The final RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier of 2018 will take place Monday, June 18th, at Le Blainvillier in Blainville, Que. 85 golfers will be looking to finish in the top 15% of the field and secure a spot in the  RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier, which takes place Monday, July 23 at Heron Point Golf Links in Ancaster, Ont.

The low qualifier receives a direct exemption into the RBC Canadian Open if 100 players or more compete at a regional qualifier. If less than 100 people register for a regional qualifier  – as is the case for Monday’s event – the top 15% of the field and ties beyond the low qualifier, advance to Final Qualifier.

33 players have already advanced to the final qualifying event through the Regional Qualification process. At the first Regional Qualifier at Ledgeview Golf Club in Abbotsford, B.C., Matt Matheson secured medallist honours to earn a spot in the final Qualifying event.

At the Ontario Regional Qualifier at Blue Springs Golf Club in Acton, Ont., Nyasha Mauchaza posted a 6-under 66 to claim medallist honours to punch his ticket to his first RBC Canadian Open as more than 100 golfers competed at the event.

The qualifying competitions are open to members in good standing with the PGA of Canada or other PGA affiliates, amateur golfers with a current Handicap Factor not exceeding 2.0, who are members of Golf Canada or in good standing with their respective associations, as well as other golf professionals.

During the 2017 Quebec regional qualifier, Mack Duke of Camden, Maine earned medallist honours to advance to the final qualifying event, alongside fourteen additional golfers.

Notables
Griffin Jones
The seventeen-year-old amateur finished one stroke behind the winner at this event last year, the highest of all returning players. Jones recently won the Investors Group Men’s Amateur Qualifier at The Marshes Golf Club.

Thomas Baik of Buenos Aires, Argentina
The 24-year-old made his 2018 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica debut at the Molino Cañuelas Championship, where he won in a sudden death playoff. In 2017, Baik claimed medalist honors at the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Qualifying Tournament played at Club Las Praderas de Lujan in Argentina.

Étienne Papineau
Graduate of the Team Canada Amateur Squad who finished T4 at this event last year. The second year West Virginia University golfer is fresh off a win at the Men’s Provincial Match Play Championship that took place from June 5-7. Papineau was the 2015 Amateur Golfer of the Year in Quebec and was twice named the Junior Golfer of the Year.

Derek Gillespie
The 39-year-old Big Break Prince Edward Island winner is currently playing on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica. He has six career top-10s on the tour, including T9 finishes in 2017 at the Aberto do Brazil tournament and BMW Jamaica Classic. Gillespie advanced to the final qualifier from the 2016 Ontario Qualifier.

Charles-Éric Bélanger
Eighteen-year-old Team Canada Men’s Development Squad alumus who won the 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. Most recently finished T2 at Men’s Provincial Match Play Championship at Royal Bromont Golf Club.

QUICK FACTS
The Regional Qualification process gives players from across Canada and the world a chance to qualify for the RBC Canadian Open, the third-oldest national open golf championship in the world, after the British Open and the U.S. Open.

The low qualifier receives a direct exemption into the RBC Canadian Open if 100 players or more compete at a regional qualifier. If less than 100 people register for a regional qualifier, the top 15% of the field and ties beyond the low qualifier, advance to final Monday qualifying.

In 2013, Jesse Smith became the first Six Nations golfer to participate in the RBC Canadian Open after advancing through the final Qualifier and the Quebec Regional Qualifier. He will look to advance to the final qualifier for the second consecutive year.

ABOUT THE COURSE
Designed by architect Graham Cooke.

Opened on May 18, 1991.

Designated as the Training Center of the Junior Elite of Quebec (CEP) in 2014.

For more information on the tournament, click here.

HAMILTON, Ont. –  Golf Canada and title sponsor RBC today announced that the historic Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Ancaster, Ont., will host the RBC Canadian Open in 2019 and 2023.

The tournament’s return to the Harry Colt designed course in 2019 is timed perfectly – marking the 100-year anniversary since the renowned club originally hosted Canada’s National Open Golf Championship.

“Together with our partners at RBC and the PGA TOUR, we are extremely proud to be bringing the RBC Canadian Open back to the Hamilton Golf and Country Club in both 2019 and 2023,” said Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada.  “There are few courses in the country that can equal Hamilton in terms of excellence and storied history and I am delighted that the club’s membership and the City of Hamilton have joined us to bring the RBC Canadian Open back to Hamilton twice over the next five years.”

Consistently ranked among Canada’s best courses, Hamilton’s parkland setting, which includes winding fairways, multi-elevations and undulating greens, have made the club a favourite of the PGA TOUR pros who’ve played it throughout the years.

“Returning to Hamilton Golf and Country Club in 2019 and 2023 is a great fit for RBC and the RBC Canadian Open,” said Matt McGlynn, Vice President, Brand Marketing for RBC. “Our clients and all Canadian golf fans want to see the world’s best golfers playing the world’s best courses and by having Team RBC challenge the PGA TOUR’s best at Hamilton, we will accomplish just that.”

We’re thrilled to be hosting the 2019 & 2023 #Golf_Canada_Network_Leaderboard_BigBox @HamiltonGolf ??

Read ??https://t.co/t2zk4mggR4#OurOpen pic.twitter.com/yQNh9myrZq

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) June 6, 2018

The Hamilton Golf and Country Club previously hosted five Canadian Opens, with the first taking place in 1919 – a championship featured two of the most legendary names in golf – Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet. J. Douglas Edgar would go on to earn a 16-stroke win – a PGA TOUR record that stands to this day as the largest margin of victory.

Other players to have won the Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club include Tommy Armour (1930), Bob Tway (2003), Team RBC member Jim Furyk (2006) and Scott Piercy (2012).

In addition, Hamilton has hosted many other prestigious events including the (former) Canadian Senior Championship in 1996 as well as several Ontario (1932, 1974 and 1991) and Canadian Amateur Championships (1922, 1927, 1935, 1948, 1977 and 1994).

“We are proud to host the most prestigious championship in Canadian golf and welcome the RBC Canadian Open and the stars of the PGA TOUR to Hamilton Golf and Country Club twice over the next five years,” said Hamilton Golf and Country Club’s President Chris Hamel. “Our members are honoured to have the opportunity to help write additional chapters in the long and storied history of Canadian golf and the RBC Canadian Open in 2019 and 2023 and are especially pleased to celebrate a centennial connection in 2019 between our club and Canada’s National Open.”

The confirmation of the Hamilton Golf and Country Club as the host venue for 2019 and 2023 was also made possible through a new partnership between the city of Hamilton and Golf Canada. This partnership will result in Canada’s National Sport Federation bringing multiple events and golf championships to the city to complement the two RBC Canadian Opens.

“We are thrilled to welcome the stars of the PGA TOUR back to Hamilton for two more years,” said Fred Eisenberger, Mayor of Hamilton. “The RBC Canadian Open is a world class event and I know our citizens take great pride in hosting the championship here in their backyard. In addition, through our partnership with Golf Canada, our region will welcome numerous national and regional golf championships between 2019 and 2023. With a goal to leave an economic, charitable and social legacy through golf, we look forward to becoming a hub community for Canadian golf.”

The stars of the PGA TOUR won’t be the only ones having fun during tournament week when the RBC Canadian Open stops in Hamilton. Golf Canada, RBC and all tournament partners have embraced the PGA TOUR’s new fans first mantra, highlighted in the Tour’s new “Live Under Par” campaign. The event has become much more than just 72 holes of world-class golf – it’s one of Canada’s most prolific sporting events, chocked-full of activities for spectators, whether they are core golf fans or new to the sport.

This year’s RBC Canadian Open will take place east of Hamilton at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 20-26, 2018. Ticket, volunteering, sponsorship and corporate hospitality info is available online at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

https://www.facebook.com/RBCCanadianOpen/videos/10155202957140728/

By: Adam Stanley

To catch up with Todd Fanning is not unlike anyone else who may work in a non-descript office building. Your conversation gets interrupted by a group of people looking to use the meeting room for a conference call, and when asked how often he gets to play golf, the answer (“I don’t”) comes with a hearty chuckle.

But Fanning, who is a sales manager for a large equipment leasing company in Winnipeg, isn’t just that.

For years he chased a professional golf dream, playing on the Web.com Tour and making a few appearances at the RBC Canadian Open before rescinding his professional playing privileges and returning to regular job and a regular life.

That is, until last summer.

Fanning shot a 2-under-par 69 at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Wascana Country Club to nip three-time champion Garrett Rank and 54-hole leader Steven Diack in a four-hole playoff a year ago this August.

He didn’t plan on playing a championship schedule in 2017, but when it was announced The Wascana would play host, he signed up to play the Manitoba Mid-Amateur to try to qualify (which he ended up winning), since his father lives in Regina and he had played Wascana a lot in his golfing life.

With the win at the Canadian Mid-Amateur, Fanning will make his fifth appearance at the RBC Canadian Open this summer when it returns to Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

“I’m just going to be the guy in the middle of the range and they’re going to say, ‘well who’s that?’ says Fanning. “It’s going to be quite funny.”

Self-deprecating humour aside, Fanning truly earned his spot in the RBC Canadian Open. He held off one of the furriest charges in the Canadian Mid-Amateur’s history, as Rank, who started the day eight shots back of Diack’s lead, shot a 5-under-par 66 to jump into a tie for the lead.

“It was the best nine holes of golf I’d ever seen,” Fanning says of Rank’s final nine holes, where she shot a 31.

“I just executed down the stretch. I almost won it in regulation. I had an eagle putt from the back fringe and thought it was going in, and I looked foolish when it didn’t. But out of the hundreds of people watching with 45 minutes to go, I don’t think anyone would have thought, other than my wife, that I would have won that tournament.”

But as per usual with golf, the most unpredictable of games, it was indeed Fanning who came out on top. He made a par on the fourth playoff hole, and when the 25-year-old Diack made a bogey, the championship was his.

He unleashed a Tiger Woods-esque fist pump and a little dance (“I don’t know what happened there… it was very bizarre,” he recalls with a laugh) and the accomplishment finally set in.

“I realized what happened. I was turning 50 and I get to play Glen Abbey again. All those thoughts raced through my mind,” he says.

Fanning says one of his good friends arrived in Regina from Winnipeg to watch the final round, and will have “quite a few” people out with him at Glen Abbey later this summer to celebrate his success.

At work, he says, it made for a great story. People would come up to him to say they watched the live-stream of the playoff (Golf Canada’s social media team played it out on Twitter, via Periscope) and his colleagues said he looked calm.

“I said it was because I have a great job and get to work with (them) so that was just fun for me,” says Fanning, laughing.

Before the RBC Canadian Open Fanning will return to defend his title at the Manitoba Mid-Amateur in early July, and says he will also play this year’s Canadian Mid-Amateur at Victoria Golf Club in August.

But he says what he’s most looking forward to this summer is another shot at Glen Abbey.

Fanning had the morning draw on Thursday in 1998, the last time he played there (he played the RBC Canadian Open at Royal Montreal in 2001 and at Angus Glen in 2002), and he managed to get off to a great start. He says he told his caddie he was having fun, but his caddie wasn’t.

“’Not yet, not until we got to the top of the leaderboard,’” Fanning recalls what his caddie told him.

Fanning hit a 6-iron into the par-3 7th and knocked in the birdie putt, so he got to 4-under par on his round and got to the top of the leaderboard in the morning. He went on to miss the cut, however, and will be thinking about that when he goes back.

But the fact that he gets to go back at all is the most exciting thing of all.

Fanning says there’s nothing on his radar to come to Oakville prior to July to get in a practice round, but he will arrive on site a little earlier than most to ‘cram for the exam,’ he says.

When he played Glen Abbey in the late-90s the golf course setup was different, but there’s nothing that will catch him off guard, as he watches the tournament on television and sees what the current course looks like. He admits he’ll be behind in his preparation, but is looking forward to watch should be a fun week.

“I have a full-time job so I don’t expect to go out there and contend and be in the last group on Sunday, but to me it’s all about family,” he says, as his 17-year-old son will be his caddie for the week. “My whole family is coming. My children never got a chance to see me compete as a professional, and now I have three of them and they’re all going to be there. It’s going to be a really fun time for them.”

ACTON, Ont. – There was nothing but beautiful blue skies at Blue Springs Golf Club as 144 players competed in hopes of earning a direct exemption into the 2018 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. from July 23-29.

“In my preparation, I just tried my best to get the shots I needed,” said Mauchaza, greenside at the 18th  hole. “Reflecting on the positives and the negatives, I’m just really delighted with the way I played.”

Mauchaza, who began the day on the 10th hole, opened with a 4-under 32 on the back-nine. The 30-year-old finished the round with three birdies in a row across his final six holes to secure his victory atop the leaderboard.

Defending champion and Team Canada alumnus Matt Hill of Sarnia, Ont., finished two strokes behind the lead at 4 under par. He is joined by fellow Team Canada graduate Chris Hemmerich of Guelph, Ont., who closed the 18-hole stroke play event at 2 under par.

Hill, Hemmerich and 24 other competitors, excluding the low medallist,advanced to the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier taking place on July 23rd at Heron Point Golf Links in Ancaster, Ont.

The first RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier at Ledgeview Golf Club in Abbotsford, B.C., saw Matt Matheson shoot a 5-under-par 65 to earn medallist honours and advance to the final qualifying event.

A third regional qualifier will take place on June 18th at Le Blainvillier in Blainville, Qué.

Full results can be found here.

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. – Matt Matheson of West Vancouver, B.C., shot 5-under par 65 on Tuesday to earn medallist honours at Ledgeview Golf Club, host of the first of three RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifying events.

Matheson started off strong with birdies on holes 5, 9, 10 and 12 before capping off the round with the day’s only eagle, coming on the par-5 18^th.

“I wasn’t hitting it particularly well but it was about minimizing mistakes,” said Matheson, a 24-year-old amateur. “I feel like I did a really good job of that today.”

Matheson was one of seven golfers to advance on Tuesday, earning a spot to compete in the final Qualifying event on July 23 at Heron Points Golf Links in Alberton, Ont.

Khan Lee, of Langley, B.C., fired 3-under par 67 to finish runner-up behind Matheson.

Anton Frondelius of Concord, N.C., finished one stroke behind Lee at 2 under par, while Devin Carrey recorded a 1-under-par 69.

Rounding out the seven to advance were a trio of golfers at even par. Nigel Sinnott from Chilliwack, B.C., Kevin Stinson from Mission, B.C., and Keith Martin from Kelowna, B.C., all recorded rounds of 70 to punch their tickets to the final stage.

In total, there are three regional qualifying events, each consisting of 18 holes of stroke play. Provided that there are 100 or more players in the field, the low qualifier receives an exemption directly into the 2018 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

Otherwise, the top 15 percent of finishers at each qualifier become eligible to compete at the final qualifying event.

A minimum of four players from the 18-hole stroke play Final Qualifier at Heron Point will gain entry into the RBC Canadian Open field.

There are two more regional qualifying events before the final qualifier:

May 17 – Blue Springs Golf Club in Acton, Ont.

June 18 – Le Blainvillier in Blainville, Que.

Click here for full scoring.

Additional information regarding Tuesday’s RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier at Ledgeview, can be found here.

For the first time in more than 20 years, the PGA TOUR is launching a new advertising campaign designed to capture and celebrate the energy and spirit of today’s TOUR. Titled “Live Under Par,” the campaign plays on golf’s unique scoring language to portray the relentless pursuit of excellence by TOUR players, both competitively and in how they embrace the values of the game like sportsmanship and respect, as well as the PGA TOUR’s ingrained mission of giving back.

The thematic of “Live Under Par” immerses spectators into the contagious excitement of the sport, showcasing its vast 360-degree impact both inside and outside the ropes. As part of the current integrated marketing strategy of the TOUR, the campaign aims to reach beyond the core golf fan and attract new and diverse fan segments to the sport. Further, it will serve as a call to action for dedicated golf fans to share their passion for the game and invite newcomers to “join the PGA TOUR.”

“The ‘Live Under Par’ campaign goes beyond capturing the incredible ability of PGA TOUR players to score below par each week by showcasing and celebrating that same attitude of excellence that exists between players, players with fans, and players interacting with communities and charities,” said Joe Arcuri, Chief Marketing Officer of the PGA TOUR. “The new campaign captures not just a way to play, but a way to be.”

You don’t need a club in your hand to #LiveUnderPar. pic.twitter.com/FvMqP25Y0s

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) April 10, 2018

Developed in collaboration with new roster agency Troika of Los Angeles, “Live Under Par” becomes the TOUR’s first new theme and tagline since “These Guys Are Good,” the longest-running advertising campaign among major sports, debuted in 1997.

“’Live Under Par’ is an invitation for both players and fans to participate, no matter which side of the ropes you’re on,” said Gilbert Haslam, Executive Creative Director, Troika. “The campaign provides fans with new ways to engage in all the PGA TOUR has to offer and celebrates the shared mindset and spirit behind the constant pursuit of greatness. ‘Live Under Par’ is unique to the game, but with meaning that resonates far beyond it.”

The PGA TOUR has been proactively shaping marketing plans through a fans-first lens to reach beyond the core fan. The TOUR has analyzed real-time fan consumption across all media platforms to further understand and enhance the areas where target segments are most engaged.

One of the first initiatives the TOUR made under the fans-first approach was relaxing cell phone and social media guidelines at tournaments – providing both fans and players with the opportunity to create and share personally captured content. “Live Under Par” is a testament to the success of those changes and prominently features fan-captured content throughout the exhilarating commercial spot debuting in conjunction with the campaign.

“We consider this campaign more of an evolution, growing from how our players’ competitive excellence was presented so effectively through ‘These Guys Are Good’ to doing that and so much more,” Arcuri said. “We are pulling the camera lens out, so to speak, to highlight the fun and excitement on TOUR and highlight the special interaction we see every week between our players and fans. We believe this, in turn, will help spur broader interest among a more diverse group of fans.’”

“Live Under Par” will debut with a combination of television, digital, social, print, radio and advertising, along with tournament activation and support of PGA TOUR players. To experience the campaign, visit www.liveunderpar.com.

OAKVILLE, ONT. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada has unveiled its new Junior Ticket designs for the RBC Canadian Open taking place July 23-29 at Glen Abbey Golf Club and the CP Women’s Open taking place August 20-26 at Wascana Country Club in Regina.

The designs were selected from entries received from local elementary school classes in Oakville and across Saskatchewan who signed on to participate in the second annual Junior Ticket Design Contests for each event.

When the pencil crayons were put away, Sarah Suozzi, a grade 6 student from St. Luke Catholic Elementary School in Oakville, will have her design dawn the Junior Tickets for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open. Austin Marshall, a grade 5 student from Tompkins School in Tompkins, Sask., will have his drawing featured on the 2018 CP Women’s Open Junior Tickets.

Suozzi will win a pizza party for her class and a Golf in Schools kit, as well as RBC Canadian Open tickets for her family. Marshall’s class will receive a pizza party, while he wins a life size ticket and tickets for his family to attend the CP Women’s Open.

“I’d like to thank and congratulate all students who took part in our Junior Ticket design contests,” said Bill Paul, Chief Championships Officer for Golf Canada. “We were ecstatic with the creativity and quality of all entries we received.”

The winning illustrations were selected out of more than 100 entries received. Ten finalists were identified by the tournament’s marketing team and then Golf Canada staff voted the winners. The final 10 selections were also shared via Twitter and Instagram.

The contest reinforced Golf Canada’s commitment to conducting events for fans of all ages.

“Family and junior engagement is very important to golf in Canada as well as our championships,” Paul added. “We’re proud to be considered among the most fan-friendly events on both the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour. We pride ourselves on making sure the entire family can enjoy themselves onsite. It’s about bringing everyone together to celebrate community and Canadian golf.”

Last year, nearly 20,000 free RBC Canadian Open and 7,500 CP Women’s Open Junior Tickets were printed and distributed. Free Junior Tickets were also available online for download and printing.

Complimentary Junior Tickets, applicable to kids 17-and-under, are ideal giveaways for sports teams, schools, golf tournaments and summer camps.

Free RBC Canadian Open Junior Tickets are available for download by clicking here, while CP Women’s Open Free Junior Tickets can be downloaded here. They can also be ordered through Golf Canada’s sales department at 1-855-985-5000.

Information regarding tickets, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open or CP Women’s Open can be found at www.cpwomensopen.com or www.rbccanadianopen.com.

TORONTO – Golf Canada and many of its partners celebrated the first day of spring by hosting a Preview Party for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open taking place July 23-29 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

The event took place Tuesday, July 20 at Steam Whistle Brewing, located at the John St. Roundhouse.  Steam Whistle was recently named official beer partner of Golf Canada, the RBC Canadian Open and CP Women’s Open.

Nearly 150 invited guests, staff, corporate partners and potential clients gathered to learn more about the upcoming championship, including newly announced RBC Canadian Open corporate hosting experiences.

The event was hosted by TSN senior reporter and golf analyst, Bob Weeks.

Laurence Applebaum, Golf Canada’s CEO, and Cam Heaps, a founding partner of host Steam Whistle, took centre stage to bring official greetings. The pair had this to say following the event.

Cheers to The Good Beer Folks @SteamWhistle! Thanks for opening up The Roundhouse to celebrate with the @rbccanadianopen Preview Party ???#Golf_Canada_Network_Leaderboard_BigBox #CPWO #SteamWhistle pic.twitter.com/llvKPXTAnQ

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) March 22, 2018

To learn more about VIP experiences and the corporate hospitality lineup for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open, click here.

FedEx and Junior Achievement Worldwide have announced the return of the FedEx Junior Business Challenge, a program in conjunction with the PGA TOUR and its tournaments that provides the next generation of entrepreneurs an opportunity to pitch original business concepts during the 2017-18 season.

The RBC Canadian Open is proud to play host one of the FedEx Junior Business Challenge qualifying events this season, while the first will take place at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, March 20. The full schedule of four events is below.

FedEx Junior Business Challenge Qualifying Events Schedule:

• WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play (Austin, Texas) – Tuesday, March 20

• THE PLAYERS Championship (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) – Wednesday, May 9

• RBC Canadian Open (Oakville, Ont.) – Wednesday, July 25

• Dell Technologies Championship (Norton, Mass.) – Wednesday, August 29

JA students ranging from 15 to 18 years old will pitch their team’s business, innovative products or services to a panel of high-profile judges. One JA student company from each qualifying event will be selected to move on to the FedEx Junior Business Challenge finals at the TOUR Championship and 2018 FedExCup finale at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta for a chance to receive a $75,000 donation to their local JA chapter from FedEx.

“We were inspired by JA students who participated in last year’s FedEx Junior Business Challenge and presented innovative, dynamic thinking with real-world solutions,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, senior vice president, Integrated Marketing and Communications, FedEx. “We’re honored to bring the program back for its second season and look forward to working alongside the PGA TOUR and JA to help empower the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders.”

The judging panels throughout the FedEx Junior Business Challenge program will comprise an eclectic mix of personalities and diverse backgrounds, including PGA TOUR players and other professional athletes, business leaders and media personalities, providing JA students with a broad range of perspectives and signifying that no two paths to success are the same.

2003 U.S. Open (tennis) and former ATP World No. 1 Andy Roddick and three-time PGA TOUR tournament winner Pat Perez are slated to join the panel at the first qualifying event being held at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play on Tuesday, March 20.

Since 1996, FedEx has donated nearly $14 million to JA Worldwide in support of small businesses and the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

“It’s great to see the program return for a second season and expand its reach by hosting a qualifying event in Canada,” said Bill Paul, Golf Canada’s Cheif Championships Officer. “We’re looking forward to hosting the students and eagerly await to see what terrific ideas they come bring to light.”

Follow the FedEx Junior Business Challenge all season long on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter via @FedEx and join the conversation by using #FedExJuniorBiz.

This video below highlights the 2017 FedEx Junior Business Challenge final, held at the TOUR Championship in Atlanta.

Mike Weir has been inspiring Canadian junior golfers his entire career.

Now the former Masters champion and eight-time PGA TOUR winner will deliver the golf experience of a lifetime to four aspiring young golfers who will participate in the inaugural Major Champions Invitational.

Led by Sir Nick Faldo, the 2018 Major Champions Invitational invites Major champions to sponsor a team of junior golfers and provide the unforgettable experience of being mentored by world-class champions and renowned golf professionals.

The inaugural event will be played at Bella Collina, in Montverde, FL near Orlando from March 11-14. Teams consist of four (4) top-tier junior golfers (male or female) sponsored by a major champion, their sponsor or an affiliated non-profit organization.

For Weir, sponsoring juniors from his home and native land to play alongside competitors from around the globe was a natural extension of his commitment to help support and develop the next generation of golfers.

“I am excited to support this great event put on by Sir Nick Faldo and to give this experience to the next generation of Canadian golfers,” said the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member and recent inductee into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. “I hope these junior athletes will be exposed to lots of great talent and quality people in the golf world, all while raising funds for a great cause.”

Team Weir will include sponsored Canadians Jeevan Sihota, of Victoria, BC (13), Taylor Kehoe of Strathroy, Ont. (14) and Luca Cimoroni of Toronto (13) along with 14-year old Berlin Long of Lehi, Utah, the state where Weir currently resides.

The Major Champions Invitational is an extension event of the Faldo Series, whose mission is to provide global opportunities to young people through golf and help identify and nurture the next generation of champions.  Past participants of the Faldo Series include Rory McIlroy, Yani Tseng, Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley.

Participating and/or represented Major Champions supporting the inaugural Major Champions Invitational include:

• Seve Ballesteros
• Tony Jacklin
• Jerry Pate
• Henrik Stenson
• Keegan Bradley
• Dustin Johnson
• Justin Rose
• Payne Stewart
• John Daly
• Nancy Lopez
• Adam Scott
• Tom Watson
• Nick Faldo
• Rory McIlroy
• Annika Sorenstam
• Mike Weir
• Jim Furyk
• Jack Nicklaus
• Jordan Spieth

Led by Faldo, a six-time Major winner who will be onsite all three days to host the junior participants, the legends of golf will share advice from years of experience at the highest level of the game.

All net proceeds will go toward the Faldo Trust for Tomorrow’s Children Inc., a U.S. 501c3 organization.

The Major Champions Invitational will also be featured in a one-hour special on CBS leading into Saturday’s coverage of the PGA Championship with a focus on players and their foundations giving back through the game of golf.

For more information visit www.majorchampionsinvitational.com.