GATINEAU, Que. – Despite a heatwave blanketing the 112^th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club, Blair Bursey remained cool and collected, shooting even-par 70 to remain atop the leaderboard. The Gander, N.L., native is now 18 holes away from becoming his home province’s first winner of this competition.

“I got off to a pretty nice and smooth start,” said Bursey. “I really got into the round with some good putts early. I hit a little bit of a shaky patch – one bad decision and a couple of shots that were just a lack of execution. Aside from that, I handled my nerves well. Even though I had those errors, I’m pleased to still be leading the tournament. But the reality is that I have a one-shot lead and that’s not very much at all. I know that it’s going to take a really solid score from me to keep that wire-to-wire [win] going.”

The 19-year-old strung together three consecutive birdies across holes 4 to 6, but a trio of bogeys over a four-hole stretch from Nos. 11 to 14 have him one stroke ahead of China’s Andy Zhang. A resident of Winter Garden, Fla., Zhang collected four birdies on the day and finished with a 1-under 69.

“Credit to Blair, we had a good run going on the front nine,” reflected the University of Florida Gator. “He’s a really good player and it’s not easy to have to chase him. If I play my game and limit some of my mistakes, I think I’ll have a really good chance.”

Bursey was quick to compliment his playing partners – Zhang and Team Canada National Amateur Squad member Hugo Bernard – when asked about the final round.

“Andy is super impressive. The way that he hit it today, I know he’s going to shoot a really low score tomorrow, so I’m going to have to post something good. Hugo is always good – a really good ball-striker and a good putter. He’s an all-around solid guy, so I know that there is going to be a lot required of me tomorrow to keep this championship within my grasp.”

After leading for a third consecutive round and guiding Team Newfoundland and Labrador to the province’s first Willingdon Cup victory as team champions, the pressure to succeed has certainly grown. Bursey, a Utah Valley University junior, continues to show a steadfast resolve.

“My whole playing career, I’ve played much better when I play without expectations. It’s not me trying not to have them, it just kind of happens. I just showed up and before I knew it, I was 5- or 6-under par at Eagle Creek.

“I always felt like it [depended on] whether or not I was mentally in the right state of mind. I’ve managed to have a really good demeanor this week. I haven’t really reacted to bad shots. On the greens, I’ve remained pretty calm and I’ve felt pretty good about where my head is at and I think that’s helped me out a lot.”

Bernard, a native of Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., carded a 69 and sits T3 alongside Travis Smyth of Shellharbour, Australia and Chris Crisologo of Richmond, B.C.

In addition to claiming the title of 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion, the winner will earn exemptions into the 2016 U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and the 2017 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. The champion will also be eligible to receive an exemption into the U.S. Junior Amateur, the U.S. Mid-Amateur or the U.S. Senior Amateur, if applicable.

Admission to the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship is free during tournament week. Additional details regarding the championship are available here.

The sheer, dizzying scope is what takes some getting used to.

Four years ago, an estimated 3.64 billion viewers tuned in worldwide to watch the Games in London. Beijing, in 2008, delivered a global audience of approximately 3.55 billion. The Olympic Games unfold a vast canvas, unlike any other sporting event.

More than 10,000 athletes from 206 countries, 306 medals in 28 sports have gathered in Rio de Janerio for 17 days when the world stops to watch. And high among the list of curiosities is golf.

Marking a return to the Games for the first time in 112 years. Back then in 1904, the average annual income was between $200-$400 (the average wage? 22 cents an hour), crossword puzzles had yet to be invented, the standard life expectancy hovered at around 47 years and Wilfred Laurier was Prime Minister. So naturally, the wait has only piqued interest in golf’s return to the Olympic.

Yes, there’s a sizeable degree of week-to-week hype surrounding the two pre-eminent North American professional golf tours, particularly come Majors time. But an Olympics ramps scrutiny up an entirely different octave. Allow Canadian ski racer Brady Leman to outline potential pitfalls.

Brady Leman (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh?

“There’s a danger, the first time for anyone at an Olympic Games,’’ cautions the two-time – Vancouver and Sochi – Olympian, “that you can get caught blowing the size of the event out of proportion in your own mind. There are going to be butterflies, because there is this kind of stigma around the Olympics, no matter how big a stage you’ve been on before.”

“I know the golfers and tennis players and basketball players are accustomed to handling a lot of attention. But this a once-every-four-years thing, maybe you only get one chance during a career, so it’s easy for anybody to get caught up in the hype. Then there’s all these extra things you have to deal with. Crazy little stuff, like the clothing, the logos, what you can wear and what you can’t.”

“Athletes are creatures of habit … but in something as big, as all-over-the-map, as an Olympic Games, your best bet is to just go with the flow. As an athlete, you can’t let those extra distractions get in the way of your process. What you really do need is the help of people around you; rely on them to do deal with a lot of those unfamiliar headaches – more media, the logistical challenges of getting from Point A to Point B, managing your time in the most efficient way possible, etc., etc. It’s a different beast to tame, for sure.”

The Games – particularly the Summer version, massive in comparison to its winter sibling – are sprawling, messy, frenetic, disjointed. Security is going to be exhaustive. Traffic, particularly in Rio, an absolute nightmare. By contrast, a PGA or LPGA tournament rolls along as smooth, as true, as a Graham DeLaet ramrod-straight uphill six-footer for birdie. So much will be so foreign for the world’s best ball-strikers, including Canada’s contingent of DeLaet, David Hearn, Alena Sharp and Brooke Henderson.

The athlete village, for starters. No 24-hour room service here. Pretty spartan, by pro standards. But weeks housed in a teeming beehive of activity is what each individual makes of it. For the broad-minded, the curious, it provides an unprecedented opportunity to mingle with melting pot of athletes from all countries and sports, see into a window into other cultures and broaden horizons.

The course itself, a 7,290-yard, par-71, Gil Hanse links-style designed layout located in the affluent Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood out of a patch of sand along a nature reserve, will be another departure from the norm. Rio has poor soil and water, necessitating the installation of turf known as Zeon Zoysia, a durable warm-weather grass that requires less nitrogen, fertilizer, pesticide and water, so the feel of the course will be different than what the pros are used to most weeks, adding to the unfamiliarity and unpredictably quotients.

What golf can pull out of this rare Olympic foray is visibility beyond its target audience.

“Rio,’’ says women’s world No. 1 Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, “is a great way to grow our game. We have a chance to make golf fans of general sports fans. That’s something we all have a part in. Golf is a very individual sport. Obviously there are team competitions like the Solheim Cup, the Ryder Cup. But you’re there not representing yourself but your flag. Your country. I think it will definitely be a different feeling. And I can’t wait. Watching opening and closing ceremonies over the years, you realize how inspirational it all is. Sports come together and it’s like one family.”

“I’m sure there’ll be pressure. But I’ve got to block it out. I need to focus on my game, hit the shot I need to hit and just enjoy everything around the Olympics. The village, other events. It’s not every day you get to go and play in the Olympics for your country. There’s so much I can enjoy out of it than just ‘Hey, you need to bring a medal home.’ I know it sounds corny but it’s not all about medals at the end of the day. It’s about the experience, playing as well as you can and letting the chips fall where they may.”

For the first time in 112 years, golf is back at the Olympic Games. The men tee off for their first round on Aug. 11th, the women on the 17th. The game is the same. Everything else will take some getting used to.

“For the golfers, being first timers,’’ added Leman. “My advice would be: Be adaptable, enjoy the experience and try not to sweat some of the small details.

“Is it just another 18 holes, just another tournament? Yes, and no. You’ve got to treat it that way when you’re competing but, well, it is the Olympics. Bottom line is that you’re among the best in the world at what you do. That’s why you’re there. Whoever you are, whatever your sport may be. Trust in that.”

Former NHL player Ray Whitney first became friends with Graham DeLaet when the Canadian golfer joined the Whisper Rock Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

It wasn’t long before they were playfully arguing about how many strokes the PGA Tour player should gift Whitney when they played together.

“He always bitches and I bitch if he doesn’t give me enough,” Whitney said with a laugh. “So it’s a pretty competitive little group when we get going. It’s a lot of pissing and moaning on the first tee usually.”

Whitney will be a source of support along with a second set of eyes for the Canadian player as golf makes its return to the Olympic program for the first time since 1904.

“Obviously he’s a great athlete and he’s got a lot of experience, has won Stanley Cups and knows what it takes to win,” DeLaet said Tuesday. “I think I can lean on him for little bits of advice here and there even though it’s a different sport.

“He’s maybe the most competitive person that I’ve ever met and I play on the PGA Tour where every person is extremely competitive. He’s got no quit in him, that’s for sure.”

Ray Whitney (Getty Images)

Whitney, a 44-year-old native of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., played 1,330 career NHL games before retiring after the 2013-14 season. And for the record, DeLaet usually gives him a few strokes per round when they play.

“He’s scared me a couple times that he [might] beat me straight up but he never has,” DeLaet said. “He tied me once and thank God [he didn’t win] because I’d never hear the end of it. He’s a good player.

DeLaet said regular caddie Julien Trudeau declined to come to Rio due to concerns about the Zika virus. He’s confident that Whitney will do a great job over the four-round pinch-hit assignment.

“If I’m second-guessing a little bit, I’ll bring him in,” DeLaet said. “He’s a plus handicap so he knows how to read greens and stuff too.”

DeLaet, from Weyburn, Sask., and David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., will open play Thursday at the Olympic Golf Course. Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., and Alena Sharp of Hamilton will be in the field for the Aug. 17-20 women’s event.

DeLaet, who played nine practice holes at the Olympic Golf Course on Tuesday, said the fairways were playing soft but the layout could become difficult in the wind. It’s a wide course with plenty of slope and steep bunkers.

The 34-year-old Canadian took over a month off earlier this season to deal with some anxiety issues — so-called ‘yips’ while chipping around the green, to be specific — before returning in early July.

He picked up a top-10 finish last month at the Barbasol Championship before missing the cut at the recent RBC Canadian Open. Overall he’s feeling good about his game.

“It’s actually getting much better,” he said. “The nice thing out here is if I feel any nerves or anything, you can pretty much putt from anywhere. So that’s almost like a safety blanket type of thing. You’re going to see guys putting from 20 feet, 30 feet off the green who can chip really well.

Whitney said he’ll be fired up when DeLaet makes birdies and will try to give him a lift if he gets frustrated.

“It’s no different than when I played with Eric Staal in Carolina and he was going through a little slump,” he said. “I was like, ‘C’mon Big E. Let’s get ‘er going. One tap-in makes it all go away.’ It’s that kind of thing.

“Athletes don’t need more crap piled on them when there is enough there that they put on themselves.”

GATINEAU, Que. – The trio representing Newfoundland and Labrador made history in capturing the Willingdon Cup at the 112^th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Que., and Eagle Creek Golf Club in Dunrobin, Ont. Blair Bursey maintained his standing atop the individual leaderboard and led his home province to its first national team title at any level.

“I’m really proud to be from where I’m from and to always represent my province,” said the Gander, N.L., product. “Being a little different and growing up in Newfoundland and trying to play college golf and high-level amateur golf out of Newfoundland has been difficult at times with the weather and the season, but the people back there are so good and so supportive.

“This will be a big deal back there. To win the Willingdon Cup and to do something that hasn’t been done before for Newfoundland is awesome and quite a pleasure for not only myself, but also Chuck, Nathan, our other teammates and everyone who has helped get us here.”

Nathan Peters of St. John’s, N.L., echoed his teammate’s sentiments when reflecting on the victory.

“It’s definitely something really cool. Growing up playing golf in Newfoundland, you only ever really expect to just play in nationals and winning anything is very far-fetched. The golf courses were extremely beautiful and winning the Willingdon Cup is pretty incredible.”

Alongside fellow St. John’s native Chuck Conley – who was forced to withdraw prior to the second round due to injury – the trio finished the competition a combined 3-under 281 to earn the province’s first Willingdon Cup in the team competition’s 89-year history. The victory also gives the Atlantic province its first team title at any amateur level on either the men’s or women’s sides. Bursey was quick to credit his teammates when asked about the historic feat.

“I know Nathan quite well, he’s a super talented kid. I don’t think he knows how talented he is. Chuck is as awesome as ever – a real nice guy and always fun to play with. So they’re really good guys and I’m really happy for them.”

“Hanging out with guys from home is always good,” the Utah Valley University Wolverine added. “I don’t get to be home very often with school and all that kind of stuff, so to be around people that give me that home-sort-of-feeling is always good. I love playing golf with them and it’s always a great time being around them.”

Team Ontario finished two strokes back of the champions, while Teams Alberta and Quebec claimed third at even-par 284.

Bursey continues to lead the individual competition following a 1-under 69 to reach 9-under in the competition. The 19-year-old collected three birdies on the day, including two back-to-back on Nos. 6 and 7. Despite already leading Newfoundland and Labrador to unprecedented success at this championship, he remains confident and focused on the task at hand.

“I’ve been a winner at other levels. Junior golf and college…amateur golf is the next step. I feel like I’m in a good place in my development where my game is starting to be at a place where it’s ready to win some bigger tournaments.

“That’s not to say I’m going to go ahead and win this week, but it’s all a learning experience. I’ve never made the cut at this tournament before, so it’s a new experience at a top-level amateur tournament. I’m not afraid of it at all. That’s why I practice and this is why I play the game. I love the feeling of being near the top and certainly being at the top. I’m definitely looking forward to the next couple of days.”

China’s Andy Zhang, a resident of Winter Garden, Fla., shot 2-under and trails the leader by two strokes. Team Canada National Amateur Squad member Hugo Bernard from Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., collected seven birdies, including four across a bogey-free back nine, en route to the day’s low round – a 6-under 64 showing. Bernard, who finished tied for runner-up honours in the 2015 edition of this championship, moved into a share of third at 5-under alongside Chris Crisologo of Richmond, B.C.

Three players sit T5 fifth at 3-under – National Team member Stuart MacDonald of Vancouver, Travis Smyth of Shellharbour, Australia, who is No. 62 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking and Elmira, Ont., native Garrett Rank who claimed a share of second last year.

A total of 77 players who finished 5-over 147-or-better have advanced to the final two rounds of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship to be contested at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club.

In addition to claiming the title of 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion, the winner will earn exemptions into the 2016 U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and the 2017 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. The champion will also be eligible to receive an exemption into the U.S. Junior Amateur, the U.S. Mid-Amateur or the U.S. Senior Amateur, if applicable.

Admission to the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship is free during tournament week. Additional details regarding the championship are available here.

The gentle rhythm of Smiths Falls, Ont., and its 9,000 inhabitants seem a world and more away from the stark juxtaposition of splendour and squalor that defines Rio de Janeiro.

From its teeming population of 6.5 million to the lush beaches of Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana. From ocean-side caipirinhas and coconut waters to the soft sounds of bossa nova and the incessant beat of samba.

From the favelas rising like dollhouse-sized shantytowns stretching upwards in the distance. And looming above it all, often lost in the clouds, the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, perched atop the mountain of Corcovado, looking benevolently down on this diverse flock, arms outstretched in all-encompassing inclusion.

“Rio,’’ says Brooke Henderson, at 18, despite the fame and accomplishment that has arrived at her doorstep, still very much the teenager from Smiths Falls, “is going to be … amazing. Being an Olympian is going to be … amazing.”

“It’s always been a dream, since I was a little girl. I didn’t know how or what sport or how I was going to do it. But I loved watching the athletes. I loved the desire, the determination, the focus that they had in their eyes.”

“I wanted to be an Olympian. Watching the Vancouver Winter Games in 2010 on TV and the way the whole country came together showed me the power and the amazement of the Olympic Games. To be a part of that will be really cool.”

In an Olympics beset by controversy and withdrawals (particularly in the re-instated sport of golf) during the lead-up, the four-player Canadian golf contingent heading to Brazil has made a pledge: They’re all in.

While Alena Sharp, Graham DeLaet and David Hearn were being officially announced at Glen Abbey Golf Club outside of Toronto, the women’s phenom was out west in Calgary, with the express purpose of checking out Priddis Greens, site of the 2016 CP Women’s Open.

Henderson is making a beeline for Calgary immediately following the Rio experience, and won’t have any time for a tour of the Priddis layout.

Out at Golf Canada Calgary Centre for a junior golf clinic on the day of the Olympic golf team celebration, Henderson’s welcome to Rio was heralded by an honour guard of young Brooke-wannabes brandishing golf clubs in lieu of swords. A television hook-up made her part of the broadcast festivities.

“There’s a lot of stuff going down in Rio right now,’’ she conceded, following a short clinic for the kids and onlookers. “Politics is kind of sketchy and the Zika virus and health concerns. But we’re just trying to make the best decision we can and take everything into consideration.”

“Everybody has their own opinions and their own reasons why they’re not playing in the Games. At the end of the day, you have to respect their opinions because health and safety is more important than just a round of golf. We’re only there for about a week. Hopefully we get in, get out and bring home that gold medal.”

When she tees it up at the brand-new Campo Olímpico de Golfe, Aug. 17-20, Canada’s newest, freshest sports personality will be among every oddsmaker’s medal picks.

That lofty status was assured after Henderson outduelled top-ranked Lydia Ko on the first hole of a playoff to snare the KMPG Women’s PGA Open at Sahalee Country Club near Seattle in mid-June, becoming the youngest-ever winner of a major championship.

On Henderson’s bag in Rio will be older sister Brittany, a pretty fair striker of the ball herself. Brittany admitted the news flashes emanating from Brazil had been initially unsettling.

“It’s been hard to see where the situation really is. You don’t know which outlets you can trust the most, so it’s hard to get truthful information. But I think we feel comfortable enough, and the Olympic Committee is doing everything it can.”

“With it being their winter down there, I think it’s going to be a little bit safer. We’ll probably wear long pants, long sleeves, for more protection. Things like that. Golf is probably more at risk than other sports because we’re going to be outside for eight hours a day. Hopefully the wind comes up. Normally we never wish for winds, but in this case …”

Routine is something taken for granted on a pro golf tour. The Olympics, however, will be an altogether different beast. There’ll be obstacles, both anticipated and unforeseen. The traffic in Rio, for instance, is going to be insane, so just getting to the course

“We’re actually going down for a training camp with Golf Canada; meet in Houston for a couple days before we fly to Rio. I think that’s going to be really important. Just figure things out.”

For the young star, having family so close at hand under an entirely alien sort of competition, under such a different spotlight, is more than welcome. It’s necessary.

Brittany and Brooke Henderson (Golf Canada/ Bernard Brault)

“It’s huge for both of us to become Olympians and to share not only in the Olympic dream together but the dream of playing on the LPGA Tour together,’’ Brooke acknowledged.

“We’re such a team out there. I couldn’t have had the nine straight Top-10 finishes this season, wouldn’t have the two wins, without her on my bag.

She works so hard for me.”

One hundred and 12 years ago, Canadian George S. Lyon won the last Olympic gold medal in golf. In a lovely bit of symmetry, he was born and lived in Richmond, Ont., 522 kilometres, or a five-hour drive, from Brooke Henderson’s hometown.

Next week, a world away from the gentle rhythm of Smiths Falls, in the jumble of splendour and squalor that symbolize Rio, and under the watchful eye of the Christo on Corcovado, Brooke Henderson goes in search of a different sort of legacy.

“Alena and I have become extremely good friends. I’m super happy that it’s her and I representing the women’s die of the team. I think we make an awesome team. Her whole game has improved. I think we have a really good chance of both of us standing on the podium, hopefully one silver and one gold. The men’s side as well, I think we have a solid team. It’s kind of surreal in a way. This is kind of like a sixth major on the LPGA tour and I already have one under my belt, so …”

And, well, she’s always been a bit of a sucker for O Canada.

“Even listening to the anthem at school used to get to me,’’ Henderson laughed. “Before I went to play at the World Amateur Championships (in Japan, two years ago), that’s what I wanted to hear. “I didn’t get that chance then. But now I’ve got another one.”

“You can’t get ahead of yourself, you have to focus on the now, but you also have to be visualize being up there, on that podium, on the top step. In your mind, you have to hear that anthem.’’

She stops, maybe humming a few bars in her head, and smiles the smile of a prodigious 18-year-old with only one aim in mind.

“And, as you know, we’ve got a great anthem.”

GATINEAU, Que. – Blair Bursey conquered hot and windy conditions to claim the early lead in the 112^th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. The Gander, N.L., native managed the feat at Eagle Creek Golf Club in Dunrobin, Ont., and holds a three-stroke advantage heading into his second round to be played at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Que.

“It was a good round, but I started off a little shaky,” reflected Bursey. “Once I felt my way into it, things just came fairly easily. Not often does a round like that come around, so it was pretty special. To finish with an eagle was a great way to go out. I hit two of my best shots of the day on that last hole. It was a good way to start the tournament, but that’s all it is right now: a solid start. With three more days to go, hopefully there’s more solid golf coming up.”

The 19-year-old notched a pair of birdies for a 2-under front nine performance. He went on to tally four more birdies on the day before adding an eagle on the par-5 No. 18 for a bogey-free, 8-under 64 showing.

Bursey now heads to The Royal Ottawa Golf Club for his second round – a course which boasts two of the biggest moments in Canadian golf in its storied legacy. The roots of Golf Canada – the sport’s national governing body – were firmly planted at this historic venue in 1895 before it played host to the inaugural Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship later that year.

“I had one practice round there and I absolutely loved the golf course,” said the Utah Valley University junior when asked about the shift to the second co-host. “It’s traditional and I just love it. It’s an honour to be here. I think Golf Canada having the Men’s Amateur here is such a pleasure for all the players. I’m definitely excited to head over there tomorrow.”

Of the 16 players currently within the Top-10, 15 played their opening rounds at Eagle Creek alongside Bursey. Despite the challenge ahead, he remains confident and focused.

“I was just trying to hit good quality golf shots. I wasn’t expecting to shoot a low-60s round, I wasn’t setting a number. I was just going about my business and it just happened to fall in today. I don’t expect it to be like that every day, but if I can put the ball in the right position, keep a good outlook and continue to execute, good things will come my way. My best stuff today showed through, if I can just continue to do the best I can, that’ll be good enough by the end of the week.”

Holding shares of second are Winnipeg’s Marco Trstenjak, Napanee, Ont., native Josh Whalen and Andy Zhang from China, who resides in Winter Garden, Fla. The trio sit three strokes off the lead and will join Bursey at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club.

Team Newfoundland and Labrador finished with a team total of 4-under 140 to open the two-day inter-provincial team competition for the prestigious Willingdon Cup. The team of Bursey and St. John’s, N.L. natives Chuck Conley and Nathan Peters will look to dethrone Team British Columbia to secure its first team title. Teams Alberta and Ontario trail the Maritime province by two strokes.

Competitors will complete their second rounds having played both host clubs. The field will be reduced to the low-70 and ties for the two final rounds to be contested at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club.

In addition to capturing the 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, the winner will earn exemptions into the 2016 U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and the 2017 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. The champion will also be eligible to receive an exemption into the U.S. Junior Amateur, the U.S. Mid-Amateur or the U.S. Senior Amateur, if applicable.

Admission to the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship is free during tournament week. Additional details regarding the championship are available here.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – The International Golf Federation has announced the draw for the first and second rounds of the Men’s Golf Competition at Rio 2016.

At 7:30 am local time on Thursday August 11th, history will be made when Brazilian Adilson da Silva hits the opening tee shot and golf’s return to the Olympic Games.

Two further Olympic connections are celebrated in the first grouping. Canada’s Graham DeLaet, whose countryman George S. Lyon won the Olympic gold medal in 1904 -the last time golf was part of the Olympic programme- will tee off second.  And, Byeong Hun An, the son of two Olympic table tennis medalists at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, will complete the group.

Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington from Ireland and Italy’s Matteo Manassero, both of whom formed part of the International Golf Federation’s delegation that presented golf’s case for inclusion in the Games at the 2009 IOC Session in Copenhagen, will play together in the second grouping.  The Irishman and Italian will be joined by New Zealand’s Danny Lee.

Other notable pairings include 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett from Great Britain who will play with American Matt Kuchar and China’s Haotong Li.

Two-time Masters winner, Bubba Watson, will be in the same group as former US Open champion Martin Kaymer from Germany and India’s Anirban Lahiri.

Siddikur Rahman, who carried Bangladesh’s flag during the Opening Ceremony, will be in a group with the Netherlands’ Joost Luiten and Ricardo Melo Gouveia from Portugal.

World No. 7  Rickie Fowler from the USA, former US Open champion Justin Rose from Great Britain, and last month’s winner of the RBC Canadian Open, Jhonattan Vegas, will make up another premier grouping.

And, The Open champion and world No. 5 Henrik Stenson will play alongside Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Rafa Cabrera Bello in Thursday’s final group.

David Hearn, the other Canadian in the field, will play with Finland’s Mikko Ilonen and South African Jaco van Zyl.

A full listing of the draw, which includes Thursday and Friday tee times, can be found here.

SHUBENACADIE, N.S. – Gusting winds tempered blistering heat at the Links at Penn Hills as Victoria native Naomi Ko shot a final-round 72 to capture the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship title.

The 18-year-old entered the final round of play in a tie for first at 5-under with Mary Parsons of Delta, B.C. – only one stroke ahead of Mississauga, Ont., native Chloe Currie. Back-to-back birdies on holes 2 and 3 followed by a third on No.5 pushed the Team Canada National Squad member into an early 8-under lead.

“I got off to a really good start on the front nine,” said Ko. “The wind wasn’t really in effect but as I got to the back nine it really started picking up. I really had to adjust and learn from yesterday’s mistakes. I was striking the ball well and I think that was one of the key things today. Putting on the back nine not so good but it got the job done.”

The North Carolina State University sophomore collected three bogeys through the final stretch en route to a 5-under 283 tournament total. Ko has come close to taking the national title in previous years, but fell short in 2014 with a fourth-place finish at Thornhill Golf & Country Club in Thornhill, Ont. She was awarded second-runner-up honours in 2015 when the event was hosted by Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask. This victory comes as a relief to Ko who was competing in her last Junior event before she becomes ineligible on the 18-and-under junior circuit.

“Knowing that it was my last Canadian junior I really wanted to win it. I tried to keep myself grounded and play it one shot at a time. I was walking up the last couple of holes and I kind of felt sick. I felt a little bit nauseous and took a deep breath and took advantage on the 18th. I had a good approach shot and knew I just had to get it in or two put, so it was a little less pressure.”

In addition to her 2016 Canadian Junior Girls title, Ko has received an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship hosted at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., from July 25 to 28.

An impressive 73-71-68 week helped Currie slide into second place ahead of Parsons following a final round 75. The 16-year-old Development Squad member fell into a 5-over hole after carding three bogeys and double bogey through Nos. 5 to 12. Back-to-back birdies on holes 15 and 16 kept Currie in line for runner-up honours. Her 1-under 287 performance also solidified her victory in the 16-and-under Juvenile division.

Alisha Lau of Richmond, B.C., stayed even through the day to earn her place in second on the Juvenile leaderboard with a 2-over 290 final showing.

Parsons recorded six bogeys through her final round to capture third in the overall Junior standings at even-par.

The 17-year-old found victory earlier in the week after capturing the inter-provincial team competition title for British Columbia alongside Development Squad members Tiffany Kong (Vancouver) and Hannah Lee (Surrey). The trio finished the 36-hole competition with a 2-over 290 showing.

Additional information regarding the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship can be found here.

SHUBENACADIE, N.S. – Intermittent rain dotted the day at the Links at Penn Hills as the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship completed its third round. Mary Parsons crafted a 2-under 70 showing to join Naomi Ko atop the leaderboard.

Parsons started slow, recording a double-bogey on the 6th hole and a bogey on No. 8. A third on the par-4 10th hole moved the Delta, B.C., native to 2-over with eight holes remaining.

“I felt that I did get off to a little shaky start on the front nine,” said Parsons. “Definitely when the weather started clearing up, I felt like I could play to my advantage, and on the back nine, I started sinking more putts and swinging easier.”

The 2016 CN Future Links Pacific champion rebounded with a birdie on the par-4 12th hole, before stringing another three together on holes 14 to 16 to sit alongside second-round leader Naomi Ko at 5-under 211. The 17-year-old is hoping to improve upon a T14 result from the 2015 national championship at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask., but knows victory will not come easily in such a skilled field.

“Naomi played steady the whole day, and Chloe [Currie] played great, too. I think tomorrow, I’m just going to keep playing to my advantage, playing steady like I always do and hitting more greens.”

Ko, a member of Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad, collected two birdies on the day, but finished with a 73.

“My ball striking wasn’t as great as yesterday, but with golf every day, it’s different, so I tried to hang in there,” said the native of Victoria. “I think it’s actually kind of nice to share the lead going into the last round. It gives me something to fight for tomorrow. It’ll be a good competition.”

Development Squad member Chloe Currie carded four birdies across a bogey-free round to take hold of third in the overall competition. The Mississauga, Ont., native’s round of 68 extended her advantage atop the 16-and-under Juvenile division. She sits four strokes ahead of Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., resident Céleste Dao.

Dao finished with a seven-birdie, 5-under performance for the day’s low round. The 15-year-old moved into second-place in the Juvenile division and took hold of fourth in the Junior standings.

The British Columbian trio consisting of Parsons and Development Squad members Tiffany Kong of Vancouver and Hannah Lee from Surrey finished 2-over 290 to claim victory in the inter-provincial team competition which was played over the first 36 holes.

The 2016 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship hosted at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., from July 25 to 28.

The final round of competition will see the first group tee off from No. 1 at 7:30 a.m. ADT.

Additional information from the tournament can be found here.

GATINEAU, Que. – History abounds at the 112^th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. A number of significant milestones surround this year’s edition of the world’s third oldest amateur golf competition to be co-hosted by The Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, Que., and Eagle Creek Golf Club in Dunrobin, Ont., from August 8-11.

The championship returns to The Royal Ottawa Golf Club – the inaugural tournament’s host venue – in celebration of the club’s 125^th year. Eagle Creek will co-host this historic competition as part of its festivities surrounding its 25^th anniversary. The 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship will also mark the first time the event has been staged in two provinces.

“This year’s Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship is going to be special,” noted Tournament Director Adam Helmer. “The beginnings of Canadian golf have their roots at The Royal Ottawa – both this prestigious tournament and Golf Canada itself. Every year, this competition offers players the opportunity to add their names to the story of golf in Canada.”

In 2015, Billy Kennerly shot a final-round 2-under 70 to claim a six-stroke victory at Weston Golf & Country Club. The Alpharetta, Ga., native added the victory to an already impressive amateur career before turning professional earlier this year.

A full field of competitors from seven countries will compete for the Earl Grey Trophy and the title of Canadian Men’s Amateur champion, including Travis Smyth of Shellharbour, Australia. The 21-year-old, who is No. 62 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, claimed a runner-up result at the 2016 Australian Amateur Championship and a T4 at the 2016 Players Amateur. Also in the field is No. 76 Kristoffer Ventura of Rygge, Norway, who is coming off a 5^th-place finish at the 2016 European Men’s Team Championship.

Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., native Hugo Bernard and Elmira, Ont., product Garrett Rank earned shares of second last year and translated that result into success in 2016. Bernard was named to Team Canada’s National Amateur Squad, then claimed medallist honours at the 2016 NCAA Division II Championship before capturing this year’s Alexander of Tunis. Rank went on to defend his Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur title before competing in the 2016 RBC Canadian Open and then securing medallist honours to earn entry into this year’s U.S. Amateur.

Joining Bernard will be teammate Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C., who is hoping to build upon a season which has included a T9 at the RBC Canadian Open to earn the Gary Cowan Medal as low amateur and a T4 at the Porter Cup. Eric Banks of Truro, N.S., Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald and Blair Hamilton from Burlington, Ont., will complete the Amateur Squad contingent.

The five members of the National Team Development Squad will also be in contention. Tony Gil of Vaughan, Ont., captured the CN Future Links Pacific title in his final year of eligibility on the junior circuit. He will be joined by teammates Thomas ‘Jack’ Simpson of Aurora, Ont., Québec City’s Charles-Éric Bélanger, A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., and Calgarian Alexander Smith.

An inter-provincial team championship will be played in conjunction with the first 36 holes of the competition with three-member teams vying for the Willingdon Cup. Team British Columbia comprised of National Team members Macdonald and du Toit, alongside Kevin Kwon of Maple Ridge, B.C., claimed a three-stroke victory in 2015.

The Canadian Men’s Amateur Qualifier will be played at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club on August 5. A minimum of five spots into the tournament will be awarded. Additional information can be found here.

Two days of practice rounds are slated for August 6 and 7 before competitors take to both courses on August 8 and 9 for the championship’s opening 36 holes. The field will be reduced to the low 70 and ties for the two final rounds to be contested at The Royal Ottawa.

In addition to claiming the title of 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion, the winner will earn exemptions into the 2016 U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and the 2017 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. The champion will also be eligible to receive an exemption into the U.S. Junior Amateur, the U.S. Mid-Amateur or the U.S. Senior Amateur, if applicable.

Admission to the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship is free during tournament week. Additional details regarding the championship are available here.