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Henry Brunton, David Ross and Bill Kerr Sr. to be inducted into PGA of Canada Hall of Fame
The PGA of Canada Hall of Fame will add three members at Canada Night presented by Cabot on Wednesday, January 22.
Henry BruntonBorn in Ottawa, Henry Brunton began his golf journey with his first job when he was twelve years old in his hometown of Kemptville, Ontario and spent his entire life working to make the game better for those around him. He has had a significant impact on the development of golf in Canada, as well as his fellow PGA Professionals. Brunton, A PGA of Canada Master Professional and graduate of the University of Ottawa, is a recognized global leader in golf coaching and PGA coach education.
He created the PGA of Canada Teaching and Coaching Certification Program and took the lead in developing the Golf Canada Long-Term Player Development Guide. He authored two best-selling books and has been a keynote speaker at major golf conferences across Canada and the USA and worldwide in more than a dozen countries including the PGA of America Teaching Summit and the World Scientific Congress of Golf in Australia.
Henry Brunton won a career grand slam of PGA of Canada national awards: Junior Leader of the Year (2011), Professional Development Award (2012), Teacher of the Year (2016) and Coach of the Year (2018). Brunton received international recognition from the PGA’s of Europe with its most prestigious honour; the 5 Star Professional Award. He has also been recognized as the following: GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher in the USA; Golf Digest Best in Country and Top International Teacher. In 2013, Henry was the first golf coach to be awarded the Andy Higgins Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Coaches Association of Ontario.
For more than a decade, beginning in 1999, Brunton was Golf Canada’s first National Men’s Coach laying the foundation for the future success and supporting several players who became PGA TOUR stars including: Graham DeLaet, Nick Taylor, Adam Hadwin, Corey Conners, Adam Svensson, Taylor Pendrith, and Mackenzie Hughes. Teams he coached won silver medals at both the World Junior and World Amateur Championships. He has coached sixteen NCAA All-Americans and two NCAA DI Champions.
Since 1999 he has operated the Henry Brunton Golf Academy with his wife, Rhonda Fleury, and in 2015 added locations in California and Florida. He was elected a Class A Member of the PGA of America in 2021.
David Ross (via Golf Quebec)
A native of Lachine, Québec, Mr. Ross’ first love was hockey, playing with the Lachine Maroons in the era of Cournoyer, Lemaire, St. Onge, and then earning a scholarship to St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, where he captained both the hockey and golf teams and received his B.A. in 1967.
Golf won over hockey, and after serving as an Assistant at Royal Montreal, Summerlea and Rosemère, Ross became the Head Professional at Candiac in 1972, and later l’Estérel, from 1981-2001. He took a well-deserved break in 2002, and then the became the coordinator of the Future Links program for Golf Québec from 2003-05 before moving moving around as a Head Professional at Gowan Brae, Miramichi, and Mactaquac in the Atlantic Zone.
Mr. Ross won half a dozen professional events in Québec, including the Québec Assistants’ Championship in 1969, the Québec Open Pro-Am in 1983, and the inaugural Québec Club Professional Championship in 1983.
Mr Ross also served as Captain (1976) and President (1978) of the PGA of Québec and President of the PGA of Canada (1985-87). He also assisted on numerous committees at the local, provincial and national levels, including the Québec Golf Hall of Fame Committee (2016-2021). Mr. Ross just completed 50 years as a Class A Member of the PGA of Canada and is a Lifetime Member.
Recognized for his outstanding contributions to golf development, Mr. Ross received the award for the Professional who has contributed the Most for the Advancement of Golf in Québec twice, in 1998 and 2006.
He was the originator, host and directed the First and All-Female ‘Ladies Pro-Am’ in Canada, proudly working with his immediate Committee of Jocelyne Bourassa and Mario Brisebois (both Québec Golf Hall of Famers), from 1989-1999, starting with 13 teams and a purse of $6,000 and ending with 35 teams and a record $55,000 purse for a one-day tournament. Professionals participating in the Estérel Pro-Am and Guest Tournament included Québec Golf Hall of Fame inductees Debbie Savoy Morel and Mary Lee Cobick as well as LPGA legends Lorie Kane and Nancy Harvey, Terry Brecher and Linda Shepherd.
Mr. Ross was also awarded the prestigious Pierre-Nadon Award (2016) from Golf Québec for his 50 years of career, passion and dedication to the game of golf.
Completing Mr. Ross' public service dedication, he co-founding the Irish Open, spanning from 1984-2000, providing considerable proceeds to the Erin Sports Club. In addition, Mr. Ross was elected to the Quebec Golf Hall of Fame in the Builder category.
Bill Kerr Sr. (1911-1997) via Golf Quebec
Golf tradition started for Bill Kerr at 11-years old when he took on “water boy” duties for the workers building the York Downs Golf Club in Toronto. Caddying at York Downs led to the position of Assistant Pro at the club in 1927.
Stops at the Toronto Hunt Club, Cedar Brae, and the Thornhill Golf Club laid the foundation for his development as a player and a teacher.
Born in Lisburn, Ireland, on January 14th, 1911, Bill Kerr immigrated to Toronto in September of that same year, where he remained until 1947 when he became professional at the Beaconsfield Golf Club – an appointment which would last for twenty-eight years.
Already a fine golf competitor before arriving in Montréal, Bill Kerr had twice won the Miller Cup Match Play Championship, a title he would capture twice more during his competitive career. While in Toronto, Bill established his credentials with a fifth-place finish in the Canadian Open in 1941, and a PGA of Canada Championship win in 1945. He improved upon his Canadian Open finish in 1949 with a 3rd-placce finish.
While Head Professional at Beaconsfield, Kerr enhanced his reputation as a top-flight competitor representing Canada in international golf matches. From 1953 through 1961, Bill Kerr represented Canada at; the multi-national Canada Cup, now known as the World Cup, the US – Canada Hopkins Trophy Matches, and the 1961 Masters at Augusta.
In addition, Bill Kerr twice served as president of the PGA of Québec, as well as president of the PGA of Canada from 1955 through 1958.
Bill Kerr’s legacy was not limited to competition and instructing his club members. His progeny has, with distinction, contributed to the development of golf in the Montréal area and beyond. Sons Robbie and Bill Jr. have been respectively President of the Beaconsfield Golf Club, and President of the Montréal District of the Québec Golf Association.
The golf community was devestated to learn of Bill Kerr Jr's passing last year after a distinguished career.
A tower of prestige within the golfing community during his lifetime, William H. Kerr, who passed away in January 1997, at the age of 86, left an enviable legacy of playing and teaching excellence, and the nucleus of a dynasty to further Canada’s proud position in the golf world.
Join fellow PGA of Canada professionals and guests from across the industry at the PGA of Canada Night reception presented by Cabot on Wednesday, January 22 in Orlando, Florida.
It will be the BIGGEST party of the 2024 PGA Merchandise Show and the perfect opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, meet international suppliers, and enjoy the PGA of Canada National Awards and Hall of Fame inductions supported by ECCO Golf.
Doors for the event open at 5 PM and the awards will get underway at 5:30 PM ET sharp.
BE THE NORTH – DOWN SOUTH.
PGA of Canada Night
Wednesday, January 24, 2024
5:00 P.M. – 7:45 P.M.
Awards: 5:30 P.M.
Room W109A – Orange County Convention Center, West Concourse
Orlando, Florida
Please Click Here to RSVP if you are a PGA of Canada member. All other RSVPs and questions about Canada Night can be directed to Matt Mueller at Matt.M@PGAofCanada.com
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