Canadian star swimmer Summer McIntosh wins gold in Olympic 200-metre IM

The MLS Disciplinary Committee has fined Toronto FC midfielder Kosi Thompson an undisclosed amount for tangling with D.C. United midfielder Gabriel Pirani in TFC’s 3-1 loss Saturday.

Thompson attempted to play peacemaker as teammate Richie Laryea clashed with Pirani in the 90th minute of the game at BMO Field. But in pushing the Brazilian away, the 21-year-old from Toronto fell afoul of Major League Soccer’s policy regarding hands to the face, head, or neck of an opponent.

Laryea and Pirani were both booked on the play, which started when the TFC wingback pushed the D.C. United player as he kicked the ball away to delay a Toronto free kick after Laryea was chopped to the ground.

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

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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.

Mike Weir held a dinner for about 20 potential International Team players in early May to try and create a sense of camaraderie in the months leading up to the Presidents Cup.

The Canadian Golf Hall of Famer told the assembled players that it would be great if one of them could win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and build some momentum for the International Team.

Flash forward to that weekend and Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., was claiming his first PGA Tour win.

“Mike was texting me throughout the week, and he texted me on Saturday night before the final round, and had a lot of motivational things to say,” said Pendrith on Wednesday. “He said ‘you don’t need to be anybody else. Just go out there and play your game and take care of business.'”

Pendrith has handled his business on the PGA Tour since that win, earning a spot on the International Team a second consecutive time.

He, Corey Conners, and Mackenzie Hughes were named to the Presidents Cup on Tuesday, the first time three Canadians will get to play in the event. It’s good timing for them as the prestigious best-on-best tournament will be in Canada for the first time since 2007 when Royal Montreal Golf Club will host the event Sept. 24-27.

“Mike added a little bit of motivation at that dinner to make the team, maybe fired me up a little bit, and I was able to win that week,” said Pendrith on Weir’s influence. “But he’s been great. He is available if you ever have any questions, and has been great to the Canadian guys.

“Obviously, he’s the legend in Canada, and wants us to succeed and follow in his footsteps. The three of us are super pumped, and want to make him proud.”

The team dinners are actually part of the International Team’s strategy.

South Africa’s Trevor Immelman introduced the bonding exercise when he was the team’s captain in 2022, to try and overcome the cultural differences inherent in a team that can feature players from around the world — save Europe and the United States.

Weir said he thinks the tactic is working and that Pendrith’s victory after his speech in Dallas has been something of a rallying point for the International Team.

“There’s a sense within our team room that everybody really likes each other. We’re more familiar with one another,” said Weir after announcing his six captain’s picks on Monday. “Hopefully that leads to good play. When you’re a little bit looser and you know one another, you tend to play a little bit looser.

“Hopefully that leads to the guys really playing free and good.”

Pendrith, Conners, and Hughes have played together as a team in various combinations before. All three played together at Kent State University, Conners and Hughes represented Canada at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and Pendrith and Conners played for the Internationals at the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

“It’s going to be comfortable to see some very familiar faces in the team room, and we’re all good buddies and want on each other to do extremely well,” said Pendrith. “If we play together, that’s great. If we don’t, then we’re going to do what’s best for the team.

“I think having those guys there and having Weirsy being the captain, it’s going to be a very good week, and I’m super excited to get going.”

Pendrith said he learned a lot in Charlotte, when the Internationals fell to the United States 17 1/2 to 12 1/2. Potentially the biggest lesson for him was the importance of winning the first hole on the first day.

“We’ve got stats and data guys on our team who have so much information, it’s almost overwhelming, but they’re so smart,” he said. “I feel like we’re all buying into it, really trusting them and I think getting off to a good start in the match is huge.

“I don’t know the exact number, but if you win the first hole, you have X per cent chance of winning the match. So that’s what we’re really focusing on, is getting off to a good start.”

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