also be her last. Wallace, the two-time B.C. Junior Girls champion from Langley who has spent the past four and half years chasing her professional golfing dream, has decided to step away from the game she loves.

“It’s something that has been in the back of my mind for a couple of years,” says Wallace. “I have always been someone who has had a backup plan in my head even through I had my primary goal. I have always been thinking what would I like to do outside of golf.”

Megan Osland Is One Of Two BC Players From Kelowna, Along With Samantha Richdale, Who Will Tee It Up In The Final Stage Of LPGA Tour Q-School This Week - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Golf Canada with files from the LPGA Tour

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. – The LPGA Tour will host the Final Stage of its Qualifying Tournament this week (November 30 – December 4), where nine Canadians will be among the 157 player-field competing for 20 full LPGA Tour cards and 25 partial cards.

The ladies will alternate over the first four rounds between the Jones and Hills courses at LPGA International. There will be a cut to the top 70 and ties after the fourth round. The final-round will be contested on the Hills course. Play will begin at 8 a.m. all five days.

Justin Shin From Maple Ridge Is The Latest Canadian To Play His Way Into The Final Round Of Web.com Tour Q-School - Image Credit (Golf Canada/Graig Abel)

Courtesy Golf Canada

Maple Ridge, B.C., product Justin Shin finished 9th on the PGA Tour China’s Order of Merit to become the latest Canadian to earn a spot in Web.com Tour’s third and final stage of qualifying in December.

The former Team Canada Amateur Squad member finished with a share of ninth this past weekend at PGA Tour China’s Buick Open, bringing his season earnings total to $362,118 through 13 events.

Langley's Adam Cornelson Is One Of No Less Than 8 Canadians Who Will Tee It Up In The Final Stage Of Web.com Q-School Next Week - Image Courtesy PGA Tour Canada

A field of 150-plus aspiring Web.com Tour players is set to compete at Final Stage of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament next month in Winter Garden, Florida, in hopes of securing strong Web.com Tour status for the 2017 season.

After spending the past three years at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, the all-important Final Stage will relocate to the Orlando suburbs for this year's 72-hole event, with participants playing 36 holes each at Orange County National Golf Club's Crooked Cat and Panther Lake courses.

{youtube T8nUWeIPVME} It took an extra day and 3 more holes but Mackenzie Hughes holed a clutch putt from off the green to win his 1st PGA TOUR title....

Canada's Brooke Henderson Finished Up A Solid LPGA Season As The 3rd Leading Money-Winner Including 2 Victories And 15 Top-10 Results - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam photos)

courtesy Golf Canada

The the 2016 LPGA season wrapped up on the weekend and Canada’s Brooke Henderson ended the year with two wins, 15 top-10 finishes & $1,724,409 earned, which left her 3rd on the LPGA official money list.

Henderson discussed her 2016 in this interview with the LPGA’s Matt Haas.

Team Canada Young Pro Squad Member Mackenzie Hughes Is In Disbelief After The Last Man Fell In A Five Man Playoff Leaving Him With His First PGA TOUR Win - Image Courtesy YouTube

Courtesy Golf Canada

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Mackenzie Hughes holed an 18-foot par putt from off the green Monday morning to win the RSM Classic and become the first rookie in 20 years to go wire-to-wire for his first PGA TOUR victory.

The Team Canada Young Pro Squad member calmed his nerves and came up clutch in chilly conditions at Sea Island. He was the only player of the four remaining in the playoff who was never on the green at the par-3 17th hole until his ball was in the cup.

“I made the putt of my life right there,” Hughes said.

Dawn Coe-Jones Is Shown Here At The 2008 Canadian Women's Open At The Ottawa Hunt Club - Image Courtesy Ian Hutchinson

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Dawn Coe-Jones, a B.C. Junior Girls and Women’s Amateur champion who went on to win three times on the LPGA Tour, died early Saturday after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 56.

Langley's Adam Cornelson (L) And Vancouver's Ryan Williams (R) Will Be A Part Of The 10-Man Mackenzie Tour -PGA TOUR Canada Squad For The Inaugural Aruba Cup - Image British Columbia Golf

For Immediate Release

(November 10, 2016 – Oakville, Ont. and Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) – The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s 10-man team for the inaugural Aruba Cup was announced Thursday, led by four-time 2016 winner and Player of the Year Dan McCarthy.

The team, consisting of the top 10 available players on the 2016 Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit with a minimum of five Canadians, will compete against a team of 10 players to be announced from PGA TOUR Latinoamérica in a Presidents Cup-style event at Tierra del Sol Resort and Golf in Aruba, December 12-18, 2016. The three competition days will Four-ball, Foursome and Singles matches on December 15, 16 and 17, respectively.

West Vancouver's Seann Harlingten Was The Low Canadian At Oak Valley In Stage II Of Web.com Q-School - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Tyler Costigan/ Golf Canada

BEAUMONT, Calif. – Three Canadians finished inside the Top-19 on Friday at the Oak Valley Golf Club to advance to the third and final stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School.

The Canadian trio were led by Vancouver product Seann Harlingten, who fired four rounds in the 60s to capture sole possession of second place at 17-under par (67-67-68-69).

Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community In Courtenay, B.C., Will Host A Qualifying Tournament On May 1-5, 2017. The Spring’s Final Qualifying Tournament Will Return To Crown Isle As Part Of A Deal To Host Mackenzie Tour Qualifying Through 2020. (Photo/Golf Vancouver Island)

The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Qualifying Tournament will take place at five separate sites next spring, with fields of 120 players competing for Mackenzie Tour membership for the 2017 season.

The five 72-hole, no-cut Qualifying Tournaments will take place at: Carlton Oaks Country Club in Santee, Calif., March 13-17; The Country Club at Soboba Springs in San Jacinto, Calif., March 20-24; Sun ‘N Lake Golf Club in Sebring, Fla., April 10-14; PGA Village’s Wanamaker Course in Port St. Lucie, Fla., April 17-21; and Crown Isle Resort and Golf Community in Courtenay, British Columbia, May 1-5.

Lawren Rowe (Golf Canada/Chuck Russell)

MEN’S AMATEUR TOP-10

Lawren Rowe made the biggest gain among the Top-10, picking up 40 places in the world rankings after posting a wire-to-wire victory at the CSUSM Fall Classic. Rowe opened with a 67 for the low round of the day and followed it up with back-to-back rounds of par to win by eight strokes. It was his second collegiate victory of the season and the third team title for the Vikes. The No. 4 ranked amateur in Canada has also recorded Top-10 results in his other two events this fall.

West Vancouver's Seann Harlingten Will Be One Of Four Hopefuls From BC Trying To Gain Web.com Tour Status - Photo Credit Claus Andersen-Courtesy PGA Tour Canada

Courtesy Golf Canada

Four players from British Columbia will be among the 14 Canadians included in the approximately 375 athletes competing for 2017 playing status at the second stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School, hosted at five different sites across the United States from Nov. 1–11.

Players from BC include Seann Harlingten and David Rose, both of West Vancouver, Ryan Williams from Vancouver and Burnaby's Devin Carrey.

Each qualifying site will host 72-hole stroke-play events with 78-player fields and no cuts. The number of players advancing from each site will be determined on a pro-rated basis (announced during play).

Adam Hadwin (Golf Canada/Bernard Brault, File)

Abbotsford's Adam Hadwin picked up eight places in the world rankings after finishing tied for 21st at the PGA’s CIMB Classic. The result was worth 2.93 world ranking points, his best points-paying finish since a Top-10 result almost three months ago at John Deere Classic.