By KEVIN CUNNINGHAM, Golf.com

Back in the spring, the Drew Charter men’s golf team from Atlanta won the Class A Public State Championship in golf, lapping their competition to take home the trophy.

Their win was especially notable for two reasons. First, they are the first Atlanta Public School to capture the state title. Second, they’re the first all-black team and coaching staff to earn top honors in the state of Georgia.

Now, a PGA Tour veteran who took notice of their triumph is jumping in to support their continued success. Harold Varner III tweeted to congratulate the team and call attention to their accomplishment. In addition, Varner announced a donation of US$5,000 to the school’s golf program.

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Phil Mickelson is a 5-time Major winner and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. And that's just for what he does when he keeps his ball in the same time zone as the golf course he's playing.

Actually, he's a lot more fun when he's trying to get his ball back into the vicinity from whence he started.

His recovery shots easily match and often outdistance - both literally and figuratively - his regular highlights. For our most recent exhibit we present Phil hitting his ball from out of a bush... somewhere off to the side of the 9th hole it appears (see Shot Tracker screenshot below) in the recent Shriners Open.

Suffice to say there were no TV cameras set up to capture this shot. Probably not too many hit from this particular area. But thanks to today's social media there was of course a fan with a phone handy. 

Oh, and Lefty will hit this shot for you using his driver. Over trees. Approximately 200 yards.

And make par

You're welcome. 

Taylor Pendrith Was A Two-Time Winner On The Mackenzie Tour - PGA Tour Canada This Year - Image Credit Claus Andersen (Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada)

Written by Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada/Courtesy Golf Canada

LONDON, Ont. – For the second time in four years, Taylor Pendrith earned Canada Life Canadian Player of the Year honours on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada.

The native of Richmond Hill, Ont., came the final round at the Canada Life Championship with a chance to top the Order of the Merit, but after 1-under-par 69 Pendrith ended second, just $2,700 behind Paul Barjon

Pendrith won twice in 2019 – at the 1932byBateman Open and the Mackenzie Investments Open – and had seven top-10 finishes, including a tie for 10th at the Canada Life Championship en route to winning his second Dan Halldorson Trophy (he won the award in 2015, as well).

Courtesy Golf Canada

PONTE VEDRA, Fla. – The PGA TOUR’s three international tours—PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR Series-China—will use a points-based system for its Orders of Merit, starting in 2020, the three Tours announced September 11.

This will align these three Tours with the PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour, which are both using points to measure players’ success.

The stars of the LPGA are heading back West to Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in 2020 for the CP Women’s Open – August 31st through September 6th.

Each year over 1,200 people contribute their time and energy to volunteer at the CP Women’s Open. We are so thankful and fortunate to work with such a hardworking group of people each and every year. Registration fills up quickly, so be sure to get your volunteer registration in early.

Back In 1999 Inside Golf Magazine Was There To Cover The Historic First Victory By Mike Weir On The PGA TOUR In The Air Canada Championship - Images Courtesy Jeff Sutherland/Inside Golf

Former Masters Champ Mike Weir Is Counting The Days Until His PGA Tour Champions Debut

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Mike Weir is too excited about the future to spend a lot of time dwelling on the past, but he’s more than happy to do a little reminiscing about his first PGA TOUR win 20 years ago.

Yes, it really has been two decades since Weir thrilled golf fans with his Air Canada Championship victory at Northview Golf Club in Surrey. If you were there, you will never forget it. Weir certainly hasn’t, although he has a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that it has been 20 years.

It was Sept. 5, 1999 when Weir recorded his second straight seven-under 64 to beat American Fred Funk by two shots and get that elusive first PGA TOUR win.

Steven Lecuyer Holds The Big Winner's Cheque From The VGT Johnson Meier Vancouver Open - Photos Credit/VGT

Courtesy VGT

Congratulations to Steven Lecuyer of Bear Mountain Golf Resort, who won the 2019 Johnston Meier Vancouver Open with a score of 11-under par. Steven had three very consistent rounds, shooting 66 at McCleery, 69 at Langara and 68 at Fraserview to claim the $10,000 first place professional purse. Steven came from behind in Sunday's final round.

After round one, which the professionals played at McCleery, former two-time BC Golf Women's Champion Christine Wong lead the entire field after shooting 7-under par.

Ashley & Dave Zibrik Have Risen To The Top Of Their Profession While Forging A Life Together At The Same Time - Image Credit Brad Ziemer/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Before they fell in love with each other, Dave Zibrik and Ashley Hogg had already fallen in love with golf. It was the summer of 2005 when they met -- at a golf course, naturally.

Ashley had come home for the summer after completing her junior year at Boise State University, where she played collegiate golf, and had landed a summer job at Swaneset Bay in Pitt Meadows. Dave had just turned pro, was also working at Swaneset and was in the midst of completing the golf management program at Camosun College. Both were 21 and soon they were in love with more than just golf.

Bryn Parry (Seymour Creek Golf Centre) Holds The William Thompson Trophy After His Victory At Whistler Golf Club In The Taylormade & Adidas Golf PGA Of BC Championship Presented By Axis Insurance Group - Image Courtesy PGA of BC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

AUGUST 20, 2019 - WHISTLER, BC (PGA of British Columbia) – Bryn Parry cruised to victory Tuesday at Whistler Golf Club, capturing his fourth title in the TaylorMade & adidas Golf PGA of BC Championship presented by Axis Insurance Group.

Parry, who held a two-stroke lead over the field after a 2-under-par 69 in Monday’s first round, carded a tournament-low 66 on Tuesday to finish at 7-under and win the event by six shots. Defending champion Kevin Stinson (Cheam Mountain Golf Course) and 2011 winner Lindsay Bernakevitch (Victoria Golf Club) shared second place at 1-under.

From L-R: Mary Parsons, Michelle Liu And Megan Osland Will Represent BC In This Week's CP Canadian Women's Open - File Photos

AURORA, Ont. – Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) have announced the names of 13 players who have received exemptions to compete in the 2019 CP Women’s Open, set to take place at Magna Golf Club from August 19-25. Headlining the list of exemptions is Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member and CP Ambassador Lorie Kane.

The Charlottetown native will be making a record-setting 29th appearance at the CP Women’s Open appearance, besting World Golf Hall of Fame member JoAnne Carner (28) for most all-time appearances at the event.

Joining Kane will be a teenager who made national headlines last month, Vancouver’s Michelle Liu, who finished as the low Canadian at the 2019 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in July to earn an exemption. Liu will be 12 years, nine months and seven days when she tees off at Magna Golf Club, becoming the youngest player ever to appear at the CP Women’s Open.

The record was previously held by Canadian star Brooke Henderson, who played as a 14-year-old in 2012.

Vancouver's Stuart Macdonald Is A Globe Trotting Professional Golfer These Days But Is Back Home For A Spell - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

A break in the PGA Tour China schedule has Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald back in Canada, where life outside the ropes is a little less stressful. Macdonald is a rookie on the PGA Tour China circuit and acknowledges it has been something of an adventure.

“It has been pretty interesting,” he says. “It's a completely different culture over there. Obviously, there is a big language barrier and just doing the simple things that we would take for granted here can be challenging.”

Delta, BC's Mary Parsons (3rd From Left) Was Part Of The Bronze Medal Winning Team From Canada In The Mixed Team Golf Event At The Peru Pan American Games. L-R: Austin Connelly, Brigitte Thibault, Parsons, Joey Savoie - Image Credit: David Jackson/ COC

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Delta’s Mary Parsons won a medal Sunday and came close to earning a second one at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Parsons, Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que., and Austin Connelly of Lake Doucette, N.S., combined to win the bronze medal in the mixed team event on Sunday.

The Canadians finished with a team score of 552, just three shots behind the silver medalists from Paraguay. The United States took the gold medal with a team score of 544. “I think all four of us grinded out every shot to kind of get to where we are,” Parsons said. “We knew coming down the stretch we had to keep pushing because it wasn’t going to be over until it’s over.”

Victoria, BC's Jim Rutledge Won The 2019 PGA Seniors' Championship Of Canada At Carleton Golf & Yacht Club - Image Credit PGA of Canada

Courtesy PGA of Canada

It wasn’t the stroll to the finish line Jim Rutledge had hoped for, but in the end, the 59-year-old from Victoria, BC captured the PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada.

When the final round began, Rutledge held a three-shot lead over Ken Tarling and a four-shot cushion over Danny King, however, as the day wore on Rutledge’s lead dwindled away. “I’m sure glad we ran out of holes out there this afternoon,” Rutledge joked after his final round 1-under-par 70.

“Going into the back-nine I hit some wayward shots, some miscues off the tee and the next thing you know I only end up winning by a shot.”

Three B.C. Boys Will Tee It Up In The FedEx Cup Playoffs Beginning This Week. L-R: Adam Hadwin, Roger Sloan & Nick Taylor - File Photos

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

A record five Canadians, including three British Columbians, have qualified for the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup playoffs. Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, both of Abbotsford, and Merritt’s Roger Sloan will join Ontario natives Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes in this week’s first of three playoff events, The Northern Trust at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J.

Hadwin enters the playoffs at No. 46 on the FedEx Cup points list and is in good position to be among the top 70 players who will advance to next week’s second playoff event, the BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club near Chicago. Taylor and Sloan will need big finishes in Jersey City to advance. Sloan enters the playoffs at No. 91, while Taylor is 117th.

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club Head Professional And Director of Golf, Ashley Zibrik, Happily Addressed Those On Hand For The Announcement Her Club Would Be Hosting The 2020 CP Women's Open - Image Credit Bryan Outram/BC Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club got rave reviews from PGA TOUR players and proved to be a stiff test when it played host to the Canadian Open back in 2005 and 2011. 

Ashley Zibrik, Shaughnessy’s new Head Professional and Director of Golf, expects more of the same when a collection of the world’s best female players gather at the classic Southwest Marine Drive layout late next summer.

Shaughnessy was officially announced as the site of the LPGA Tour’s 2020 CP Women’s Open on Thursday. The tournament will be played over the Labour Day weekend, Sept. 3-6.

BC's Mike Darby Poses With Winner Jim Herman After Herman's Second Career PGA TOUR Victory, This One In The Barbasol Championship With Darby On The Bag - Images Courtesy Facebook

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Ladner resident Mike Darby took some good-natured ribbing from some of his fellow PGA TOUR caddies after his recent win with Jim Herman at the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky.

The win was Darby’s third on the PGA TOUR. He had previously partnered with Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor to win the 2014 Sanderson Farms Championship and with American D.A. Points to win the 2017 Puerto Rico Open.

“The big inside joke on tour right now is me going for the opposite field Grand Slam,” Darby said with a chuckle in an interview this week. “If we had won in Reno last week I would have sealed it up. It’s either Reno or the Dominican Republic, so that’s my goal.”

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It is turning into a 'super summer' for Merritt’s Roger Sloan, who posted another top-10 finish Sunday on the PGA TOUR . Sloan tied for seventh at the Barracuda Championship in Reno, Nev.

In his last four events, Sloan has finished tied for 21st, T15, T10 and T7. He seems to have his game in solid shape with the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup playoffs set to start in two weeks.

Sloan finished with 37 points at the Barracuda, an event that uses the Stableford scoring system. That was 10 points behind winner Collin Morikawa, a rookie from Los Angeles. The nice finish in Reno moved Sloan up 13 spots on the FedEx Cup points list to 91st.  Surrey’s Adam Svensson finished 65th in Reno, but dropped five spots on the FedEX Cup list to 171st.

The PGA TOUR regular season wraps up at this week’s Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C. The four British Columbians who are PGA TOUR regulars -- Sloan, Svensson, Adam Hadwin (No.41 on FedEx list) and Nick Taylor (No. 114) -- are all scheduled to play at the Wyndham.

Merritt, BC's Roger Sloan Has His Golf Game In A Groove Of Late. And, Yes, He Does Know Something About Liverpool's Fab Four, Despite What Peter Kostis Thinks - Sloan Image Credit Alfie Lau/BC Golf (Beatles Image Used With Consent)

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Roger Sloan wasn’t born Yesterday. Of course he knows who the Beatles are. Sloan, the 32-year-old Merritt product who is wrapping up a successful season on the PGA TOUR, laughs when the subject of the Fab Four is broached. “That is a funny story,” Sloan says.

It was at the John Deere Classic earlier this month when CBS golf analyst Peter Kostis suggested on air that Sloan, who was in contention that week, didn’t really know anything about John, Paul, Ringo and George. Sloan says that could not be further from the truth.

 Image Courtesy PGA TOUR/Korn Ferry Tour

Written by Korn Ferry Tour Communications/Courtesy Golf Canada

(June 19, 2019) PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry (NYSE: KFY) announced today a 10-year agreement making the Los Angeles-based, global organizational consulting firm the Umbrella Sponsor of the newly named Korn Ferry Tour.

In replacing Web.com, Korn Ferry’s sponsorship takes effect June 19 and extends through the 2028 season. The Korn Ferry Tour will continue to award PGA TOUR membership to the Tour’s 50 leading players, including the top 25 from the Regular Season points list and the top 25 from the three-event Korn Ferry Tour Finals points list.

 Juli Inkster Was The Wire-to-Wire Winner In The Second Annual Suquamish Clearwater Legends Cup At White Horse GC In Kingston, WA - Photo credit: Rick Sharp

SEATTLE, June 8, 2019 – Californian Juli Inkster was a wire-to-wire winner at the second annual Suquamish Clearwater Legends Cup presented by Boeing.

The LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame member posted a final-round score of 7-under 66 to finish at 15-under 131 at White Horse Golf Club.

Inkster played two bogey-free rounds and added final-round birdies on hole Nos. 16 and 18 to win by four strokes over runner-up Michele Redman of Minnesota. Redman recorded a final-round score of 66 for a two-day total of 11-under 134.