Share This

Max Gilbert wins TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial

23-year old shoots final round 66 to win first professional event 
 

Final leaderboard – TOUR Championship presented by Freedom 55 Financial 

1. Max Gilbert – 66 (-20)

2. Trevor Murphy – 68 (-19)

T-3. Jose Toledo – 66 (-14)

T-3. Eugene Wong – 67 (-14)

T-5. Nathan Tyler – 68 (-13)

T-5. Alex Kang – 73 (-13) 
 

Max Gilbert of St. Georges, Quebec won the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial Sunday, making birdie at the penultimate hole to take the lead and two putting for the win by one shot over Scottsdale, Arizona’s Trevor Murphy. 
 
Gilbert, a 23-year old in his first year as a professional, carded a final round 66 to capture his first professional victory and the $27,000 winner’s cheque, putting him 13th on the Order of Merit. 
 
“When I arrived here this week I didn't think I could win. It's unbelievable," said Gilbert, who played one year for the Université Laval Rouge et Or before turning professional. 
 
Starting the day one shot behind Murphy, the 54-hole leader, Gilbert got out of the gate quickly with a birdie on the first hole and went out in 32 to take the lead at 19-under par. He would get to 20-under par with a birdie on 12 but after a bogey on 13 and a Murphy birdie at 15, the two were tied at the top. 
 
After a 9-iron approach from 150 yards on the 17th hole, however, Gilbert rolled in a 20-footer for birdie to regain the lead at 20-under par. Murphy would give himself a 20-footer of his own at 18 to force a playoff, but his putt carried too much speed and bounced off the back of the cup, giving Gilbert a simple two-putt from 15 feet for the win. 
 
“I knew I was going to need a birdie coming in, and thought I would need another one at 18,” said Gilbert, who qualified for the Order of Merit-only TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial thanks to a T-22 finish at The Players Cup, which he Monday qualified for.
 
Murphy carded a final round 68 to finish a season-best 2nd place, while defending champion Eugene Wong shot a final round 67 to place tied for third alongside Oak Park, California’s Alex Kang. 
 

Big moves made on Order of Merit 
 
Several players made big moves up the Order of Merit on Sunday, using solid performances at the season’s final event to secure coveted spots on the season-long money list. The top five players on the Order of Merit earned Web.com Tour status for 2014, with players finishing sixth through 10th earning an exemption into the final stage of Web.com Tour Q-School and players finishing 11th through 20th earning an exemption into second stage. Below is a list of players who improved their position this week. 
 
Mark Hubbard: Finished tied for eighth and moved from sixth to third on the Order of Merit, earning a Web.com Tour card

Max Gilbert: Won and finished 13th on the Order of Merit, earning an exemption into the second stage of Web.com Tour Q-School

Trevor Murphy: Finished solo second and 20th on the Order of Merit, earning an exemption into the second stage of Web.com Tour Q-School 
 

Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week 
 
With his victory at the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial, Max Gilbert was named Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week, earning a $1,500 prize. 

Hughes wins PGA TOUR Canada Player of the Year, Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year 

Mackenzie Hughes was the last man standing atop the Order of Merit, claiming the top spot with $52,114.29 to win both PGA TOUR Canada Player of the Year and Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year. Hughes claimed the top spot thanks to a victory at the Cape Breton Celtic Classic and top-three finishes at The Players Cup and The Wildfire Invitational. As Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year, Hughes won a $10,000 prize. 

Notes:

- Weather: Cloudy with showers in the late afternoon, 15 degrees Celsius, wind 10 km/h

- Max Gilbert is the second straight non-member to win the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial after Eugene Wong last year, and the second straight non-member to win after Mackenzie Hughes last week at the Cape Breton Celtic Classic

- Max Gilbert is the third Canadian to win on PGA TOUR Canada this season

- Max Gilbert is the fourth player to win by shooting four rounds in the 60s this year

- The following players started the week outside the top 60 on the Order of Merit but played their way in this week 

The Five PGA TOUR Canada players graduate up to the 2014 Web.com Tour 
 
Five PGA TOUR Canada players earned Web.com Tour cards for 2014 on Sunday, with Mackenzie Hughes, Riley Wheeldon, Mark Hubbard, Hugo Leon and Wil Collins all finishing in The Five. 
 
Hughes, a native of Dundas, Ontario finished atop the Order of Merit with $52,114.29 and earned fully exempt status, while Wheeldon, Hubbard, Leon and Collins will have highly placed status on the path to the PGA TOUR next season. 
 
“I’m delighted to see Mackenzie Hughes and the rest of The Five get rewarded for their excellent play this inaugural season,” said PGA TOUR Canada President Jeff Monday. “We look forward to seeing these players follow the footsteps of the many PGA TOUR Canada alumni who have made their way to the Web.com Tour and PGA TOUR.” 
 
Hughes was the leading money winner in PGA TOUR Canada’s inaugural season and was named PGA TOUR Canada Player of the Year thanks to a win at the Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial as well as two other top three finishes. Hughes finished with a $6,791.79 lead over Wheeldon. 

“It’s been an incredible season and it’s a huge honour to be moving on to the Web.com Tour next year,” said Hughes, who started the season with no status on PGA TOUR Canada but played all nine events thanks to some solid finishes while playing on sponsor’s exemptions. “At the start of the season I was just hoping to retain my card for this Tour next year, so this is like a dream come true.” 

Joe Panzeri, Nick Taylor, Chris Epperson, Carlos Sainz, Jr. and Kyle Stough finished in spots 6-10 on the Order of Merit and earned an exemption into the final stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School, set for December 12-17 in LaQuinta, California. Players finishing 11th through 20th – Stephen Gangluff, Nathan Tyler, Max Gilbert, John Ellis, Cory Renfrew, Lucas Lee, David Skinns, Tyler Aldridge, Brady Schnell and Trevor Murphy – earned an exemption into second stage of Qualifying School. 

PGA TOUR Canada storylines -
TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial 
 

Tale of the Tape

September 9-15
 
Sunningdale Golf & Country Club

London, Ontario 

Par 72 – 36/36 – 7,089

Designed: Clinton (Robbie) Robinson and Stanley Thompson

Course Record: N/A 
  

Competition for The Five comes down to the wire 

With eight events in the books and just one player having secured Web.com TOUR status for 2014, the race for the five Web.com Tour cards is shaping up for a dramatic finish. Order of Merit leader Mackenzie Hughes is the only player who has guaranteed himself a spot in The Five, and everyone 30th or better still has a chance mathematically of moving inside the top five with a win. Here are the top five heading into this week: 
 
1. Mackenzie Hughes - $52,114.29

2. Riley Wheeldon - $43,987.50

3. Hugo Leon - $39,897.00

4. Wil Collins - $39,708.04

5. Joe Panzeri - $39,312.73 
 
The top five players on PGA TOUR Canada's Order of Merit will earn Web.com Tour status for 2014, with the top player fully exempt and the rest of The Five earning highly placed status. Players finishing 6th through 10th will earn an exemption into the final stage of Web.com Tour Q-School, while players finishing 11th through 20th earn an exemption into the second stage. 
 
Sunningdale’s two courses combine for unique layout 

Sunningdale Golf and Country Club will show off parts of both its classic courses this week, with the tournament taking place on a unique layout comprised of 10 holes of the Stanley Thompson course and eight holes of the Clinton ‘Robbie’ Robinson course. The championship course will be begin on holes 10-16 on the Thompson course, continue on to holes 7, 8 and 1 Thompson, then switch over to 11-16 on the Robinson course, with the final two holes the 2nd and 18th on the Robinson course. 

Freedom 55 Financial Canadian player of the Year on the line 
 
The top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end will be named Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year and earn a $10,000 cash prize. Each week, the top Canadian on the leaderboard wins Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week and a $1,500, with Dundas, Ontario’s Mackenzie Hughes claiming the last three awards. Hughes holds a $8,126.79 lead over Comox, British Columbia’s Riley Wheeldon heading into the week. 
 
2014 cards on the line as season’s end draws near 

The top 60 on the 2013 Order of Merit will retain exempt status on PGA TOUR Canada for next season, with a tight race developing heading into this week. Here are players around the bubble, as well as several notables on the outside looking in: 
 
56. Derek Berg - $6,097.17

57. Fergal Rafferty - $6,033.75

58. Russell Surber - $5,970.00

59. Kyle Kallan - $5,839.16

60. Ryan Blaum - $5,743.66

-- 

61. Trey Denton - $5,737.28

62. T.J. Vogel - $5,649.64

63. James Allenby - $5,441.25

64. Erik Barnes - $5,281.50

65. Jose Toledo - $5,202.08

80. Wes Heffernan - $3,549.18

85. Chris Killmer* - $3,096.25

88. Danny Sahl - $2,905.60

91. Stuart Anderson - $2,678.39

94. Andrew Roque* - $2,400.00

118. Alan McLean* - $1,520.89


(* = 2012 Winner, which guarantees non-exempt status for 2014) 
 
 
Hughes and Wheeldon looking to follow Hill, DeLaet as Order of Merit winner 
 
With his win at the Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial, Mackenzie Hughes put himself in position to become the second straight Canadian to win PGA TOUR Canada's Order of Merit. Last year, Sarnia, Ontario’s Matt Hill topped the season long earnings list, becoming the first Canadian to do so since Graham DeLaet in 2009. Hughes’ move to the top displaced Comox, British Columbia’s Riley Wheeldon, who had led the Order of Merit since his win at the Syncrude Boreal Open presented by AECON. 
 
Alumni Watch 
 
Nine PGA TOUR Canada alumni will tee it up at the third stage of the FedExCup Playoffs, with no. 5 Graham DeLaet and no. 8 Steve Stricker leading the way heading to the BMW Championship. Stricker and DeLaet finished second and third, respectively, at the Deutsche Bank Championship two weeks ago. 
 
Field Breakdown 
 
This week’s field includes 43 Canadians, 69 Americans and players from 17 countries including Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Jamaica, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Switzerland, South Korea, Thailand, Australia and South Africa. 
 
Past winners of the TOUR Championship of Canada in the field include Eugene Wong (2012), Stuart Anderson (2011 and 2006) and James Love (2009). 
 
Locals in the field include Londoners Andrew Parr and Alan McLean, and St. Thomas, Ontario’s Jace Walker.

PGA TOUR Canada Storylines - Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial

Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial
September 2-8
The Lakes Golf Club
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Twitter: @CBCelticClassic
Hashtag: #CelticClassic

Tale of the Tape
The Lakes Golf Club
Par 72 – 36/36 – 6,904 yards
Designed: Graham Cooke (2010)
Course Record: 69 – Brett McNallie (2013)
Website: www.thelakesgolfclub.ca

PGA TOUR Canada makes return to Atlantic Canada

The inaugural Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial sees PGA TOUR Canada return to the east coast for the first time since the 2001 Aliant Cup in St. John’s, Newfoundland, ending a 12-year hiatus. With Cape Breton emerging as a world class golf destination, the Tour heads to The Lakes Golf Club, a stunning Graham Cooke layout on the shores of the Bras d’Or Lakes south of Sydney, Nova Scotia, for the eighth event of the season.

Competition for The Five comes down to the wire

With seven events in the books, the race for the five Web.com Tour cards available at season’s end is taking shape for a thrilling finish. The top nine spots on the list are currently separated by less than $10,200 – the winnings for third place – meaning no spot in The Five is safe with two events to go. Here are the current top five through The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial

1. Riley Wheeldon - $39,937.50
2. Wil Collins - $39,708.04
3. Joe Panzeri - $37,355.23
4. Hugo Leon - $37,167.00
5. Mark Hubbard - $35,451.29

Last chance to qualify for TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial

This week will be the last chance to qualify for the Order of Merit-only TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial, with the top 132 on the Order of Merit getting in to the season ending event. With several sponsor’s exemptions and Monday qualifiers playing well throughout the year, a number of players have played their way into a chance to tee it up at the season’s last event. Here is a list of players who started the season with no status who are currently inside the top-132 heading into this week (Bold denotes Canadian).

12. Mackenzie Hughes - $25,114.29
61. T.J. Vogel - $4,509.64
69. Albin Choi - $3,561.67
97. Justin Shin - $2,175.00
100. Ben Briscoe - $2,079.65
107. Sebastian Szirmak - $1,646.25
110. Max Gilbert - $1,541.25
112. Clark McPherson - $1,521.67
121. Rafael Campos - $1,170.00
125. Greg Doherty - $844.69
127. Edd Boudreau - $735.00

2014 cards on the line as season’s end draws near

While virtually every PGA TOUR Canada player’s goal is to finish in The Five, it’s not the only cut off to keep an eye on over the next two weeks. The top 60 players on the Order of Merit at season’s end will regain full status for next season, with several big names on the outside looking in. Here is the ‘bubble’ and a list of notable names with two events to go.

56. Jose Toledo - $5,202.08
57. Nate McCoy - $5,154.38
58. Trey Denton - $5,103.53
59. Brett Lederer - $4,962.50
60. Jason Scrivener - $4,800.00
--
61. T.J. Vogel - $4,509.64
62. Erik Barnes - $4,470.00
63. George Bradford - $4,380.42
64. Kevin McAlpine - $4,372.50
70. Wes Heffernan - $3,549.18
78. James Love - $3,268.39
80. Chris Killmer - $3,096.25
83. Danny Sahl - $2,905.60
87. Stuart Anderson - $2,678.39
89. Andrew Roque - $2,400.00

Hughes chasing Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year title

Dundas, Ontario’s Mackenzie Hughes captured Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week for the second week in a row at The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial, finishing tied for second. Each week the top Canadian on the leaderboard will earn a $1,500 prize, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end earning Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year. Hughes currently sits fourth among Canadians at $25,114.29 on the season, trailing overall Order of Merit leader Riley Wheeldon of Comox, BC who sits first at $39,937.50.

Monday Qualifiers

This week’s Monday Qualifier took place at The Lakes Golf Club, where 33 players teed it up for 10 spots in the field. Brett McNallie took medalist honours with a 3-under par 69.

* = PGA TOUR Canada member

1. Brett McNallie – 69
T-2. Lucas Kim - 70
T-2. Dan Bowling - 70
4. Max Gilbert - 71
5. Mac Boucher* - 72
6. Scott Stiles - 73
T-7. Ryan Cook - 74
T-7. Alex Egan - 74
T-7. Mathieu Gingras - 74
T-7. Brett Cairns – 74

Alumni Watch

2009 PGA TOUR Canada Player of the Year Graham DeLaet made history on Monday, becoming just the second Canadian to ever qualify for the Presidents Cup International Team after five-time participant Mike Weir. DeLaet, who finished eighth on the International Team standings, will join Steve Stricker as alumni playing in the matches at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio next month.

DeLaet also put himself squarely in contention for the FedExCup, posting a solo third finish at The Deutsche Bank Championship to go with his T-2 finish at The Barclays to sit fifth overall in the standings. Stricker, meanwhile, was the runner-up at the Deutsche Bank Championship to jump to eighth. DeLaet and Stricker are two of nine PGA TOUR Canada alumni to qualify for the BMW Championship.

Field Breakdown

This week’s field includes 66 Canadians, 71 Americans and players from 15 countries including Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Guatemala, Jamaica, England, Scotland, Germany, Switzerland, South Korea, Thailand, Australia and South Africa.

Locals include Cape Breton's own Peter Campbell, as well as Nova Scotians Brian Affleck, Eric Banks, Shayne Stevens and Maritimers Mathieu Gingras, Thomas Keddy and Alex Egan.

Hubbard wins The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial
24-year old moves to no. 5 on the Order of Merit with two events to go

Final round Leaderboard – The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial

1. Mark Hubbard – 66 (-20)
T-2. Mackenzie Hughes – 67 (-18)
T-2. Kyle Stough – 66 (-18)
4. Jorge Fernandez-Valdes – 66 (-17)
5. Nick Taylor – 68 (-16)

Denver, Colorado’s Mark Hubbard captured his first PGA TOUR Canada win on Sunday, firing a final round 5-under par 66 to win The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial. Hubbard won by two shots over Dundas, Ontario’s Mackenzie Hughes and Laurel, Maryland’s Kyle Stough.

The 24-year old made a clutch 15-footer for birdie at the par-5 16th to reach 20-under par and give himself a three-stroke advantage at the time, then parred the final two holes to secure his win. With the victory, Hubbard moves to no. 5 on the Order of Merit, in position to earn one of the five Web.com Tour cards available at season’s end.

“I had to be in the moment and really had to focus on each shot, so the whole thing hasn’t really kicked in yet,” said Hubbard. “The putt on 16 was one of the best putts I’ve ever hit in my life.”

Starting the day with a one shot lead over Hughes, Hubbard went out in 3-under par on the front nine, building a lead over Hughes, Stough and several other contenders that he would not relinquish. Hubbard said several key up-and-downs including a brilliant flop shot at the par-3 15th were the key to his victory.

“I had two or three up-and-downs that were some of the best of my life,” said Hubbard. “That one on 15 was probably the shot of my life. I put a lot of work in the last two weeks and it’s nice to see it pay off.”

With two events to go, Hubbard is in position to make the next step on the path to the PGA TOUR next year on the Web.com Tour. But the San Jose State University graduate said blocking any thoughts about the ramifications of a win was a major factor in his win.

“Between playing down in Latioamérica, up here and in Q-School, guys have three chances to get to the Web.com Tour,” said Hubbard. “But you can’t really think about stuff when you’re playing, you just have to go out and play, and that’s what I feel like I did the best this week.”

Two shots behind in a tie for second, Hughes notched a career-best finish while Stough matched his career-best set earlier this year at the ATB Financial Classic presented by TELUS. PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Order of Merit no. 2 Jorge Fernandez-Valdes finished alone in fourth at 17-under par for his best PGA TOUR Canada result, while Abbotsford, British Columbia’s Nick Taylor notched his fifth top-10 of the season and finished alone in fifth at 16-under par.

Hubbard moves inside The Five with two events to go

Mark Hubbard’s win moved him in position to earn one of the five Web.com Tour cards available at season’s end, pushing out Times Colonist Island Savings Open winner Stephen Gangluff, while the rest of the top four remained intact. Here are The Five with two events remaining in the 2013 season:

1. Riley Wheeldon - $39,937.50
2. Wil Collins - $39,708.04
3. Joe Panzeri - $37,355.23
4. Hugo Leon - $37,167.00
5. Mark Hubbard - $35,451.29

Hughes earns second top Canadian award

With an 18-under total in a tie for second, Dundas, Ontario’s Mackenzie Hughes captured Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours for the second consecutive event, following up his honour from The Great Waterway Classic last week.

Each week, the top Canadian will earn the award and a $1,500 prize, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end earning Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year and $10,000 prize.

Hughes also finished tied for low Canadian at The Players Cup but lost on a tiebreaker to Regina, Saskatchewan’s Kent Eger. The 22-year old Hughes is currently the 12th on the Order of Merit and the fourth-highest Canadian, trailing Riley Wheeldon, Nick Taylor and Cory Renfrew.

Notes:
- Weather: Sunny, 25 degrees Celsius, wind 10 km/h
- Hubbard’s total of 264 strokes was the lowest winning score on PGA TOUR Canada this year
- Hubbard is the second 54-hole leader to go on to win this season, following Joe Panzeri at the ATB Financial Classic presented by TELUS
- Hubbard’s final round 66 was tied for the lowest final round by a winner this season, matching three other tournaments
- Hubbard’s win was his sixth top-10 finish of the past two seasons on PGA TOUR Canada
- Nick Taylor and Chris Epperson both finished in the top-10 for their fifth top-10s of the season, tied for the most on PGA TOUR Canada
- The par-4 seventh hole played as the toughest hole of the week at 4.41 strokes, while the par-5 eighth was the easiest at 4.48

The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial- Story lines 

August 26-September 1

Wildfire Golf Club

Peterborough, Ontario  
 

Tale of the Tape

Wildfire Golf Club

Par 72 – 36/36 – 6,745 yards

Designed: Tom McBroom (2003)

Course Record: 65 – Jeff Mills (2010)

Website: www.golfwildfire.com 
 
Wildfire Golf Club plays host unique PGA TOUR Canada event 
 
128 professionals and 64 amateurs will descend on the Peterborough area this week for a unique pro-am tournament at Wildfire Golf Club, a spectacular layout set amongst the Lakes of Ontario’s Kawartha cottage country. 128 PGA TOUR Canada players will tee it up with amateur partners on one of the first two rounds of the 72-hole competition. The event is also unique with Wildfire Golf Club stepping up as the title sponsor of the tournament, showcasing its pristine layout and world-class facilities as the seventh of nine PGA TOUR Canada events. 
 
Former PGA TOUR Canada players Hart, Mills lead sponsor’s exemptions 

2008 PGA TOUR Comeback Player of the Year Dudley Hart and former PGA TOUR member Jon Mills lead a list of high profile sponsor’s exemptions at Wildfire, adding to the list of PGA TOUR Canada players in Peterborough this week. Hart had his best season on the PGA TOUR in 2008, earning over $2-million and qualifying for the TOUR Championship, but has struggled with back issues since 2009. Following a second surgery earlier this year, however, the two-time PGA TOUR winner (including the 1996 RBC Canadian Open) has a clean bill of health and is looking to resume a career that has seen him earn over $12-million on TOUR. 
 
Mills, who won the PGA TOUR Canada Order of Merit in 2003, has teed it up in over 250 events on the PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour and is playing PGA TOUR Canada for the third time this season. Also playing on sponsor’s exemptions this week are Jon’s brother Jeff Mills, the head professional at Wildfire Golf Club, as well as Andrew Parr and Jesse Speirs. 
 
Leon jumps inside The Five 
 
With his victory at The Great Waterway Classic, Chile's Hugo Leon jumped inside The Five, putting himself in position to earn one of the Web.com Tour cards for 2014. Below are the standings through six events. 
 
1. Riley Wheeldon - $39,937.50
2. Wil Collins - $39,708.04
3. Joe Panzeri - $37,355.23
4. Hugo Leon - $35,824.50
5. Stephen Gangluff - $30,111.31 
 
Ronnie “The Hawk” Hawkins returns to rock out 
 
As part of the Pro-Am festivities for the week, rock ‘n’ roll legend Ronnie ‘The Hawk’ Hawkins will play a private convert for participants and players of The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial. The former frontman for Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks, which spawned the legendary career of The Band, calls a cottage on Stoney Lake near Wildfire home, and will perform his concert at a kick-off party on Wednesday, August 28. 
 
Savard leads list of Amateurs 
 
Several notable will names will be a part of the amateur field this week in Peterborough, including former NHL star Marc Savard. Savard played 14 seasons in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Calgary Flames, Atlanta Thrashers and Boston Bruins, scoring 706 points and 499 points and playing on the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins. Other notable names in the amateur field include TV star Eddie Richardson of W Network’s Love It Or List It, singer John McDermott, who made waves with his 1994 hit Danny Boy and Member of Provincial Parlimanent for Peterborough Jeff Leal. 
 
Hughes jumps up in Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year race 
 
Dundas, Ontario’s Mackenzie Hughes captured Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week at The Great Waterway Classic last week, finishing tied for 10th and winning a tiebreaker over Cory Renfrew and Mackenzie Hughes. Each week the top Canadian on the leaderboard will earn a $1,500 prize, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end earning Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year. Hughes currently sits sixth among Canadians at $11,914.29 on the season, trailing overall Order of Merit leader Riley Wheeldon of Comox, BC who sits first at $39,937.50. 
 
Alumni Watch 

13 PGA TOUR Canada alumni advanced to the second stage of the FedExCup this week at the Deutsche Bank Championship, led by no. 7 Graham DeLaet, no. 15 D.A. Points and no. 28 Steve Stricker. DeLaet finished a career-best T-2 at the Barclays on Sunday. 

Four PGA TOUR Canada alumni earned PGA TOUR cards for 2014 by finishing in the top-25 on the Web.com Tour money list, including no. 4 Edward Loar, no. 7 Will Wilcox, no. 16 Matt Bettencourt and no. 19 Benjamin Alvarado. 29 PGA TOUR Canada alumni have qualified and committed to the Web.com Tour Finals, led by Canadians Brad Fritsch and Adam Hadwin. 

DeLaet also moved to 10th in the International Team standings for The President’s Cup, with the top-10 qualifying for the team after the conclusion of this week’s Deutsche Bank Championship. 
 
Field Breakdown 
 
This week’s field includes 44 Canadians, 66 Americans and players from 14 countries including Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, England, Scotland, Ireland, Switzerland, South Korea, Australia and South Africa.