Ledgeview GC GM Brad Clapp, Seen Here During Last Year's BC Amateur At Ledgeview - BC Golf Photo

More Ziemer's Notes: Lauren Kim heads back to Augusta National; SFU women win in Colorado; Ewart top-20s in Argentina; Jackson Jacob triumphs in VGT season-opener

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(March 31st, 2025) - Ledgeview Golf Club, the Abbotsford layout that helped produce the likes of PGA TOUR winners Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and NCAA champion James Lepp, has received a Golf Canada award for its commitment to junior golf.

And that makes Ledgeview general manager Brad Clapp especially proud. So does the view from the club’s pro shop.

“As I look outside now, we have a couple of five-year-olds rolling a ball towards the hole learning what a break looks like,” Clapp, a former PGA Tour Canada winner, says in an interview.

North Bellingham GC - image courtesy North Bellingham GC

Taylor top-10s at Genesis Invitational; Jessica Hadwin pokes fun at her husband; SFU men start spring season in impressive fashion

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(February 17, 2025) - Golf course operators south of the border in Whatcom County will be nervously examining their tee sheets in the coming weeks to determine what effect the threats of tariffs and Canada becoming a “51st state” will have on their businesses.

With snow on the ground last week and courses closed, it was too early to say what effect U.S. President Donald Trump’s tough talk regarding Canada is having on golfers who regularly play Whatcom County layouts.

But with polls showing that many Canadians are vowing to avoid travel to the United States, it seems likely that Bellingham and Blaine-area courses like Loomis Trail, North Bellingham and Shuksan could be hurt. Those courses rely heavily on play from British Columbians.

Grace Bell, UBC T'Birds Women's Golf - Image Courtesy Chris MacDonald/UBC TBirds

Hadwin top-10s in Phoenix; Anna Huang cashes cheque in her Ladies European Tour debut

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(February 10, 2025) - Grace Bell is deep into the back nine of her collegiate golf career and is determined to make the most of the time she has left.

This spring’s schedule is a last hurrah of sorts for Bell and three of her UBC teammates who are set to graduate this spring. They already have a bushel full of memories — including NAIA and Canadian championships — that figure to last a lifetime, but why not produce a few more.

Bell helped do just that when she created a little UBC history by winning last week’s Wigwam Preview, a NCAA Division I event in Litchfield Park, Ariz.

Vancouver, BC's Anna Huang - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(February 3, 2025) - Vancouver native Anna Huang is doing her own version of the Marrakesh Express.

The 16-year-old is back in Morocco this week where she will make her professional debut at the Ladies European Tour’s Lalla Meryem Cup at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat.

Just before Christmas, Huang travelled to Marrakesh where she earned status for this year’s LET Tour at qualifying school. She had entered Q-school as an amateur, so she had a decision to make once she earned playing status. It didn’t take her long to decide that she would turn pro.

Vancouver, BC's Anna Huang - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

Taylor defends this week in Phoenix; Macdonald, Sloan survive cut in Panama; Sagebrush partners with historic Quilchena Hotel

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(February 3, 2025) - Vancouver native Anna Huang is doing her own version of the Marrakesh Express.

The 16-year-old is back in Morocco this week where she will make her professional debut at the Ladies European Tour’s Lalla Meryem Cup at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat.

Just before Christmas, Huang travelled to Marrakesh where she earned status for this year’s LET Tour at qualifying school. She had entered Q-school as an amateur, so she had a decision to make once she earned playing status. It didn’t take her long to decide that she would turn pro.

New Capilano GC Head Professional Mike Haraguchi

Taylor, Hadwin head to Pebble Beach and Netflix; Lauren Kim gets second crack at Augusta National; Sloan heads to Panama for season debut on Korn Ferry Tour

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(January 27, 2025) - You can count on one hand the number of head professionals Capilano Golf & Country Club has had since opening in 1939. Mike Haraguchi is honoured to be among them.

The highly regarded West Vancouver private club recently appointed the Richmond native as their new head pro.

He succeeds Mark Thirtle, who departed last year to become director of golf at La Cumbre Country Club in Santa Barbara, Calif.

BC's Roger Sloan Is Looking To Play His Best Golf On The Korn Ferry Tour - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

Cooper Humphreys comes close on Asher Tour; Clara Ding wins in Florida; Lauren Kim named female amateur of the year

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(January 13, 2025) - Roger Sloan hasn’t spent a lot of time feeling sorry for himself since losing his PGA TOUR card. This isn’t the first time the former Merritt resident has been forced to return to golf’s minor leagues, where he must now play his way back to the PGA TOUR.

He’s been there, done that and now he has to do it again. It’s that simple. There’s no point dwelling on what was a poor 2024 season. “I have been through it before so I kind of know what to expect,” Sloan said in an interview with British Columbia Golf.

BC's Nick Taylor Won His 5th PGA TOUR Title At The Sony Open In Hawaii - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

For a good chunk of his PGA TOUR career, Nick Taylor flew under the radar. He was known as a steady, not spectacular, player who quietly went about his business.

Not anymore. Taylor has developed a flair for the dramatic. The bigger the moment, the better he plays. And when he gets in contention, Taylor just hits one clutch shot after another.

He did it again on a magical Sunday on the island of Oahu where Taylor chipped in for eagle on the 72nd hole and then beat Nico Echavarria of Colombia on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Sony Open in Hawaii.

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

January 6, 2025 (KAPALUA, HAWAII) - A four-round total of 18-under par will usually get you a top 10, maybe even a win, most weeks on the PGA TOUR.

Not at Kapalua’s Plantation course, where the season-opening Sentry tournament is an absolute birdie-fest.

Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin had 24 birdies and an eagle in his 72 holes of golf at the Plantation and just eked out a top-30 finish by finishing 29th at 18-under par.

By Gord Montgomery for British Columbia Golf

January 2, 2025 (KAPALUA, HAWAII)  -  Taking advantage of sunny skies and light winds, Adam Hadwin rocketed to the top of the leaderboard in early action at the Sentry Tournament of Champions with a 6-under 67 on the par 73 layout. But while his standing didn’t last through the day, he still ended up tied for seventh. Thing is, he noted there’s a long way to go.

Abbotsford, BC's Hadwin is one of four Canadians in this year‘s event. He started quickly, plateaued a bit in the middle of his round, then finished strong.

Capilano hires its new superintendent from within, now looking for new head pro; British Columbians blanked at Asian Tour Q-school; Anna Huang earns status on Ladies European Tour

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It was a lost opportunity, one that had weighed heavily on Stuart Macdonald in recent months. After a fine season on the PGA Tour Americas circuit, the Vancouver pro had come agonizingly close this past fall to earning a promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour.

Ten Korn Ferry Tour cards were handed out when the PGA Tour Americas season ended in early September and Macdonald fell from 10th to 11th in the final event of the season. It’s not a stretch to say he was devastated.

But Macdonald’s story has a happy ending. You could call it a Christmas miracle of sorts.

VIA MEDIA RELEASE

OAKVILLE, Ont. – What began as a marketing initiative to highlight an iconic winning moment at the RBC Canadian Open, will now take its permanent place in tournament history.

Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor RBC is pleased to announce that the reimagined tournament logo celebrating Nick Taylor’s historic win as the first Canadian champion in 69 years, will now become the tournament’s permanent mark.

“Team RBC Ambassador Nick Taylor’s historic winning putt will forever be an iconic moment in Canadian sports history and one of the most thrilling plays at our country’s national championship,” said Mary DePaoli, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “It is only fitting that Nick leaves a lasting legacy on the tournament logo and we continue to be very proud of the mark he’s made on Canadian golf.”

Golf Canada via PGA TOUR Communications 

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – (December 16, 2024)  - The PGA TOUR announced the 2025 PGA TOUR Americas schedule, which features 16 tournaments contested across eight countries, beginning in March and culminating in September at the Fortinet Cup Championship contested at Morgan Creek Golf Course in Surrey, British Columbia and where Korn Ferry Tour membership will be awarded to the top 10 finishers on the season-long Fortinet Cup standings.

For the second consecutive season, the top 10 players in the final Fortinet Cup standings will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the 2026 season. A $225,000 USD purse will be contested for at each of the 16 events, totaling a $3.6 million USD pot for the season. Additionally, a $100,000 bonus pool will be shared among the top 10 players, with $25,000 awarded to the points leader, courtesy of Fortinet.

Click HERE to see complete story & schedule. 

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(December 9, 2024) - The second stage of PGA TOUR Q-school wrapped up last week and its long list of casualties included British Columbians Stuart Macdonald of Vancouver, Chris Crisologo of Richmond and A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam.

For them and so many others, PGA TOUR regular Joel Dahmen had some words of encouragement he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “For every player who didn’t get thru 2nd stage this year, keep your head up,” Dahmen said in his post. “I never got through myself. Keep believing.”

(December 2, 2024)  - Yeji Kwon sailed through her first qualifying school test and now hopes she can ace the final exam.

That would be the final stage of the LPGA Tour’s Qualifying Series, which goes Dec. 5-9 in Mobile, Ala. The 18-year-old Port Coquitlam resident earned her spot in the final stage back in late October when she tied for 10th at second-stage qualifying.

That finish has earned her good Epson Tour status for 2025, but the former Canadian Junior Girls champion doesn’t want to settle for that.

The PGA TOUR wrapped up its 2024 season at last week’s RSM Classic on St. Simons Island in Georgia, where Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor didn’t play but got some good news anyway.

Taylor managed to hang on to his spot inside the top 60 on the Fed Ex Cup points list — finishing 60th — and that means he can add a couple of lucrative Signature events to his 2025 PGA TOUR schedule.

Players finishing 51st to 60th on the points list earned invitations into two California Signature events, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the Monterey Peninsula and the Genesis Championship at Riviera Country Club in suburban Los Angeles.

The 2024 season was a mixed bag for the four British Columbians who had PGA TOUR status. Here’s how we grade their play in 2024:

In addition to earning exempt status on next year’s European Challenge Tour at qualifying school last week, Vancouver’s Ilirian Zalli brought home some memories that will last a lifetime.

One in particular stands out for the former B.C. Junior Boys champion. It happened when Zalli and his caddie — his father Gentian — were about to begin the third round of the final stage of the DP World Tour Q-school in Spain. Standing on the first tee was two-time Masters champion José Maria Olazábal.

“He was caddying for his nephew and we were paired with him the third and fourth rounds, so my dad was really excited to meet him and pass the flagstick back and forth to José,” Zalli said with a chuckle in an interview. “That was fun for me, too. José cleaned my golf ball a few times on the greens. I didn’t even ask him. It was a little hard to believe, to be honest with you.”

(November 11, 2024) - In his 10 years on the PGA TOUR, Nick Taylor has collected more than just his four wins and millions of dollars in prize money. He has also gained considerable perspective.

That comes in handy this time of year, when Taylor is battling to remain in the top 60 on the FedEx Cup points list and gain entry into a pair of Signature events in 2025.

“I have definitely sweated out different scenarios in my time on Tour and this isn’t one of them,” Taylor said in a telephone interview. “I am not out here battling for my card like some guys are.”

(November 4, 2024) - Fraser Mullholland has had a front-row seat to Ilirian Zalli’s development as a professional golfer, so the Vancouver Golf Tour commissioner was not surprised to see Zalli advance to the final stage of the DP World Tour Q- school.

“He just continues to prove to himself and to us that he is not afraid of the moment and is fully confident in his abilities,” Mullholland said of Zalli, a former B.C. Junior Boys and Vancouver Open champion.

Zalli shot four rounds in the 60s and breezed through his second-stage Q-school site in Girona, Spain.

Yeji Kwon advances to final stage of LPGA Tour Q-school; Amy Lee commits to University of Texas; Zalli in Spain for second stage of DP World Tour Q-school

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

(October 28, 2024) - When Dylan MacDonald reflects on his time as a UBC Thunderbird, he’ll undoubtedly remember being part of NAIA and Canadian championship teams. He will also never forget one very special week in Bremerton, Wash.

Last week at Gold Mountain’s Olympic course, MacDonald played what he called the best golf of his life and won the UBC Men’s Invitational tourney with a three-round total of 17-under par.

That broke the UBC program scoring record for a 54-hole event and MacDonald’s final round of eight-under 64 matched the school’s single-round record.

“This was definitely the best golf I have ever played,” MacDonald said in an interview.