Kelowna's Samantha Richdale Is One Of Three British Columbians To Receive An Exemption Into The CP Canadian Women's Open Next Week - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

via press release

Coquitlam, B.C. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada and Canadian Pacific (CP) are pleased to announce the names of 14 players who have received exemptions into the 2015 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, August 17 – 23, 2015 at The Vancouver Golf Club.

Headlining the list of exemptions is previously confirmed 17-year old Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ontario who earned her exemption by way of winning the 2015 PGA of Canada Women’s Championship, the third event on the 2015 Canadian Women’s Tour.

by Alfie Lau

Kelowna’s Megan Osland’s golf future continues to burn bright after she finished T12 at the Stage 1 LPGA Qualifying School in Rancho Mirage, CA from Aug. 3-9.

Osland, who just completed her senior year at San Jose State University, shot rounds of 73-72-69-72 to finish at (-2) 286 and handily advances to Stage 2 LPGA Q School, which will be held Oct. 19-25 at the Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, FL.

Pagoda Ridge Features Unique Asian-Influenced Pieces Of Architecture Including The Great Wall Of Langley, Which Greets You On The Right Side Of The 14Th Hole - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

If you didn’t know the event was the Vancouver Golf Tour’s Vancouver Open at Pagoda Ridge and Ledgeview, you might have thought it was the second Vancouver stop on PGA Tour Canada.

Dotting the leaderboard is PC Financial Open runner-up Riley Wheeldon, PGA Tour Canada winner of the Syncrude Boreal Open in Fort McMurray, Kevin Spooner, and PGA Tour Canada regulars Ryan Williams, Adam Cornelson, Brad Clapp, Kevin Stinson, Thomas Hay and Seann Harlingten.

The CP Canadian Women’s open is taking place at the Vancouver Golf Club this August 20 to 23 and there is a need for Volunteer Course Marshals.

We are inviting groups to participate in marshalling a portion or an entire hole during the tournament.

The Canadian Women’s Open Championship is one of the ultimate tournaments for the members of the LPGA Tour as it always draws the top 100 players in the world. Volunteers will have an opportunity to get close up to the world’s best women golfers.

Brooke Henderson Continues To Prove That She Made The Right Choice In Turning Pro 

via press release

(Scotland) July 1, 2015 - The 2015 Ricoh Women’s British Open field is set to be strongest and most international Major of the year as entries have now closed for this year’s Championship at Trump Turnberry Resort, Scotland, July 30 to August 2.

Seventeen year old Canadian Brooke Henderson, who turned professional at the end of 2014 and, with only limited playing rights, has had an impressive professional debut year and stormed up the rankings, currently sitting at No.46 on the Rolex Rankings. All this has led to the Championship Committee awarding her a special exemption into the 2015 Championship.

West Vancouver's Kevin Spooner (R) Accepts The Trophy From Syncrude Canada CEO Mark Ward   After Winning The Syncrude Boreal Open In Fort McMurray - Image C/O Bob Nyen/Mackenzie Tour Canada

by Alfie Lau

West Vancouver’s Kevin Spooner became the second Canadian to win on the Mackenzie Tour PGA Tour Canada when he outlasted American Talor Gooch and fellow Canadian Ben Silverman to win the Syncrude Boreal Open in Fort McMurray on Sunday.

by Alfie Lau

It was just before noon and the World’s No. 1 golfer, Rory McIlroy, hit the driving range for his final warm-up before the Father’s Day round of the U.S. Open.

McIlroy was sitting at (+4) for the tournament and he needed a big day to at least force the contenders 8 shots ahead of him to think about him if he were to post a low number.

McIlroy had a great practice session, shooting a final round 66 that could have been much better if he had scored on any of the four final holes. But it was his practice session that had IG editor Bryan Outram and myself intrigued.

Okay, So Maybe It's Not Really Like Winning A Lottery, But To A Diehard Golf Fan It Comes Pretty Close

by Alfie Lau (with files from Bryan Outram)

It's Not Quite The Same As Winning A Lottery - But To A Golf Fan It's Pretty Close When They Draw Your Name To Play A U.S. Open Championship Venue The Day After It Finishes - Google Images

Usually, 11:30 a.m. at a U.S. Open Media Centre is a busy time because it’s the beginning of lunch. But Sunday’s lunch surprise had nothing to do with food and everything to do with Monday’s breakfast and lunch plans.

“You have been chosen to play Monday golf at Chambers Bay,” is the opening line of the email sent to both Bryan Outram and myself by the USGA.
Because of the 18-hole playoff to determine a winner of the U.S. Open, the USGA keeps possession of the golf course for Monday and sends out these great notes to fill a tee sheet, but there’s one condition.

Brad Fritsch And Caddy Jeff Scott Walk To The 15th Green At Chambers Bay In The 2015 U.S. Open At Chambers Bay - Image Credit Bryan Outram

by Alfie Lau

Canada’s only hope at the 2015 US Open, Edmonton’s Brad Fritsch, had a passable weekend effort, shooting back-to-back rounds of (+2) 72 to finish the tournament at (+8).

Jordan Spieth Casually Hangs Onto His Newest Piece Of Hardware The U.S. Open Trophy After Winning The 2015 Championship At Chambers Bay - Image Credit Bryan Outram

by Alfie Lau

Jordan Spieth is now halfway to the Grand Slam.

by Bryan Outram

If there has been a major championship in recent history that’s taken as much heat for the condition of its greens, this writer certainly can’t remember it.

It’s not uncommon practice for the USGA to have its championship layouts become progressively harder and faster as a tournament goes along, but it appears in this case they’ve taken the firming of the greens to a new, and not very popular, level.

Will Sunday Be A Walk In The Park En Route To A U.S. Open Title For Jordan Spieth? - Image Credit Bryan Outram

by Alfie Lau

Not even an hour into Jordan Spieth’s third round on Saturday at Chambers Bay, the 21-year-old had dropped two bombs for birdies at the second and third holes and sat at (-7) for the tournament and two clear of his closest challenger.

But then Spieth went on a horrendous bogey binge, with mistakes at five of his next eight holes and suddenly, the Texas Grand Slam was now seriously in jeopardy.

Spieth would make one more birdie, at the par-3 15th, but may lament all the short putts he missed on the way in to his (+1) round of 71 that has him in a four-way tie for the lead heading into Sunday’s final round of the U.S. Open.

The View Of Chambers Bay Golf Course And The Puget Sound Beyond From The Top Of The Golf Course Looking Southwest - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

It’s the U.S. Open unlike any other. Walking paths going up, down, along and around sand dunes are what spectators have faced all week and it’s so tough that caddies have estimated their walks, inside the ropes, coming in at 8 miles per round.

For us media types, we’re walking a similar amount, but not getting to every part of the golf course. From our media centre, it’s an easy walk to the ninth and 18th greens, and then out to the water, where we can watch the 2nd, 3rd, 16th and 17th holes.

But the northeast quadrant of the course, featuring the 12th green, 13th and 14th holes, 4th, 5th and 7th holes, is only accessible via Gate 2, which is more commonly known as the hole where residents in the University Place neighbourhood enter.

 It's Business As Usual For The Trains That Run Right Alongside The 15th, 16th And 17th Holes At Chambers Bay - Image Credit Bryan Outram

by Bryan Outram

The 2015 Men's U.S. Open is being played in the Pacific Northwest for the first time. 

The host course is the Bobby Jone's designed Chambers Bay just south of Seattle on the shores of Puget Sound. With freight trains rolling by and long fescue grasses waving in the breeze the links-style layout definitely has a British Open feel to it.

With that comes a number of very unique sights, especially for this region. We present to you here a few of our choices for most interesing images from the 2015 U.S. Open. 

by Alfie Lau

On a day when first-round co-leaders Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson fell back to earth, two of golf’s Young Guns seized the second-round lead at the U.S. Open.

Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth now lead at Chambers Bay with a (-5) score of 135. Reed, who started the day one stroke out of the lead, had a roller coaster round of 5 birdies, 6 bogeys and an eagle at the 284-yard par-4 12th for his second-round 69.

Reed made his move with four birdies in his first 11 holes and looked set to be sole leader after a birdie on the 16th hole had him at (-6). But a bogey on the 18th brought Reed back into a tie with Spieth and sets up a marquee final pairing on Saturday.

Brad Fritsch Will Be The Lone Canadian To Tee It Up On The Weekend At Chambers Bay In The 2015 U.S. Open - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

A quick turnaround for Edmonton’s Brad Fritsch cost him some strokes, but didn’t prevent him from making the cut at his second US Open at Chambers Bay.

Fritsch, in the first group out off the 1st tee at 7 a.m., started the day at even par and got it into red numbers with a birdie at the par-5 first hole.

But then a couple of poor swings led to three consecutive bogeys and it was an uphill struggle for the resident of North Carolina who also gets sponsorship from the Ottawa Senators.

Surprisingly, Despite Turning Down Fox TV Sports Request For An Interview, Tiger Woods Did Answer Some Questions For The Rest Of The Media After Shooting Another Round In The 80's - Image Credit Bryan Outram

by Alfie Lau

The epitaph has been written several times this year already.

It came after an 82 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and the subsequent missed cut. It came a week later when after only 11 holes, a WD and a hurried rush to the parking lot, where an impromptu press conference was held only because his car was blocked by camera stands and reporters.

It came two weeks ago when he shot 85 at The Memorial in the third round, a score not even a 14-handicapper would take.

And now, we come here to praise and to bury the great golf career that spawned 14 Major titles for Tiger Woods.

Not Many Thought Tiger Would Face The Meida After His 10-Over Round Of 80 At Chambers Bay But He Did. Briefly. - Image Credit Alfie Lau

by Alfie Lau

There’s an old saying that you can’t win the U.S. Open on the first day, but you certainly can lose it.

That’s definitely the case for the group featuring Rickie Fowler, Tiger Woods and Louis Oosthuizen. The trio combined to shoot (+28), with the South African’s (+7) 77 the best score amongst them, three better than Woods and his 80 and four ahead of Fowler’s 81.

Woods, coming up on the 7th anniversary of winning his last Major, came out to answer five questions from the media. “Not very happy, that's for sure,” said Woods of his round.

by Alfie Lau

When no players withdrew from the U.S. Open field at Chambers Bay on Thursday, dashing the hopes of alternate Mackenzie Hughes of Ontario, the red-and-white Canadian colours were left to be carried high by two other golfers with Ontario links.

The low Canadian was Edmonton’s Brad Fritsch, who now calls North Carolina home.

by Alfie Lau

Never has the U.S. Open come all the way north and west to Washington State, but now that Chambers Bay looks set to host one of the most unforgettable tournaments in recent history, here’s 10 things you might have missed, but we at BC Golf have on our radar.