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Anderson has eyes on next level of pro golf, including contending for Fortinet Cup

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Matthew Anderson always knew he was capable of playing at the highest levels of golf.

Anderson is third in the PGA Tour Americas standings heading into this week’s Fortinet Cup Championship, the season finale of the third-tier tour. Regardless of how the native of Mississauga, Ont., does at TPC Toronto, it’s been a career-defining year for the 24-year-old Anderson.

“I knew at the beginning of the season that this would be a possibility,” said Anderson after returning to the Greater Toronto Area following the CRMC Championship in Minnesota. “It just takes consistency with your work ethic, just showing up and trying to get better every day.

“That’s really what I was focusing on and compared to this time last year. I just feel like I’m a totally different player. Not different, but just kind of better in every aspect, especially the short game.”

Anderson was atop the standings after the Latin American swing of the Americas season, thanks to a win at the 69th ECP Brazil Open on April 21 and two ties for third in the southern leg of the schedule.

Although Anderson missed the first two cuts of the Canadian swing of the tour, he recovered by seeing the weekend seven times. That includes three top 10s: a tie for seventh at the Explore NB Open on July 14, a tie for second at the BioSteel Championship on Aug. 4 and a tie for fifth at the CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open on Aug. 25.

“I wouldn’t say I’ve slowed down, I’ve been playing some decent golf, just haven’t gotten too many top results in the Canada swing, ” he said. “I’m playing decent, but just got caught by other guys winning a couple of events and getting hot.

“Obviously, I want to win this week, but I’m in a good spot, just have to focus on what I can do and everything will take care of itself.”

American John Keefer is atop the Fortinet Cup rankings with 1,862 points heading into play at TPC Toronto in Caledon, Ont., on Thursday morning. Denmark’s Frederik Kjettrup is second with 1,692 and Anderson is third with 1,430.

All three have mathematically secured themselves spots in the PGA Tour’s top 10, meaning they will have cards on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour next season.

“It’s another step in the process of making it to the PGA Tour and trying to become one of the best golfers in the world,” said Anderson. “I’m very excited for it.

“I feel that I’m plenty ready. I’m plenty ready to contend and try and finish at the top next year and get my PGA Tour card.”

Edmonton’s Wil Bateman was the last Canadian to win on the then-PGA Tour Canada, accomplishing the feat in 2022. Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., finished second on the circuit in 2019 and finished this season as the top-ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour.

“It’s a really good proving ground. You’ve got to be able to compete out there each week,” Pendrith said, noting he’s following that tour’s finale closely. “It’s a short season, so you have to play really solid golf for the whole summer out there to move up to the Korn Ferry Tour.

“I think Matt’s in a good spot. He’s playing very good, very solid golf, and hopefully he keeps it up.”

DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., is the lone Canadian in the field at this week’s Omega European Masters. He’s 46th on the Race to Dubai standings, the points list for the European-based tour, headed into play at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in Crans Montana, Switzerland.

BROOKE HENDERSON — Superstar Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., has struck a deal with her hometown Ottawa Senators. Henderson’s water bottles and golf towels will feature the Senators logo for the next few LPGA Tour seasons.

EPSON TOUR — Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., is the top-ranked Canadian in this week’s Guardian Championship. She’s No. 114 on the second-tier tour’s points list. Thibault also got her third-ever hole-in-one on Monday while practising at Capitol Hill Golf Club with Vancouver’s Leah John. Maddie Szeryk (117th) of London, Ont., John (120th), and amateur Jillian Friyia of London are also in the field in Prattville, Ala.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 4, 2024.



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RCMP investigating after three found dead in Lloydminster, Sask.

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LLOYDMINSTER, SASK. – RCMP are investigating the deaths of three people in Lloydminster, Sask.

They said in a news release Thursday that there is no risk to the public.

On Wednesday evening, they said there was a heavy police presence around 50th Street and 47th Avenue as officers investigated an “unfolding incident.”

Mounties have not said how the people died, their ages or their genders.

Multiple media reports from the scene show yellow police tape blocking off a home, as well as an adjacent road and alleyway.

The city of Lloydminster straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.

Mounties said the three people were found on the Saskatchewan side of the city, but that the Alberta RCMP are investigating.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 12, 2024.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story; An earlier version said the three deceased were found on the Alberta side of Lloydminster.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Three injured in Kingston, Ont., assault, police negotiating suspect’s surrender

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KINGSTON, Ont. – Police in Kingston, Ont., say three people have been sent to hospital with life-threatening injuries after a violent daytime assault.

Kingston police say officers have surrounded a suspect and were trying to negotiate his surrender as of 1 p.m.

Spokesperson Const. Anthony Colangeli says police received reports that the suspect may have been wielding an edged or blunt weapon, possibly both.

Colangeli says officers were called to the Integrated Care Hub around 10:40 a.m. after a report of a serious assault.

He says the three victims were all assaulted “in the vicinity,” of the drop-in health centre, not inside.

Police have closed Montreal Street between Railway Street and Hickson Avenue.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Government intervention in Air Canada talks a threat to competition: Transat CEO

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Demands for government intervention in Air Canada labour talks could negatively affect airline competition in Canada, the CEO of travel company Transat AT Inc. said.

“The extension of such an extraordinary intervention to Air Canada would be an undeniable competitive advantage to the detriment of other Canadian airlines,” Annick Guérard told analysts on an earnings conference call on Thursday.

“The time and urgency is now. It is time to restore healthy competition in Canada,” she added.

Air Canada has asked the federal government to be ready to intervene and request arbitration as early as this weekend to avoid disruptions.

Comments on the potential Air Canada pilot strike or lock out came as Transat reported third-quarter financial results.

Guérard recalled Transat’s labour negotiations with its flight attendants earlier this year, which the company said it handled without asking for government intervention.

The airline’s 2,100 flight attendants voted 99 per cent in favour of a strike mandate and twice rejected tentative deals before approving a new collective agreement in late February.

As the collective agreement for Air Transat pilots ends in June next year, Guérard anticipates similar pressure to increase overall wages as seen in Air Canada’s negotiations, but reckons it will come out “as a win, win, win deal.”

“The pilots are preparing on their side, we are preparing on our side and we’re confident that we’re going to come up with a reasonable deal,” she told analysts when asked about the upcoming negotiations.

The parent company of Air Transat reported it lost $39.9 million or $1.03 per diluted share in its quarter ended July 31. The result compared with a profit of $57.3 million or $1.49 per diluted share a year earlier.

Revenue totalled $736.2 million, down from $746.3 million in the same quarter last year.

On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost $1.10 per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $1.10 per share a year earlier.

It attributed reduced revenues to lower airline unit revenues, competition, industry-wide overcapacity and economic uncertainty.

Air Transat is also among the airlines facing challenges related to the recall of Pratt & Whitney turbofan jet engines for inspection and repair.

The recall has so far grounded six aircraft, Guérard said on the call.

“We have agreed to financial compensation for grounded aircraft during the 2023-2024 period,” she said. “Alongside this financial compensation, Pratt & Whitney will provide us with two additional spare engines, which we intend to monetize through a sell and lease back transaction.”

Looking ahead, the CEO said she expects consumer demand to remain somewhat uncertain amid high interest rates.

“We are currently seeing ongoing pricing pressure extending into the winter season,” she added. Air Transat is not planning on adding additional aircraft next year but anticipates stability.

“(2025) for us will be much more stable than 2024 in terms of fleet movements and operation, and this will definitely have a positive effect on cost and customer satisfaction as well,” the CEO told analysts.

“We are more and more moving away from all the disruption that we had to go through early in 2024,” she added.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TRZ)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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