Kelowna's John Mlikotic Is One of 15 British Columbians Who Will Tee It Up This Week In The Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada Q-School At Courtenay's Crown Isle Resort - Image Courtesy VGT

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

The goal is to treat it like any other golf tournament, which of course is easier said than done. After all, Q-School is not any other tournament. Play badly here and you don’t move on and play the next week. You don’t play at all.

John Mlikotic knows this, but hopes he can keep those thoughts out of his head when he tees it up in Tuesday’s first round of the fifth and final Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada qualifying school at Crown Isle Resort in Courtenay.

The Winning Trophy Design For Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship Reflects A Strong West Coast Theme - Image Courtesy SportBox PR

VICTORIA, BC (April 18, 2017) - The Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship announced today the winner of the Event’s 2017 Trophy Design Contest. Tournament Organizers received many amazing submissions, making it a difficult choice to narrow down the designs to three finalists.

Following the initial finalists selection, the trophy design contest was opened to the public to decide on the winner based on the majority of fan votes. After voting closed on April 12, it was determined that Patrick Belanger of Vancouver Island was the winner.

Kelowna's Samantha Richdale Continues To Swing Toward Her Dream Of Playing Regularly On The LPGA Tour - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf 

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

MESA, Ariz. -- The long and winding road that has been Samantha Richdale’s professional golf career stopped earlier this month in Arizona, where the Kelowna native made a little Symetra Tour history.

Richdale tied for 12th place at the tour’s Gateway Classic at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa and the $1,624 she earned pushed her into the top spot in Symetra Tour career earnings.

No one has made more on the Symetra Tour -- the official developmental tour of the LPGA Tour -- than the $227,670 Richdale has pocketed since turning pro in 2006.

PGA TOUR Champions Member Miguel Angel Jimenez On The 18th Green At Bear Mountain Resort In Victoria During The Final Round Of The 2016 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship - Image Credit Bryan Outram/ British Columbia Golf

Jimenez, McCarron, Sluman, And Browne Comment On 2017 Event

VICTORIA, BC (April 5, 2017) - Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship Tournament Organizers announced today that tickets are now officially available for purchase for the PGA TOUR Champions event.

An exciting addition to the current ticket offerings is the new travel ticket package - a joint initiative from Pacific Coastal Airlines and the Tournament to make the Event more accessible to fans from the mainland.

The all inclusive travel ticket will consist of three different tournament pass options, as well as round trip flights into Victoria for the Event from Vancouver, Kelowna or Prince George and tournament transportation from Victoria International Airport (YYJ) to Bear Mountain Golf Resort.

By Gord Montgomery (iG)

If ever there was a classic case of an understatement, Adam Hadwin delivered it during a recent media conference call: “March has been a pretty busy month!” he declared.

Well, yeah. Besides, winning for the first time on the PGA TOUR at the Valspar Championship not only got him an invite to The Masters, it moved him into the top-five of the Fed-ExCup standings and top-10 on the international President’s Cup roster. Add to that his recent marriage and buying a house, and yes, March has been a hectic time for the B.C. golfer.

Merritt, BC's Roger Sloan (R) Shown Here At A Media Event At Bear Mountain Golf Resort In Victoria Last Year, Moved 84 Places Up The World Golf Ranking This Past Week - Image Credit Bryan Outram/British Columbia Golf

Courtesy Golf Canada

It was another stellar week for BC golfers in the Top 10 Weekly rankings as published by Golf Canada. Merritt's Roger Sloan and Victoria's Lawren Rowe both made signifcant gains in the OWGR while Abbotsford's Adam Hadwin, now solidly inside the Top 50 Professional Male Ranking in the world took some time off to get married ahead of his first appearance in next week's Masters at Augusta, GA.

Outside of the 'Top 10' some other very impressive gains by Canadians were also made, including Coquitlam's Euna Han whose victory in the CJGA Western Canadian Junior Championship in some very difficult conditions at Surrey's Northview GC vaulted her 315 places up the world standings for amateur women.

Coming Soon To A Professional Golf Tour Near You, The Use Of Distance Measuring Devices. Here You See Abigail Rigsby (L) And Shirin Anjarwalla (R) Of Team British Columbia At The 2016 North Pacific Junior Ladies Team Matches At Pitt Meadows GC Using The Devices En Route To Helping BC Win The Annual Event - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/ British Columbia Golf

Web.com Tour, PGA TOUR Canada, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica allowing at four events

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (March 28, 2017) – The PGA TOUR has announced that it will begin testing the use of distance measuring devices during competition at select tournaments this year on the Web.com Tour, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.

Each of the three Tours will allow use of the devices by players and caddies at four consecutive tournaments, including Monday qualifiers. For these events, the PGA TOUR will temporarily enact a Local Rule in accordance with Decision 14-3/0.5 of The R&A/USGA Rules of Golf, which stipulates the device can be used to measure distance only (use of functions to measure slope, elevation or wind will not be allowed).

The 2017 Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Season Kicks Off At Vanvouver's Point Grey Golf & Country Club On May 29th - Image Courtesy Point Grey G&CC

(March 27, 2017) – Oakville, Ont. and Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) – The Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada schedule will feature 12 events from May to September in 2017 as players look to make the next step on the path to the PGA TOUR.

The season will once again begin in May with the Freedom 55 Financial Open (May 29-June 4) at Point Grey Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, B.C., with purses of $175,000 (CA$) for the first 11 events and a $200,000 purse for the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship (Sept. 11-17) at Highland Country Club in London, Ont.

Stuart Macdonald Turned It On Late To Secure Himself Status On The Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada Circuit At Q-School In California - Image Credit Bernard Brault/ Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Birdie. Birdie. Birdie. That’s how Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald finished his first qualifying school Friday to secure status on this year’s Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada circuit. That would be your textbook definition of clutch.

The 22-year-old member of Point Grey Golf & Country Club, who is a member of Canada’s national amateur team, finished the 72-hole Q school at the Country Club at Soboba Springs in San Jacinto, Calif., tied for ninth place at three-under par. That guarantees him the first four starts of the Mackenzie Tour season and means he won’t be an amateur much longer.

MLA For Vancouver-Fraserview, Suzanne Anton Was On Hand At Point Grey G&CC To Announce A $100,000 Investment By The Province Of B.C - British Columbia Golf Image

For Immediate Release

The Province of British Columbia is investing $100,000 in the BC Golf Swing to help welcome top golfers and fans from around the globe to B.C., announced Suzanne Anton, MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview, on behalf of Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour.

The announcement was made today in front of assembled media and golf industry officials at the host club for the Freedom 55 Financial Open, Point Grey Golf & Country Club in Vancouver.

Stuart Macdonald Looks To Begin The Transition To His Professional Career With A Good Week At Q-School - Image Credit PNGA

by Brian Decker/PGATOUR.com

Vancouver, B.C.'s Stuart Macdonald is looking to earn Mackenzie Tour status this week a Q-School. The member of Golf Canada's National Amateur Team plays out of Point Grey Golf and Country Club, host of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, and recently finished his collegiate career at Purdue University.

MacDonald plans on competing as an amateur into this summer, but has eyes on his next steps and professional future this week in California.

The Freedom 55 Financial Open will take place at the prestigious Point Grey Golf & Country Club the week of May 29 – June 4, 2017. They are looking for people that are interested in volunteering time to assist in implementing this great event.

This year’s charity recipient is the Canucks for Kids Fund.

Vancouver, BC's Stuart Macdonald Is Tabbed By Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada Experts As One To Watch This Week At Q-School In California - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

Courtesy Brian Decker/ Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada

The quest to earn Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada status resumes this week at The Country Club at Soboba Springs in San Jacinto, California, where 120 players will look to earn their cards to compete on the Mackenzie Tour this season.

Below are all the details from this week along with storylines to watch for from California:

...Sometimes life just needs to get in they way. Like when Henrik Stenson's young daughter ran out to give her Dad a hug during the Valspar Championship. Perfect.

courtesy Brian Decker/ Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada

The quest to earn Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada status begins this week at Carlton Oaks Country Club in Santee, California, where 120 players will look to earn their cards to compete on the Mackenzie Tour this season.

Among players to keep an eye on are Mission, BC's Kevin Stinson who has 38 Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada starts to his credit and is looking to regain full status. 

Abbotsford, BC's Adam Hadwin Holds The Valspar Championship Trophy Following His First PGA TOUR Win At Innisbrook In Florida - Image Credit Kelly Murray

By Kelly Murray

The road just got a little bit busier for the latest winner on the PGA TOUR. There's a special fraternity of three Canadians that will be playing at the Masters this year.

The latest addition to that fraternity grew up about 1 hour east of Vancouver in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

While Son Adam Was Playing His Way To His 1st PGA TOUR Victory, Mom Brenda (Not Shown) Couldn't Watch, But Dad Gerry (Inset) Was Glued To The TV - Image Credit/Kelly Murray/Twitter

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

His mom couldn’t bear to watch, finally turning on the TV when her son was on the 18th green. His dad didn’t miss a shot.

Both of them could not be more proud of their son, Adam Hadwin, who on Sunday won the Valspar Championship in Florida for his first PGA TOUR win.

Adam Hadwin Holds Valspar Trophy Follwing His First PGA TOUR Victory - Image Credit Kelly Murray

First A PGA TOUR Win And Now A Wedding. And Next Month, The Masters

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Adam Hadwin knew March was going to be a special time in his life. Just not this special.

His March 24th wedding in Scottsdale, Ariz., to fiancee Jessica Kippenberger figured to be the highlight of his year -- and still will be -- but Hadwin will also remember March 12, 2017 as another big day in his life.

His wedding will change his life and so will his first PGA TOUR win Sunday at the Valspar Championship on Florida’s west coast.

BC's Adam Hadwn Is One Round Away From His First PGA TOUR Win As He Goes Into The Final Day At Valspar Championship With A 4-Shot Lead - Image Courtesy Golf Channel 

By Kelly Murray

One of Canada's greatest golfers and considered among the best ball-strikers ever, 8-time PGA TOUR winner George Knudson said to me in 1981 that, "Each golf shot is worth one. Your opening tee shot, your fairway shot on 7, bunker shot on 13, your last putt on 18." That's exactly how Knudson related it to me and it's as fresh in my memory as if he had told me just yesterday.

It became the way I thought. It became the way I played.

On Tuesday of this week heading into the Valspar Championship, Abbotsford, BC's Adam Hadwin shared with me, "Your first tee shot, your fairway shot on 5, your last tee shot or last putt are all worth one," and that he is focusing very hard on that mindset, not trying to place too much importance on any one shot in particular, but rather going through the process to hit the best possible shot that he can at every opportunity.

BC's Adam Hadwin Signs An Autograph For A Fan Following His 2nd Round 7-Under 64 That Gave Him The 36-Hole Lead At The Valspar Championship In Florida - Image Credit Kelly Murray/Inside Golf

by Kelly Murray

For the third time this season Adam Hadwin shot 29 for nine holes. His second round back-nine 29 went with a 35 on the outward 9. The 6-under 29 coming home vaulted him to the top of the leaderboard here at the Valspar Championship where he is walking the fairways looking very composed, his rhythm and tempo extraordinary. He's a very relaxed and calm young man.