As the first two-term Golf Canada president since 1931, you might expect Roland Deveau to heave a huge sigh of relief as he hands the mantle to Calgary’s Leslie Dunning.

You would be wrong.

While Deveau, 56, looks forward to getting back to “real life,” as he puts it, he is justifiably proud of the 24 months he spent at the helm of the association. It was a span that encompassed a change of CEOs of the organization as well as experiencing the return of golf to the Olympics and Canada’s 150^th anniversary celebration.

CEO Laurence Applebaum (left) and Roland Deveau at Golf House in Oakville, Ont.

“It wasn’t all smooth sailing, but that’s an integral part of leadership in challenging times,” Deveau said in an interview with Golf Canada a couple of weeks before the association’s annual general meeting in Calgary where Dunning takes over. As past-president, he will remain on the Golf Canada board of directors.

“When I look back, and I want to emphasize that nothing gets accomplished without the support of my fellow directors, staff and volunteers, I think we met many objectives. We stabilized our finances, we delivered our entire suite of programs as promised, some of which are recognized world-wide as best in class. We’re well on our way to delivering our new membership model, which will be completed next year.”

Deveau’s term in office was also marked by memorable performances on-course. Canadian golfers, both amateur and professional, showed well around the world.

But for Deveau, the singularly “surreal” moment came as he watched young Canadian pro Austin Connelly at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in England.

“Being there on the tee at that last round, seeing Austin in the penultimate group with Brooks Koepke, who had won the U.S. Open just a month before, and teeing off just ahead of the final group of Matt Kuchar and Jordan Spieth, it was unbelievable. Surreal. That’s the only way I can describe the feeling.”

Connelly spent summers playing and practising at Deveau’s home course, Clare Golf and Country Club, a few hours from Halifax, where Deveau, a lawyer, is the vice-chair of the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

“To see him grow up during the summers, living less than a mile from my parents’ house and to follow him in the final round of the Open Championship and see his name on the leaderboard … Absolutely incredible.”

He said that experience, for him, encapsulated what golf is all about: Seeing a promising youngster supported by the golf community rising to the world stage.

Most golfers don’t understand the role of Golf Canada’s president. Many may think of the office as a ceremonial one, a figurehead akin to our country’s governor-general. In Deveau’s case, nothing could be further from the truth.

There are unrelenting governance and organizational responsibilities and myriad demands on personal time that must be juggled with the “real job” of the president who is, in the final analysis, just the “first among equals” of Golf Canada’s many volunteers.

“It’s not all about handing out trophies,” says Deveau. “People wouldn’t believe how much goes on behind the scenes. We’re entrusted with the game in Canada as the National Sport Organization and we have never taken our role lightly.”

The gregarious Deveau was the first Golf Canada president to use social media to stay in touch with Canadians and kept his “feet on the ground” as a Rules of Golf official at some significant events, including the RBC Canadian Open and the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in 2016 and 2017, the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur and Canadian Junior Boys Championship, and others.

Deveau says it gave him a chance to interact with players and, most importantly, spectators.

“It showed me just how many people in Canada love this game so much. Not that I would say it gave me ‘credibility’ as such but it gave me a lot of insight.”

As he leaves his historic role, Deveau departs not just with hard-earned credibility and insight, but with other emotions. Regret is definitely not one of them.

“These past two years have definitely been a challenge, but they’ve been so very rewarding and worthwhile. I enjoyed every minute of the experience.”

Long-serving Alberta Golf volunteers Fran Marsden and Florin “Fuzzy” Bergh along with golf historian Ron Lyons to be acknowledged on Saturday, January 27^th as part of Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting in Calgary

Renowned sports journalist Cam Cole to be honoured on Monday, June 4th during Golf Canada’s National Team Media Day at Bear Mountain Golf Resort in Victoria

Former Alberta Golf President Fran Marsden and long-time volunteer Florin “Fuzzy” Bergh of Edmonton, along with golf historian Ron Lyons and acclaimed golf columnist Cam Cole will be acknowledged for their tremendous contributions to the game of golf as 2018 recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award.

The National Sport Federation’s Distinguished Service Award has been presented annually since 1993 to recognize individuals who have had an outstanding impact on Canadian golf either nationally or within their community.

Marsden has spent the past 30 years as a contributing golf volunteer in Alberta and was instrumental in the 2000 amalgamation of the former men’s and women’s provincial golf associations into what is now Alberta Golf.

Bergh is a life-long contributor to the game of golf in his community who has supported Alberta Golf and the Alberta Golf Foundation in a variety of volunteer and fundraising roles over the past three decades.

Lyons, the co-owner of the Legends Golf and Country Club in Edmonton, is regarded as one of the foremost golf historians and golf memorabilia collectors in the province of Alberta.

The presentation of the 2018 Distinguished Service Awards to Marsden, Bergh and Lyons will take place on Saturday, January 27^th as part of Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting (January 25-27) at the Grey Eagle Casino and Resort in Calgary.

Cole, who covered golf over the course of a distinguished 40-year career in sport journalism, will be honoured as part of Golf Canada’s National Team Media Day which will be conducted on Monday, June 4^th at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria.

“Golf Canada is proud to recognize Fran Marsden, Florin Bergh, Ron Lyons and Cam Cole as the recipients of our 2018 Distinguished Service Award,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Each of their respective contributions across various touchpoints in the game has left a meaningful impression on the Canadian golf landscape. It is with great respect and admiration that we honour these individuals for their passion and commitment to our sport.”

Recipients of Golf Canada’s Distinguished Service Award are often selected from within the province or region of the organization’s incoming President. On Saturday, January 27^th Leslie Dunning of Calgary will be sworn in as Golf Canada’s 114^th president. As president-elect, Dunning will succeed Roland Deveau of Bedford, N.S. who has served consecutive terms as President in 2016 and 2017.

In addition to the presentation of the Distinguished Service Awards, Golf Canada will also recognize Tom Zariski of Drumheller, Alta. as the 2017 Volunteer of the Year. Zariski, a Level 4 Rules of Golf official who currently serves as President of Golf Alberta, will be honoured on Saturday, January 27^th during the closing dinner of Golf Canada’s Annual Meeting.

Golf Canada 2018 Distinguished Service Award Honourees:

Fran Marsden (Volunteer)

Fran Marsden has been a strong contributor to the game of golf in Alberta for more than 30 years. A long-time member of the Glendale Golf and Country Club in her hometown of Edmonton, Marsden’s volunteer efforts began in 1987 as club representative with the former Alberta Ladies Golf Association (ALGA). Her commitment to advance the game elevated her to more wide ranging involvement with the ALGA, culminating with her election as President in 1998. She would play a major role in the amalgamation of the ALGA with the Alberta Men’s Golf Association and was selected by her peers to serve as the first president of Alberta Golf in 2000, the first fully amalgamated provincial golf association in Canada. Marsden also took on the role of Executive Director of the World Masters Games Golf Event in in 2005 which attracted more than 800 golfers competing on multiple courses around Edmonton. She has contributed to provincial and national golf championships and served on numerous volunteer committees with both Alberta Golf and Golf Canada during a career which earned her the Alberta Golf Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award in 2007.

Ron Lyons (Historian)

Ron Lyons’ contributions to golf are rooted in preserving the storied history of the game. Lyons is a proud golf historian who preserves one of the world’s largest collections of vintage golf cars, tees, golf clubs, books and paraphernalia. As a historian, he has made strong contributions to Alberta Golf, the PGA of Alberta and the Golf Historical Society and has donated antique golf items to various causes over the years. He has shared his collection through antique displays at various events and golf shows and has assisted a number of golf clubs in celebrating their 50^th, 75^th and 100^th anniversaries. Lyons also holds a stake in the game as co-owner of the Legends Golf and Country Club, a 27-hole facility in Edmonton which hosts an annual golf tournament dedicated to honouring individuals for their impact on the game. He is the founder of the Canadian Open Hickory Championship, a North American hickory club event. His collection of hickory clubs was donated for use by players and pro-am participants at the 2006 Telus Skins Game at Banff Springs Golf Course which featured Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, John Daly, Stephen Ames and Sergio Garcia. He owns 84 vintage golf cars and some early turf equipment which he displays in a 6800 sq ft building on the grounds of the Legends Golf and Country Club. Lyons recently completed a 320-page book on the history of the golf car.

Cam Cole (Golf Writer)

One of Canada’s finest story tellers, Cam Cole’s distinguished career as a sports writer and columnist spans more than 40 years with the Edmonton Journal, National Post, Vancouver Sun and Post Media. As a golf columnist, he brought readers inside the ropes at golf’s biggest events including 66 major golf championships, seven Ryder Cups, six Presidents Cups and nine (RBC) Canadian Opens as well as the (CP) Canadian Women’s Open on several occasions. A native of Vegreville, Alta., Cole is a past member of the Richmond Country Club in Richmond, B.C. and a current member at the Harvest Golf Club in Kelowna, B.C. Among the nearly 400 golf courses he’s played, Cole won the Masters Tournament press lottery to play Augusta National on three separate occasions. Aside from golf, Cole covered the world’s foremost sporting events including 16 Olympics, 33 Grey Cups, 30 Stanley Cup Finals, seven World Series, 18 Super Bowls and 17 World Figure Skating Championships before retiring in December 2016. Among his many professional accolades, Cole is a two-time recipient of the Sport Media Canada Award for Outstanding Sports Writing (2004 & 2011) and was honoured by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017 with the Elmer Ferguson Award for excellence in hockey journalism.

Florin “Fuzzy” Bergh (Volunteer)

Fuzzy Bergh is considered an institution as a supporter and contributor to golf in his home province of Alberta. For more than 80 years, the Edmonton, Alta. native has been a passionate golf enthusiast and champion for the health, social, business and charitable benefit that golf brings to his community. He has been an instrumental volunteer with Alberta Golf since 1990 and has led course rating activities in the province for many years. A member and former club President at Highland Golf and Country Club in Edmonton, he is a respected contributor to the game at his home club. Bergh is also a long-time fundraiser and past chair of the Alberta Golf Foundation and has been instrumental in driving the Foundation’s scholarship program. In 2015, he was recognized by the Alberta Golf Hall of Fame for his distinguished service to the game.

Alberta Golf President and Level 4 Rules Official to be recognized during Golf Canada’s 2018 Annual Meeting

Golf Canada is pleased to announce that Tom Zariski of Drumheller, Alta. has been named the recipient of Golf Canada’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year Award.

A Level 4 Rules of Golf Official and past President of Alberta Golf, Zariski will be acknowledged during the closing dinner of Golf Canada’s 2018 Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 27^th at the Grey Eagle Resort and Casino in Calgary.

“Volunteers are the driving force behind the success of golf in this country and we are proud to recognize Tom Zariski for his leadership and extensive contributions to support the game of golf in his home province of Alberta,” said Golf Canada President Roland Deveau. “Tom has given back to the game at the provincial and national level and it is fitting that his leadership, commitment and contributions are being recognized.”

Each year in Canada, tens of thousands of committed volunteers help to support the game of golf in communities from coast to coast.

Now in its 12^th year, candidates for Golf Canada’s Volunteer of the Year Award are put forth for consideration by the respective provincial golf associations in acknowledgment of significant contributions to the game of golf in their community.

 Tom Zariski, Drumheller, Alta. 

Reading through Tom Zariski’s bio on the Alberta Golf website provides a glimpse of the credentials and contributions that brought the Drumheller, Alta. native to serve as (past) President of the provincial golf association.    

His commitment to support Alberta Golf and grow the game across the province is outstanding, and it is that commitment and leadership that validates his selection as Golf Canada’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year.

The credentials speak for themselves—a Level 4 Rules of Golf Official for the past 10 years who was elected to Alberta Golf’s Board of Directors in 2010. 

After graduating from the University of Alberta 35 years ago, he began a teaching career in Drumheller. He would later obtain a Masters’ Degree at the University of Calgary and became Principal of Drumheller Composite High School, retiring in 2010.

He also sits on the Drumheller Town Council where he is serving his second term in office. He co-founded and was President of the Drumheller Community Football Association and was also Vice President of the Dinosaur Trail Golf and Country Club, where he is a member.

Zariski also serves on several volunteer boards including the Drumheller and District Seniors Foundation, the Royal Tyrrell Museum Cooperating Society, the Drumheller R.C.M.P. Citizen’s Advisory Committee and others.

As one of Alberta’s top Level 4 Rules Officials, he plays a leading role in conducting most provincial golf championships and works to foster a strong dialogue amongst Rules Officials across the province.   

At the Board and committee level, he is forthright in sharing his opinions and expertise with a commitment to strong governance protocol and a concerted effort to run efficient and effective meetings.  

A proponent of golf and giving, Zariski also sits as President of the Alberta Golf Association Foundation Board which awards over $50,000 in scholarships annually.

He is also a member of Golf Canada’s Rules Committee and the founder of the provincial Volunteer Engagement Committee—which has since seen its work for volunteers embedded into Alberta Golf’s annual business plan. 

As an administrator, Zariski believes in a big picture approach to Alberta Golf’s working relationship with Golf Canada, and has been a driving force behind the provincial implementation of the joint membership model. 

He was named the Town of Drumheller “Citizen of the Year” in 2005 and when he is not golfing or volunteering, he has come to enjoy the game of pickle-ball.

Congratulations to Tom Zariski of Drumheller, Alta., on being named Golf Canada’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year!

PERTH, Australia – Team Canada’s Hugo Bernard opened the Australian Amateur on Tuesday with a 4-under-par 68 at the Waneroo Golf Club to hold a share of 4th place.

The Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., product jumped to a hot start, going birdie-eagle-birdie in his first three holes to sit inside the top-five against competitors from 15 countries across the world. Bernard, 24, will tee-it-up Wednesday at co-host Lake Karrinyup Golf Club for the second and final stroke play round.

Team Canada teammates Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.) and Josh Whalen (Napanee, Ont.) sit T20 and T55, respectively.

The top 64 men and 32 women will advance to Thursday’s match play draw.

Impressive opening 68 by @Hbernard63 at @Wanneroogc to start #AusAm. And some bonus weather advice for those shivering at home in @TheGolfCanada. pic.twitter.com/l7sIYe8vgL

— Golf Australia (@GolfAust) January 16, 2018

Japan’s Yuna Nishimura leads the women’s division at 6 under par; there are no Canadians in the field.

The Amateur Championships are Australia’s oldest golfing events, dating back to 1894.

Past winners include Michael Clayton, Michael Campbell, Mat Goggin, Brett Rumford, Kristie Smith and Nikki Campbell, and more recently Cameron Smith, newly crowned Australian Open champion Cameron Davis, former world No.1 Lydia Ko, Minjee Lee and current world No.12 Hye-Jin Choi, who won in 2017.

With both champions receiving exemptions into their respective Australian Opens, they are the most prized titles in Australian amateur golf.

Click here for full scoring.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – National Amateur Squad member Chris Crisologo hoisted the South American Amateur trophy on Tuesday following a four-stroke victory at the Martindale Country Club.

The Richmond, B.C., native struggled early in the final round, going 4 over par through his first five holes before recovering on the back nine with four birdies. Crisologo, 23, recorded the tournament’s two lowest rounds (64-66) to hold a lead as large as seven. He went on to close the event at 13 under par, four strokes clear of runner-up Alejandro Tosti of Argentina.

With the win, the Simon Fraser University junior becomes the first Canadian male to capture the event. LPGA star Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., captured the women’s division in 2013. The victory also marks Crisologo’s first win as a member of Team Canada—he joined the National Amateur Squad back in October.

pic.twitter.com/D83j7SnULp

— AAG (@GolfAAG) January 16, 2018

Fellow countryman Matt Williams of Calgary finished the 13th edition of the event with a 3-under-par 69—his best score of the tournament. The University of Houston of Houston junior finished the event at 4 under par in a tie for 12th.

In the women’s division, Team Canada Development Squad member Céleste Dao finished T8 at 1 over par. The Notre-Dame-de-lÎle-Perrot, Que., product carded four birdies in her final round to record her best score of the tournament with a 3-under 69.

Teammate Ellie Szeryk of London, Ont., finished tied for 22nd at 9 over par (72-79-74-72).

Click here for full scoring.

Chris Crisologo campeón del Abierto Sudamericano Amateur! Congratulaciones ! pic.twitter.com/0fJVQBp75E

— AAG (@GolfAAG) January 16, 2018

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – National Amateur Squad member Chris Crisologo fired a 6-under 66 on Monday to extend his lead to seven at the South American Amateur.

The 23-year-old Richmond, B.C., native posted the low round for a second consecutive day at Martindale Country Club to sit a 14 under through 54 holes.

The Simon Fraser University junior will look to become the first Canadian male to win the event when he tees off in tomorrow’s final round at 1:30 p.m. local time. LPGA athlete Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., captured the event in 2013 with a wire-to-wire victory in Bogotá, Colombia, to become the first female Canadian to win the event.

Fellow Canadian Matt Williams of Calgary carded a 2-under-par 70 jump inside the top 20 with a share of 17th.

On the women’s side, Team Canada duo of Céleste Dao () and Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.) sit T14 and T23, respectively. The pair of Team Canada Development Squad members are in chase of Colombia’s Silvia Garces and Maria Serrano who share the lead at 4 under par.

Click here for full scoring.

HONOLULU – Patton Kizzire figured he was in for a long day when his putting stroke wasn’t up to his standards.

He just wasn’t expecting the Sony Open to go this long.

The longest playoff in more than five years on the PGA Tour finally ended Sunday when Kizzire two-putted for par from just off the green on the par-3 17th hole, and James Hahn’s 8-foot putt to keep it going caught the right edge of the lip and spun away.

“It wasn’t pretty,” Kizzire said. “I was able to get it done.”

Kizzire, who closed with a 2-under 68, became the first multiple winner on the PGA Tour this season. He went head-to-head with Rickie Fowler and beat him by one shot in the OHL Classic in Mexico last fall for his first PGA Tour title. He was in a four-man battle on the back nine at Waialae that was whittled down to Kizzire and Hahn, who closed with a 62 to match him at 17-under 273.

And the fun was just getting started.

Kizzire had to watch three times as Hahn had a putt to win, two of those putts from 6 feet and 10 feet on the par-5 18th hole. Kizzire had two putts to win, though both of them were in the 30-foot range.

“That playoff was quite a marathon,” Kizzire said.

Canadian Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., — the lone Canadian to make the cut — finished in a tie for 39th place at 8 under.

Hahn has won both his PGA Tour title in playoffs, at Riviera and Quail Hollow. Closing with a 62 to even have a chance was no consolation.

“I played good enough to win, but I didn’t,” he said. “So for me, no matter how many birdies I make, if I’m not coming out of the room with the trophy, it really feels like I was defeated out there. I had a putt to win it. I’m going to be playing that over and over and over again.”

The six-hole playoff was the longest on the PGA Tour in just over five years, and given how the week transpired, it was only fitting.

Saturday brought panic to the islands with a push alert of a ballistic missile strike that turned out to be a false alarm.

There was a real strike on Sunday – the audio and video production workers for Golf Channel walked out over a labour dispute, leaving the network scrambling to provide at least limited coverage of an event that ended in prime time after the NFL playoff games were over.

Golf Channel managed enough cameras to provide coverage of the final three holes – one of their on-course reporters manned a camera on the 16th tower – and all six holes of the playoff.

It was worth the wait for Kizzire. His goal is to get to East Lake for the FedEx Cup finale, and he is well on his way with two victories so early in the season.

“One win doesn’t necessarily mean a whole lot,” Kizzire said. “Two means a little more, and three is even better. I’m always looking for the next one. I’m super excited right now.”

Missing from the playoff was Tom Hoge, who did everything right in his bid to win for the first time on the PGA Tour except for one swing. He had a one-shot lead when he was between clubs on the 16th hole, and opted to hit a draw to the back-left pin. He turned it too much and it found the bunker. His next shot got hung up in the shaggy rough, he chipped that to 12 feet and missed to make double bogey to slip one shot behind.

Hoge gave himself two good chances with putts of about 7 feet. Both burned the edge. He shot 70 and had to settle for third place, his best finish on the PGA Tour.

“This sets me up a lot better for the rest of the year, and hopefully made the FedEx Cup playoffs,” said Hoge, a 28-year-old from North Dakota who hasn’t kept his full card his previous three years on tour. “More so just the confidence I had to play in the final group and play well today.”

Brian Harman, who played in the final group at both Hawaii events, was two shots behind after a tap-in birdie at No. 12. But he three-putted for bogey from long range on the 13th, took two shots to get out of the bunker left of the 16th green and had to settle for a 70. He tied for fourth.

Defending champion Justin Thomas closed with a 68 and tied for 14th. Jordan Spieth finished with eight straight pars for a 66 and tied for 18th, ending his streak of seven consecutive top 10s dating to the PGA Championship in August.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Canada will be among 25 countries competing in the 13th edition of the South American Amateur at Martindale Country Club from Jan. 13-16.

Four elite amateurs will make up the Canadian contingent: Chris Crisologo (Richmond, B.C.), Matt Williams (Calgary), Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame-de-lÎle-Perrot, Que.), Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.).

Dao and Szeryk are current members of Team Canada’s Women’s Development Squad; Crisologo is a member of the Men’s Amateur Squad and Williams is a program graduate.

Williams will lead the Canadian quartet in Saturday’s opening round, teeing off No. 1 at 8:20 a.m. The University of Houston junior will be paired alongside a familiar face in Colombia’s Camilo Aguado, who held the 54-hole lead at the 2017 Canadian Men’s Amateur at Toronto Golf Club and Islington Golf Club. Aguado finished the championship tied for 4th, while Williams closed with a share of 8th.

Defending women’s champion, Isabella Fierro, will tee off No. 1 at 1:10 p.m. local time—the Italian finished T16 at the 2015 World Junior Girls Championship in Ottawa, Ont.

LPGA superstar Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., captured the event in 2013 with a wire-to-wire victory in Bogotá, Colombia, to become the first (and only) Canadian to win the event.

Click here for tee times.
Click here for full scoring.

Golf Digest released its third biennial edition of the World 100 Greatest Courses on Thursday, which included nine Canadian courses from coast-to-coast. View the full list on their website here.

No. 9

Cabot Cliffs
Inverness, N.S.

No. 20

St. George’s Golf & Country Club
Etobicoke, Ont.

No. 36

National Golf Club of Canada
Woodbridge, Ont.

No. 43

Cabot Links
Inverness, N.S.

No. 51

Capilano Golf & Country Club
West Vancouver, B.C.

No. 60

Hamilton Golf & Country Club
Ancaster, Ont.

No. 87

Highland Links
Ingonish Beach, N.S.

No. 89

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club
Jasper, Alta.

No. 99

Banff Springs Golf Club
Banff, Alta.

HONOLULU – Zach Johnson and Chris Kirk each made seven birdies and shared the lead in the Sony Open.

Jordan Spieth made eight birdies and for the second straight year walked away from Waialae Country Club amazed that he could be six shots behind.

A year ago, it was because Justin Thomas shot 59 playing in the same group.

On Thursday, it was one hole.

Spieth hit four trees with four shots on the par-4 eighth hole – his 17th of the opening round – starting with a tough break when his tee shot caromed off the trunk of a tree and down an 8-foot deep ditch that left him no good options. He wound up with a quadruple-bogey 8 and had to settle for a 69.

He signed his card, signed autographs and declined requests to speak to the media.

Canadians Mac Hughes (Dundas, Ont.) and Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.) opened with even-par rounds to hold shares of 78th place. Fellow countryman Ben Silverman (Thornhill, Ont.) carded a 1-over-par 71.

Johnson and Kirk kept clean cards playing on opposite sides of the draw and closed with different brands of birdies on the par-5 18th hole – Kirk two-putted from about 10 feet, while Johnson found a bunker, laid up and hit a wedge to 5 feet.

They were a shot ahead of Brian Harman, Vaughn Taylor, Kyle Stanley and PGA Tour rookie Talor Gooch.

Mac Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., shot 70’s and Ben Silverman of Thonrhill, Ont., was 1 over 71.

Thomas, who set the PGA Tour scoring record for 72 holes in his wire-to-wire victory, opened with a 67 and was all smiles at the end. Thomas, an Alabama alum, won a bet on the college football championship that required Georgia graduate Kevin Kisner to wear a Crimson Tide jersey on the par-3 17th.

“It’s definitely the best Kis has ever looked in a jersey,” Thomas said.

Kisner kept the jersey and plans to auction it off for charity. He shot 68.

More than half of the field – 77 players – broke par in the mild trade wind and relentless sunshine down the road from Waikiki Beach.

Kirk had only one top 10 last year – his final event of the year in the RSM Classic at Sea Island – and nearly two months off didn’t appear to half any momentum. He might have been rusty, but not when it comes to island life.

Because of the chilly weather in the South, Kirk brought his family out to Oahu a week ago Monday. He practiced a little in the morning at Ko Olina and hung out with his wife and children in the afternoon. He realized how littlegolf he had played during the short off-season when he reached into his bag and found golf balls that he had marked for the final round at Sea Island.

“I’ve probably been off long enough now that you never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “I really had no expectations whether I was going to play good or bad after having some time off. But this is a golf course that I’ve traditionally done pretty well on, and a place that I really love. So you always feel like it’s possible.”

He hit wedge to about 3 feet on the 15th and 16th, and that final birdie on the par-5 18th was a two-putt from 10 feet.

Dry weather, a fast course and the trades allowed a rarity for Johnson, who hit wedge into the green on the 480-yard opening hole. That was first of three straight birdies, and he had ample more opportunities, including a shot that hit the pin on No. 10 and settled 3 feet away. He missed that, though the two-time major champion wasn’t too discouraged. He picked up an unlikely birdie on the 13th from the fairway bunker by making a 25-foot putt, and he made a 20-foot birdie on the next hole.

“Just kept the course in front of me and played solid golf,” Johnson said, winless since the 2015 British Open at St. Andrews. “Made a few putts, missed a few putts. But I’m very encouraged with the direction.”

Spieth played well enough to be right there with them except for a pair of long three-putt bogeys – and that one tee shot.

His drive on No. 8 was not terribly offline, and the trees to the left are a common spot. This one hit the trunk of a tree and tumbled down a wide (and dry) ditch about 8 feet below the fairway. He studied his options. He found none.

He could have dropped it with a penalty stroke, but there was nowhere to go. His plan was to hit out of the sandy base of the ditch toward the trees closer to the fairway. If it hit the trees and dropped out, he would have been closer than the drop and at least had an opening to the putting surface.

It hit one of the smaller branches and came back toward him, about a yard short of go back down into the ditch. For his third shot, he had a gap toward the front of the green (the pin was back left), but out of a fluffy lie, the ball came out high and hit more trees, bouncing left and settle near another tree.

Next, he had to go under the tree in front of him and over a tree guarding the green. He only got the first part right.

At this point, he was lying 4 and was only a few yards away from the second tee, waiting for another group to tee off. His only choice there was to dump it into the bunker, where the sand was thin. He hit that out to 30 feet and two putts later had a snowman (8).