Ben Kern Charity Pro Am raises $1 million to support prostate cancer research
Brent Long
WOODBRIDGE, ON: For a third consecutive year, The National Golf Club of Canada Ben Kern Charity Pro-Am has raised $1 million or more to support prostate cancer research through the Departments of Urology at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Trillium Health Partners.
Since expanding the tournament that dates back to 2003 to two days in 2023 and launching its charitable arm, The National Golf Club of Canada Foundation, in 2024, the tournament has brought in more than $3.6 million through the generosity of members in support of their local community.
Matthew Anderson (pictured at top), who finished T11 in the 2026 RBC Canadian Open at TPC Osprey Valley, made the most of his third appearance in the Ben Kern Charity Pro-Am.
On Monday August 31, Matthew took the victory at 1-under 70 for a $20,000 payday, followed by a three-way tie for second at even-par 71 between Etienne Papineau with three birdies and three bogeys, Hunter Thomas with six birdies, three bogeys and a killer triple bogey on No. 6 and Nick Marchese, who had two birdies and two bogeys. They each pocketed $7,300.
It was an all-Canadian field for both days featuring professionals from the PGA Tour, the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Americas and PGA of Canada tournament players.
The National’s Director of Golf, Mike McMahon, noted that everyone in the field of 30 professionals broke 80 for the first time. Purses for the two pro-ams increased as a result of the focus on Canadian fields. The purse for The National Alumni Pro-Am rose $6,000 to $20,000. The purse for the Ben Kern Charity Pro-Am increased $20,000 to $60,000. (last couple of years several Champions Tour players have played)
AJ Ewart, Thomas Giroux and Joey Savoie finished T5 at 1-over 72, earning $3,000 each. Six players, including Ashton McCulloch, Danny King, Cougar Collins, Brady McKinlay, Max Sekulic and Noah Steele, finished T8 at 2-over, earning $1,250 apiece.
An inch of rain overnight and into the morning on the final day of August meant carts were restricted to paths and lift, clean and place applied on fairway-height grass or lower. The Gold tees were shortened to 7,228 yards, with the blocks on 7, 12 and 14 moving to the Blacks.
SUNDAY
Nick Marchese from Woodbridge posted the low score of the day to win The National Alumni Pro-Am on Sunday, August 30, to kick off the 2026 Ben Kern Charity Pro-Am.
Nick carded a sweet score of 3-under 68 from the Black tees, 6,851 yards, on the way to collecting 39 Stableford points for the victory, which included five birdies and two bogeys.
Nick picked up $5,000 for the victory on Sunday out of a total purse of $20,000 in The National Alumni Pro-Am, plus $7,300 for finishing T2 in the Ben Kern Charity Pro-Am. He’s headed to Korn Ferry Q-School this fall.
Second place with 37 Stableford points at 1-under 70 went to Korn Ferry Tour player Stuart MacDonald, who picked up $3,500, followed in third place with 36 points at even-par 70 by Korn Ferry player Drew Nesbitt, who earned $2,500. Three players finished T4, including Ed Maunder, Cougar Collings and Cameron Pero.
