ATLANTA – Tiger Woods, in his Sunday red shirt, both arms raised in victory on the 18th green.

For so many years, the scene was familiar.

This time, it was surreal.

“I can’t believe I pulled this off,” Woods said Sunday during the trophy presentation at the Tour Championship, where he gave thousands of delirious fans at East Lake, and millions more around the world, what they wanted to see, and what they thought they might never see again.

And at that moment, Woods was overcome with emotion and paused.

After two back surgeries six weeks apart, he couldn’t lie down, sit or walk without pain. Golf was the least of his concerns, so much that he once said anything else he achieved would be “gravy.”

One year ago, while recovering from a fourth back surgery, he still had no idea if he could come back to the highest level of golf.

“Just to be able to compete and play again this year, that’s a hell of a comeback,” he said.

Woods delivered the perfect ending to his amazing return from back surgeries with a performance out of the past. He left the competition feeling hopeless as he built a five-shot lead early and then hung on for a 1-over 71 and a two-shot victory over Billy Horschel.

It was the 80th victory of his PGA Tour, two short of the career record held by Sam Snead that is now very much in play. And it was his first victory in more than five years, dating to the 2013 Bridgestone Invitational.

And that brought a new version of Tigermania.

After he hit his second shot to the par-5 18th safely in a bunker in front of the green, the crowd came through the ropes and followed behind in a chaotic celebration. It was like that when he walked from the left side of the 18th fairway at the 1997 Masters he won by 12. It was reminiscent of that walk up the 18th fairway later that summer at the Western Open in Chicago.

This was pure pandemonium. Fans chased after any inch of grass they could find to watch the ending.

“I didn’t want to get run over,” Woods said with a laugh.

This felt just as big as a major, maybe better considering where Woods had been.

Several players, from Zach Johnson to Rickie Fowler to Horschel, waited to greet him. It was Johnson who unveiled red shirts at the Ryder Cup two years ago in the team room that said, “Make Tiger Great Again.”

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Congrats to our 2000 #RBCCO champion @tigerwoods on his 80th career #PGATOUR victory at the @playofffinale

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“They knew what I was struggling with,” Woods said. “It was special to see them.”

Woods played only one PGA Tour event over two seasons because of his back. Off the golf course, he had to overcome the embarrassment of a DUI arrest in the early morning of Memorial Day in 2017 when he was found asleep at the wheel, later found to have a concoction of pain medication in his system.

He was becoming a legend on in video highlights.

And then he brought it back to life this year, especially the last four days at East Lake. The players who have turns at No. 1 during his absence caught the full brunt of Woods in control. McIlroy faded early. Justin Rose faded late.

All that was left was the 42-year-old Woods in that red shirt, blazing brighter than ever, and a smile he couldn’t shake walking up the 18th to collect another trophy.

“The 80 mark is a big number,” he said. “It’s a pretty damned good feeling.”

He finished at 11-under 269 and won $1.62 million, along with a $3 million bonus for finishing second in the FedEx Cup.

The only disappointment – a minor one under the circumstances – was realizing as he came down the 18th that Rose had made birdie to finish in a three-way tie for fourth, which gave him the FedEx Cup and the $10 million bonus.

Without that birdie, Woods would have won his third FedEx Cup title after starting at No. 20 going into the Tour Championship.

“Congrats, Rosie,” Woods told him. “World No. 1, hell of a season.”

Actually, former world No. 1 for Rose. His four bogeys over the last 10 holes cost him the No. 1 ranking back to Dustin Johnson, who shot 67 and finished third.

But this wasn’t about the FedEx Cup or even the world ranking.

This is Tiger’s big day, and nothing was going to change it.

Woods had never lost when leading by three shots or more going into the final round. That was when he was regularly winning multiple times every season, compiling trophies at a rate never before seen in golf.

Was anything different having gone more than five years without winning?

Rose had said it was a bit more unknown, and “there’s a lot on it for him” as well as everyone else.

But this was still Woods’ arena. The walk from the putting green snakes some 80 yards across the road and through a gallery, and everyone could hear him coming from the procession of cheering. And within the opening hour, the Tour Championship had that inevitable feeling.

No one brings excitement like Woods, even when he plays so good and so smart that he eliminates any potential for drama.

The buzz was endless. A couple of teenagers climbed into a tree to see him made a 10-foot birdie on the first hole. When the putt dropped and cheers died, there was a wild sprint some 200 yards up the hill as fans tried to get into position for the next shot. He tapped in for par, and another stampede ensued to line the third fairway.

On and on it went. No one wanted to miss a shot.

A year ago, there was no guarantee anyone would see much of Woods, much less Woods winning.

He’s back again. This victory, his first since the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone in August 2013 – 1,876 days, to be exact – brought him to No. 13 in the world. Not bad for a 42-year-old with four back surgeries who returned to competition in December at No. 1,199 in the world.

The next stop for Woods is to board a plane with the rest of his U.S. teammates for France and the Ryder Cup.

After that?

There’s no telling.

CALGARY—The sun wasn’t the only thing heating up Calgary today.

Nearly 40 players took advantage of prime scoring conditions at The Winston Golf Club Monday, posting rounds under par.

John Shin of British Columbia and the PGA of Canada’s No. 1-ranked player Marc-Etienne Bussieres lead the way after matching opening rounds of 7-under-par 65.

Local favourites Craig Gibson, Albert Pistorius and Dustin Risdon, along with former amateur standout Jake McNulty of Ontario and the reigning PGA Championship of Canada winner Pierre-Alexandre Bedard are all one back at 6-under.

“When you have these many good players posting low numbers it’s a sign the course is set up fairly and it’s a test of golf that will reward good play,” Bussieres said after his round about The Winston Golf Club.

The group at 4-under-par includes past PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada winner Billy Walsh, four-time Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada winner Wes Heffernan and Calgary’s own Stefan Cox and Scott Anderson.

Other notables with opening-rounds under par include B.C.’s Kevin Stinson; past PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada winners Brad Kerfoot and Bryn Parry; Sonny Michaud of Quebec; young guns Riley Fleming and Cory Renfrew; and perennial contenders Oliver Tubb and Adam Bruce.

“The field for this championship seems to be getting better and better every year,” Shin said. “Here in Alberta they produce a lot of great players, the guys from Quebec are obviously very strong, Ontario has a bunch of solid players and of course the guys from B.C. are talented. So collectively the field is just so deep, it’s almost like a tour event.”

This year’s field includes seven past PGA of Canada national champions, plus 11 of the top 20-ranked PGA Player Rankings presented by RBC.

The field will be cut to the low 60-players (and ties) after Tuesday’s second round.

There is also a 36-hole Inter-Zone competition compiled of four players on each team representing their respective PGA Zone and is contested over the first two rounds.

The squad from Quebec leads the way at -15, with Alberta and Ontario three back at -12.

First opened to the public as the Regal in 1923, The Winston Golf Club has matured over 90-years to become one of the finest in Calgary. The course has seen many changes in its day including a major re-design completed in 1992 by renowned golf architect Les Furber.

Formerly known as Calgary Elks, the course has played host to the 2007 Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada’s ATB Classic and most recently the 2012 PGA of Alberta Championship

Admittance to the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada is free and spectators are encouraged to attend during championship play.

For the full PGA Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf leaderboard, click here.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – With the upcoming 2018-19 PGA TOUR schedule reflecting previously announced, significant structural changes, PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan today unveiled further innovations that elevate the entire FedExCup season – from the Regular Season through the FedExCup Playoffs and ultimately, at the Playoffs Finale, the TOUR Championship. These changes include a simplified scoring system at the TOUR Championship that will determine the FedExCup Champion and a new $10 million program for the FedExCup Regular Season sponsored by Wyndham Rewards: the “Wyndham Rewards Top 10.”

The FedExCup Playoffs – which have been reduced from four to three events beginning next season and will conclude before Labor Day, allowing the TOUR to compete to own the August sports calendar – will feature fields of 125 for THE NORTHERN TRUST, 70 for the BMW Championship and 30 for the TOUR Championship, where the FedExCup Champion will be determined. While the points structure for the first two events will remain the same (awarding quadruple points compared to FedExCup Regular Season events), there will be a significant change to the format for the TOUR Championship.

Instead of a points reset at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, beginning with the 2018-19 event the TOUR is instituting a strokes-based bonus system related to the FedExCup standings through the BMW Championship. The FedExCup points leader after the first two Playoffs events will begin the TOUR Championship at 10-under par. The next four players will start at 8-under through 5-under, respectively. The next five will begin at 4-under, regressing by one stroke per five players until those ranked Nos. 26-30 start at even par.

With the implementation of this change, the player with the lowest total score will be the FedExCup Champion and be credited with an official victory in the TOUR Championship competition.

“This is a significant and exciting change for the PGA TOUR, our players, our partners and – most importantly – our fans,” said Monahan. “As soon as the TOUR Championship begins, any fan – no matter if they’ve followed the PGA TOUR all season or are just tuning in for the final event – can immediately understand what’s going on and what’s at stake for every single player in the field. And, of course, players will know exactly where they stand at all times while in play, which will ratchet up the drama, consequence and volatility of the competition down the stretch.

“Compared to the current system, the beauty here is in the simplicity. Fans are very familiar with golf leaderboards in relation to par, so they will have a clear understanding of the impact every shot makes during the final run for the FedExCup – ultimately leading to a singular champion without conflicting storylines.”

“It has been gratifying to witness the growth, popularity and importance of the FedExCup since its launch in 2007,” said Davis Love III, a current Player Director on the PGA TOUR Policy Board who also served on the Board during the development and launch of the FedExCup. “Several important refinements have been made along the way to help accelerate the FedExCup’s universal acceptance as a tremendous achievement in professional golf.

However, I believe this new strokes-based bonus system for the TOUR Championship might well be the most important of them all, as it will lend absolute clarity to where everyone in the field stands and what exactly they must do to win the FedExCup. It will make for a very exciting and dramatic four days.”

Meanwhile, the new $10 million Wyndham Rewards Top 10 not only will add drama to the Wyndham Championship as the final event before the FedExCup Playoffs but will also put an even greater premium on excelling over the course of the FedExCup Regular Season. The top-10 Regular Season finishers in FedExCup points through the Wyndham Championship – also sponsored by Wyndham Rewards – will reap the benefits of the Wyndham Rewards Top 10. The leader will earn $2 million, followed by $1.5 million for the runner-up with the 10th-place finisher earning $500,000. Additionally, each player in the top 10 will be invited into Wyndham Rewards at its most exclusive Diamond level, unlocking all the travel perks and unique Wyndham benefits that go along with it.

And while the Wyndham Rewards Top 10 will be recognized at the conclusion of the Wyndham Championship, the impact of the program will be felt throughout the season; a player’s performance every week becomes more critical than ever before, elevating the significance of each tournament on the schedule and producing drama for PGA TOUR fans at every turn.

“We are excited to unveil the Wyndham Rewards Top 10 next year, which will place an even greater premium on excelling over the course of the Regular Season,” said Andy Pazder, Chief Tournament and Competitions Officer for the PGA TOUR. “Season-long success is tantamount to qualifying for and advancing through the FedExCup Playoffs, and this is an exciting way to reward the best of the best and provide an added layer of drama for our fans in each market and around the world.”

In addition to the $10 million Wyndham Rewards Top 10, the existing FedExCup bonus pool will increase by $25 million, to $60 million. The FedExCup Champion will receive $15 million, versus the $10 million prize from previous years.

“Our players and fans have invested in the FedExCup over the past 12 seasons, and with these enhancements, we are reinvesting in the FedExCup in order to raise the stakes, so to speak, for their benefit,” said Monahan. “We are able to grow and diversify our fan base because we have the best athletes on the planet competing on the PGA TOUR. Now is the time to make these changes, and thanks to significant input in the process by our players, partners and fans, I believe we’re making exactly the right moves.

“To that end, these changes wouldn’t have been possible without the full support of the TOUR Championship’s outstanding Proud Partners – Coca-Cola and Southern Company – as well as longtime partner FedEx and an enhanced partnership with Wyndham Rewards,” he added. “They shared our vision for how we can challenge ourselves to raise level of excitement and fan engagement throughout the season up until the moment our FedExCup Champion is determined.”

REGINA – Brooke Henderson ended Canada’s long drought at the CP Women’s Open on Sunday, firing a final-round 7-under-par 65 to win the national championship by four strokes.

Henderson finished with a 21-under 267 total, sealing the win with a short birdie putt on the 18th hole at the Wascana Country Club.

“It’s amazing, just surreal,” Henderson said. “The crowds here have been so amazing all week, and to finish it off the way I did is really a dream come true.”

American Angel Yin was alone in second place after a 68 and American Jennifer Song (67) was six shots behind at 15 under. Australians Minjee Lee (68) and Su Oh (69) were seven strokes off the pace in a fourth-place tie with South Korea’s Amy Yang (68) and American Austin Ernst (69).

It was the first time a Canadian has won this tournament since Jocelyne Bourassa took the 1973 event – then called La Canadienne – at Montreal.

Henderson earned US$337,500 of the $2.25-million purse for her second victory of the season. It was her seventh career LPGA Tour win, moving her one behind Sandra Post’s record for all-time victories by a Canadian.

Henderson, who started the day with a one-shot lead, was aggressive from the start on an overcast, chilly morning in front of a vocal group of adoring supporters.

CHAMPION! ??? @BrookeHendersonGolf becomes the first Canadian to win the #CPWO since 1973.

A post shared by CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) on Aug 26, 2018 at 1:22pm PDT

Displaying a steely focus and no sign of nerves, she found the fairway with her opening drive and cleared a greenside bunker with her second shot, sticking the ball 12 feet from the pin.

Henderson is one of the biggest hitters on the Tour but her short game can be inconsistent at times. The 20-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., set the early tone by sinking the birdie putt for a two-shot lead.

She gave the stroke back on the second hole after her drive found the rough. A line of fairway-hugging trees forced her to chip out on the fairway and Henderson would settle for bogey.

Back-to-back pars followed, allowing Oh to briefly pull even with the Canadian. However, Oh missed a 10-foot par putt on the fifth hole and Henderson drained a 25-footer for birdie to regain the lead.

Canada’s @BrookeHenderson wins the 2018 #CPWO, becoming the first Canadian to win since 1973 https://t.co/rtdHhQ7ueb

— CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) August 26, 2018

After a birdie-bogey run, Henderson showed her form on the par-3, 206-yard eighth hole. With a challenging pin placement, she elevated her tee shot perfectly to clear a greenside ridge and bunker to leave herself an 18-foot putt.

She hit the birdie to move to 16-under for a three-shot cushion on Oh and defending champion Sung Hyun Park of South Korea.

Henderson was playing to win and not to just hang on.

A steady rain started to fall as the last few groups made the turn. Some of the Tour’s biggest names were chasing Henderson but no one could get hot enough on the back nine to get close.

Yin hovered a few shots back but Henderson wouldn’t budge.

“It’s great for golf in Canada, women’s golf, and it’s great for her too,” Yin said. “I mean, people shouting her name left to right since the first hole, like (since) nine in the morning. I bet you she feels pressure.

“But she’s used to it and she handles it pretty well, and she finished the job.”

The Canadian was making almost every shot look easy. The greens softened up a touch and Henderson was going for the pins. Approach shots were usually in tight and the putter was working.

Yin rolled in her third straight birdie on No. 15, and Henderson answered by knocking in her fourth birdie putt in a row to keep her three-shot lead.

She maintained that cushion through the 17th hole, allowing her to fully enjoy the moment on No. 18 as the packed gallery roared during her walk up the fairway.

After a beautiful drive, Henderson’s approach shot from 69 yards out cozied up to the hole. She tapped in the short putt and the celebration was on.

Henderson raised her arms in the air and hugged her sister Brittany, who was on her bag all week. Their ecstatic father, Dave, ran on to the green and doused them in champagne.

Park (71), who finished at 13 under, will retain her No. 1 position in the world rankings. She was tied with three-time CP Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko (69) and several others.

American Mo Martin was another shot back at 12 under after firing a course-record 62.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (71) was at 6 under, two shots ahead of Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay (73).

The 2019 CP Women’s Open will be held at the Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ont.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Dustin Johnson pulled away from the field after a nearly two-hour rain delay to win the RBC Canadian Open for the first time.

Johnson shot a 6-under 66 to finish the only Canadian stop on the PGA TOUR at 23-under par.

The world No. 1 tied for second in the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in 2013 and 2016.

Byeong Hun An (69) and Whee Kim (69) finished as runners up at 20-under in the US$6.2 million event, with Keegan Bradley (64) placing fourth at 19-under.

Mackenzie Hughes (68) of nearby Dundas, Ont., was the low Canadian, tying for eighth at 15 under overall to claim the Rivermead Cup.

A Canadian has not won the national title since Victoria’s Pat Fletcher accomplished the feat in 1954.

Johnson entered the day in a four-way tie for the lead with Kim, Hun An and Kevin Tway but had seven birdies and a bogey to pull away from the group.

A nearby lightning storm delayed play for an hour and 45 minutes and shrunk the massive crowd that usually trails Johnson from hole to hole.

Hamilton Golf and Country Club will host the 2019 RBC Canadian Open. It is also shifting forward in the PGA TOUR’s schedule, moving to early June in the week before the U.S. Open.

OAKVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA – The PGA TOUR announced that Facebook has been added to an already impressive viewing schedule for fans within Canada to watch the RBC Canadian Open July 26-29 at Glenn Abbey Golf Club. Facebook will join Golf Channel, PGA TOUR LIVE, Twitter, Global TV, TSN, RDS (French only) and DAZN to offer a tournament record 235 hours of live coverage available on virtually any device, radio or television in Canada.

“Fans are consuming golf across more platforms than ever,” said Bill Paul, Golf Canada’s Chief Championships Officer. “We’re excited to be taking advantage of new and innovative technologies to help bring the RBC Canadian Open to additional viewers and encapsulate an exciting new, young demographic.”

Facebook will distribute exclusive live coverage of featured groups on Saturday and Sunday morning of the RBC Canadian Open in the U.S. and Canada on a free basis. To access, users can follow the PGA TOUR LIVE Page at www.facebook.com/pgatourlive. The PGA TOUR will uniquely produce this coverage for Facebook’s social video platform, with interactive elements aimed to engage fans.

While PGA TOUR Canadian broadcast partners TSN, RDS, Global TV and Golf Channel will deliver extensive RBC Canadian Open action to television sets across Canada, they will each stream coverage that can be accessed via Golf Channel Live (www.golfchannel.com/livegolf), TSN Go (www.tsn.ca/live), RDS Direct (www.rds.ca/emissions/en-direct) and Global TV (www.globaltv.com/watchlive)

PGA TOUR LIVE, the PGA TOUR’s global, Over-The-Top subscription service is available iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android smartphones and tablets, Windows 10, Xbox, as well as PGATOURLIVE.com. PGA TOUR LIVE Featured Groups coverage of the RBC Canadian Open will begin at 7 a.m. ET on Thursday and Friday and will feature Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson and Canadian star Adam Hadwin. PGA TOUR LIVE Featured Groups coverage is available for $5.99 per month or $39.99 for a year. The PGA TOUR LIVE Featured Groups on Thursday and Friday can also be accessed via the DAZN Over-The-Top sports subscription service at www.DAZN.ca.

Finally, Twitter’s preview window of PGA TOUR LIVE will be available globally to its audience and can be found at www.live.twitter.com/pgatourlive and via @PGATOUR.  The Twitter preview window of PGA TOUR LIVE will begin at 7am ET on both Thursday and Friday, concluding after the Featured Groups finish their second hole.

RBC Canadian Open Coverage Schedule (all times ET):

Thursday, July 26
7-8:30 a.m.                            Preview – Featured Groups             Twitter
7 a.m. – 3 p.m.                       Featured Groups                               PGA TOUR LIVE, TSN and DAZN
3-6 p.m.                                  Featured Holes                                 PGA TOUR LIVE
3-6 p.m.                                  Broadcast                                           TSN, RDS and Golf Channel

Friday, July 27
7-8:30   a.m.                          Preview – Featured Groups             Twitter
7 a.m. – 3 p.m.                       Featured Groups                               PGA TOUR LIVE, TSN and DAZN
3-6 p.m.                                  Featured Holes                                  PGA TOUR LIVE
3-6 p.m.                                  Broadcast                                           TSN, RDS and Golf Channel

Saturday, July 28
8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.              Featured Groups                                   Facebook (U.S. and Canada)
1-6 p.m.                                 Featured Holes                                    Facebook and PGA TOUR LIVE
1-2:45 p.m.                           Broadcast                                               Golf Channel
3-6:00 p.m.                           Broadcast                                              Global TV and RDS

Sunday, July 29
8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.              Featured Groups                                   Facebook (U.S. and Canada)
1-6 p.m.                                 Featured Holes                                     Facebook and PGA TOUR LIVE
1-2:45 p.m.                           Broadcast                                               Golf Channel
3-6:00 p.m.                          Broadcast                                               Global TV and RDS

Fans can also listen to the SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio channel on SiriusXM radios (Sirius channel 208, XM channel 92). For more information, visit www.SiriusXM.com/SiriusXMPGATOURRadio.

Wes Heffernan has won the SVR Alberta Open Championship for the sixth time.

That’s the second most all-time tournament victories only behind the legendary Stan Leonard who won the event nine times between 1937 and 1955.

The 41-year-old veteran closed with a 5-under stretch on the final seven holes to win by three strokes over fellow professionals Riley Fleming and Evan Holmes who finished in a tie for second place at 10-under-par.

“On the back nine we were kind of going back and forth. Every stroke was really important. It was pretty stressful but at the same time really fun. It’s awesome to have three guys in it until the end,” said Heffernan after the round.

Heffernan finished in style with a back-nine score of 31 highlighted by a closing putt made for eagle on the par 5, eighteenth hole to put an exclamation mark on the victory.

When asked about the host venue, River Spirit Golf Club, Heffernan said “the greens were fantastic. If you missed a putt this week it was your fault. Any time you play perfect greens you can shoot numbers like 65.”

The victory comes on the heels of a T6 finish on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada stop in Victoria, BC just over a week ago.

“Next week I have the PGA Championship of Canada in Ontario. I’m looking forward to that and this is a good step towards that. Hopefully I can carry this into next week”, added Heffernan. The PGA Championship of Canada runs June 25-29 at the Credit Valley G&CC.

St. Albert’s AJ Armstrong, a senior at Washington State, claimed low amateur honours and a trip to the 2019 Pacific Coast Amateur Championship.

Wes Heffernan is the 2018 SVR Alberta Open Champion! An eagle on the last sealed the deal on a final round 65 to win by three! Congratulations Wes!

2006 ?
2007 ?
2008 ?
2011 ?
2012 ?
2018 ?

Full results ? https://t.co/Lx1ViOXxwg pic.twitter.com/TxseQ7pjXK

— Alberta Golf (@Alberta_Golf) June 22, 2018

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PGA TOUR Champions event sets fundraising goal at $10 million for 2018, names nine official charitable partners

CALGARY—The Shaw Charity Classic will take aim at raising $10 million for 182 children’s charities in Alberta, thanks to renewed support from its title partner Shaw Communications Inc. and AltaLink for the award-winning tournament’s Birdies for Kids program.

Shaw has announced it will become the new title sponsor of the charitable giving program, donating

$1 million to positively impact 182 charities from across the province.  Additionally, AltaLink extended its commitment as presenting sponsor for three more years. Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink will support more than 500,000 youth in the areas of sports, arts, health, development and counselling.

“We are touched by the work of so many people associated with the Shaw Charity Classic to create a foundation of giving and support for the charities that are working tirelessly to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of children, youth and families across Southern Alberta,” said Brad Shaw, CEO, Shaw Communications. “We have set a high bar for the tournament this year, and we are eager to work with all of our partners to do even more for the organizations that work every day to make the lives of more children and youth better.”

Building on the title partner’s leadership, it was the tournament’s relationship with AltaLink around the creation of the unique Birdies for Kids program in 2015 that has sparked tremendous growth in the Shaw Charity Classic’s fundraising efforts.

“We are incredibly proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Birdies for Kids program since its inception in 2015 and to announce we are enthusiastically signed on for three more years,” said Scott Thon, President and CEO of AltaLink. “Increasing the number of eligible charities will only help make a greater impact for kids across Alberta and we look forward to working with Shaw Communications to grow this program even more.”

Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink gives corporations and individual donors alike the opportunity to give to the partnered children’s charity of their choice. On top of those donations, the charities will receive a match of up to 50 per cent of each contribution through a tiered matching program.

Having raised a total of $22.1 million over the event’s first five years, Birdies for Kids has flourished from impacting 90 charities with $2 million in 2015 to having raised $6.9 million for 159 charities last year after welcoming donations from more than 2,400 Canadians in all corners of the country. Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink hopes to raise $9.6 million by the time the 2018 champion is white-hatted on the 18th green on September 2.

“The tournament’s charitable spirit is rooted in the generous support of these two community leaders: Shaw Communications and AltaLink,” said Clay Riddell, Tournament Chairman, Shaw Charity Classic.

“Never could we have imagined that year-after-year our tournament would shatter records for charitable giving on the PGA TOUR Champions, but this is not possible without a shared passion we have with these incredible partners for watching the greatest names in golf come to Calgary, and a commitment to helping our youth. I know we will continue to have a tremendous impact on the lives of Alberta youth through the continued support of this program.”

The Shaw Charity Classic also announced nine official charitable partners for the sixth edition of the Shaw Charity Classic, including: Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, Calgary Police Foundation, Classroom Champions, Horizon Housing, Junior Achievement Southern Alberta, Kids Cancer Care, KidSport Calgary, and The PREP Program. In addition to participating in the Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink program, each of these nine official partners will receive an additional donation through the tournament.

To mark the occasion, tournament officials paired a representative from each of the nine charities with a community personality for a five-hole team golf competition at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club on Wednesday. The winning team received $1,000 for its charity, representing the first official donation of 2018.

Companies and individuals can begin pledging their donations to Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLinkby visiting www.shawcharityclassic.com for full list of participating charities. All donations qualify for a charitable tax receipt, and 100 per cent of every donation goes directly to the selected participating charity.

Riley Fleming won the event as an amateur in 2013 and backed it up as a professional the following year. He will shoot for his third SVR Alberta Open title tomorrow at River Spirit Golf Club. Hot on his heels and only a shot back of the lead is five-time champion Wes Heffernan who continues his strong play on home soil. 2016 Alberta Mens Amateur champion Evan Holmes is tied for second place with Heffernan and is looking for his first win as a professional.

In the race for low amateur honours is 2014 Alberta Mens Amateur champion Tyler Saunders at five-under-par. He leads by two over St. Albert’s AJ Armstrong. The amateurs are playing for a 2019 Pacific Coast Amateur Championship team position.

The field was cut to the low 60 players and ties after today’s second round. The cut fell at +13 with 64 players left to compete in tomorrow’s final round. Final round tee times can be found here.

Familiar faces at the top of the leaderboard at the 2018 SVR Alberta Open Championship! ??‍♂️??‍♂️??‍♂️@flemergolf leads by a single stroke over @heffgolf & @Ev_Holmes

Fleming going for his 3⃣rd #abopen, Heffernan for his 6⃣th and Holmes for his 1⃣st ? pic.twitter.com/V4VexwD7dE

— Alberta Golf (@Alberta_Golf) June 21, 2018

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