Listowel, Ont.'s Corey Conners finishes 12th at PGA Championship

A Listowel, Ontario native was in the hunt for his first major championship in the PGA.

Corey Conners entered Sunday at the PGA Championship one stroke back of tournament leader Brooks Koepka.

By the end of the day, Conners finished tied for 12th.

Throughout the major, the Listowel native was in contention for the win and had people in his hometown buzzing.

"It's been a pretty special week so far," Conners said. "I think being so close to Canada, there's a lot of Canadians out here cheering me on."

The Canadian earned his second PGA tour Victoria a few weeks ago in Texas and is now getting plenty of support from his hometown as he swings for a big win.

"It's huge, absolutely huge," said Dean Robichaud, member of the Listowel Golf Club. "Everybody talks about him all the time.

"What makes him so special is that he doesn't forget his roots and he comes back and he's grateful for where he came from and where he started."

As a kid, Conners grew up on the fairways at Listowel Golf Club. He was a three-time junior champion before winning back to back club championships in 2008 and 2009.

"His dad would drop him off at the course in the morning and pick him up at night," said Rod Sachs, another member at the club. "At 14, he beat me at the club championships.

"He always says where he's from. He says Listowel, Ontario. He doesn't just say 'midwestern Ontario.' He loves the town and the people here."

Over a decade later, it's like he never left. Corey's photos, staff bag, and club he used to get a hole in one at the 2021 Masters are still on display.

"He does come to the club, he does come and play," said John Schmidt, head professional at the golf club. "He has a lot of friends and family in town."

A win at the PGA Championship would have made him the second Canadian ever to win a men's major championship after Sarnia's Mike Weir claimed the 2003 Masters.