Nick Taylor - Image Credit Bernard Braultt/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Goolf

Like much of the rest of the country, Jay and Darlene Taylor were glued to their television as their son Nick made Canadian sports history.

Alone in the family room of their Abbotsford home, the Taylors hugged one another and cried when Nick’s 72-foot putt dropped on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the RBC Canadian Open.

They were still crying half-an-hour later when reached on the telephone. “We are super proud, we are super pumped,” said an emotional Jay Taylor.

British Columbia Golf and the entire golf community were saddened to learn of the passing of long time official and volunteer Bill Klein after a hard fought battle with cancer.

Bill had been designated as an Honorary Host Chair for the BC Amateur. A tireless volunteer in many roles with both Golf Canada and British Columbia Golf, Bill was a very familiar face to many and in particular at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island. 

All of us join in sending our heartfelt condolences to Bill's family and friends. Please take a moment to read the In Memoriam on the Pheasant Glen Resort website which so eloquently chronicles what Bill contributed and meant to not only the game of golf but the people in and around it. 

In Remembrance Of William ‘Bill’ Klein: A Great Friend And A Good Man

In this video, from Coach Shayain's YouTube site, we're thrilled to share clips & interviews from B.C.'s first-ever Indigenous golf tournament.

This groundbreaking event brought together golfers of all ages from across the province, showcasing the inclusivity and progressiveness that the sport is striving for.

Traditionally seen as an elitist sport with limited access, golf is now embracing a new era of openness. Over 100 Indigenous golfers representing 80 different nations gathered at the beautiful Nk'Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course in the southern Okanagan Valley for this historic tournament.

To see Brad Ziemer's wrap-ups and interviews with the inaugural tournament champions click HERE and HERE.

Check out Coach Shayain's video, interviews and overview below. 

UBC T'Birds Women's Golf Team (Top) & UVic Men's Squad (Bottom) - Image Credit/ (CHRISTIAN BENDER/GOLF CANADA)

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Justin Clews got to experience winning a national title as a player when he helped the University of Victoria Vikes win the inaugural Canadian University/College Golf Championship in 2003. Twenty years later, he got to experience it as a coach.

The Vikes men’s team won their fourth national title — and first since 2006 — in impressive fashion Friday, as they closed the 72-hole event at FireRock Golf Club in Komoka, Ont., with their best round of the week.

Women’s Golf Day encourages women to explore various options in their community including local facilities, lessons, leagues and other ways to get involved in golf.

Women's Golf Day 'Week' kicks off today, May 30th and runs until Tuesday, June 6th.

Introducing women and girls to golf and celebrating existing players by joining them together irrespective of gender, race, religion, language, ethnicity, or location is all a part of Women's Golf Day initiatives. 

Click HERE to learn more. 

There's No Looking Back Now As Coquitlam's AJ Ewart Is Turning Pro - Golf Canada Image

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Call it a slightly disappointing ending to a brilliant collegiate career. Coquitlam’s A.J. Ewart and his Barry University Bucs were knocked out in the semi-finals of the NCAA Division II championship tourney at Avalon Lakes Golf Club in Warren, Ohio.

Ewart, of course, was hoping to end his career with an NCAA Championship, but can reflect on a remarkable four years at the Miami-area school where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in communications with a sport management minor.

BC's Tanelle Bolt Uses A Swing-Assist Cart At Langara GC In Vancouver - BC Golf Photo

BY REBECCA BLISSETT/Writer for Rick Hansen Foundation

For Anthony Brummet, like many of the 1 in 5 Canadians with a disability, his medical condition wasn’t something he had planned for. Anthony, or Tony as he is called, developed a health issue in his senior years that affects his legs to the point he can no longer stand.

The UBC T'Birds Are 2023 NAIA Champions - Photo Credit Dan O'Connor (UBC T'Birds Communications)

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

For just the second time in program history, the University of B.C. men’s golf team has captured the NAIA national championship. The T-Birds surprised even their coach by winning the 72-hole tournament at Las Sendas Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz.

“To be honest it’s a big surprise and it’s a big upset,” said longtime UBC coach Chris Macdonald. “We were the 12th-ranked team coming in, so a lot of things had to go right.”

Lauren Kim (L) And Gabriela Ruffels Were The Two Qualifiers For The U.S. Women's Open At VGC - Image Courtesy Golf Canada/Twitter

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Lauren Kim’s one and only visit to California’s Monterey Peninsula occurred a few years ago when she and her family were driving home from a junior golf tournament in the San Diego area.

Kim, all of 11 or 12 years old at the time, vividly remembers what a beautiful spot it was. “We went to all of the golf courses in the area and picked up every scorecard,” she says. “And then we went to the beach and dipped our toes in the water.

“I bought one of those bouncy balls that had a big Pebble Beach logo on it. And it had golf ball dimples on it. I thought this is really cool, I want that.” She also decided right there and then that she’d one day play Pebble Beach.

On Monday, that dream became a reality. Kim will not only play Pebble Beach, she’ll play it in this summer’s U.S. Women’s Open.

Canada is home to some of the world’s finest public golf courses, but many go unrecognized in ScoreGolf's biennial Top 59 Public Courses ranking, which they are set to publish again later this summer.

That is where you come in. Submit up to 10 of your favourite public courses in your province by clicking on the link below.

SFU Red Leafs Men's Golf Team - Image Courtesy SFU/Sonoma State Athletics

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The solid play of senior Aidan Goodfellow (Centre In Team Photo Shown) and a pair of clutch 18th-hole birdies by Michael Crisologo and Jordan Bean helped the Simon Fraser University men’s golf team earn a spot in the NCAA Division II national championship tourney for the first time since 2015.

The Red Leafs tied for fourth at the West/South Central regional tourney in Rohnert Park, Calif., where the top five teams earned spots in the national championship tourney.

It was a nail-biter of a final round as only seven strokes separated the top nine teams.

Two-Time Marine Drive Club Champion Taylor Durham Shot 5-under 65 To Win The Regional Qualifier at Ledgeview Golf Club - Image Credit Golf Canada/Twitter

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

ABBOTSFORD — When it comes to his golf, Taylor Durham has always been something of a late bloomer.

He wasn’t quite good enough in high school to get an opportunity to compete collegiately, but Durham’s passion for the game kept him playing and he got better. A lot better.

It's Time to Celebrate! Women's Golf Day Celebrations begin May 30 and run through June 6th! You can participate in a number of ways! Don't miss your chance to be a part of the fun!

There are lots of ways to get involved - starting May 30th.

NextGen Pacific Champions Amy Seung Hyun Lee & Jerry Li - Image Credit Chuck Russell/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The NextGen Championships put on by Golf Canada each year are what you might call 'junior majors'. Amy Seung Hyun Lee now has won two of them.

Lee, a 15-year-old Langley resident, captured the NextGen Pacific Championship at Sunshine Coast Golf & Country Club.

She went wire-to-wire and won by five shots against an elite field of B.C. juniors.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Thanks in no small part to the work of Ledgeview Golf Club General Manager Brad Clapp, a spot in next month’s RBC Canadian Open field will be up for grabs at a regional qualifier at the Abbotsford course on May 12.

Golf Canada rules stipulate that a minimum of 120 players must compete in a regional qualifier in order for that coveted pass into the Canadian Open to be made available to the winner.

Clapp, a former winner on the PGA Tour Canada circuit, made it his personal mission to see that the Ledgeview field cracked that magic number. He is happy to report that nearly 140 players have now committed to play in the regional qualifier.

Image courtesy pexels/pixabay

OTTAWA, May 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA) launches its month-long Sun Awareness Month campaign, urging Canadians to learn about the causes and early warning signs of skin cancer.

“With melanoma being the 5th most common cancer type found in youth and young adults (15-29) and 4th most common cancer type found in middle-aged adults (30-49), it should be a priority for Canadians to learn how to conduct a skin cancer self-examination and know the warning signs,” says National Chair of the CDA Sun Awareness Working Group and Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, Dr. Sunil Kalia.

For the full month of May, the CDA is dedicated to sharing important sun awareness messages and resources for Canadians, including steps to conduct a self-examination and preventative actions across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, the CDA website, media, and more.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 25, 2023

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Canada will merge into a singular Tour to form PGA TOUR Americas, which will begin play in February 2024, the PGA TOUR announced today.

PGA TOUR Americas will consist of 16 events contested across Latin America, Canada and the United States from February through September. The top 10 finishers on the season-long points list will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the following season.

Spring is here and we are looking ahead to the 2023 CP Women’s Open. In its 49th playing, Canada’s National Women’s Open is coming to Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver for the first time ever!

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

A former B.C. Bantam Boys champion now living in South Africa has made world-wide headlines after winning a prestigious junior tournament by 21 shots.

Daniel Bennett, a former Victoria-area resident who played out of Gorge Vale Golf Club, won the 2020 Bantam Boys title by six shots at Mount Brenton Golf Course in Chemainus. Shortly afterward, he and his family returned to their native South Africa.