Lansing Sun

Michigan State golfer Ashton McCulloch is set to compete in the RBC Canadian Open, taking place at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Ancaster, Ontario. The event begins on Thursday, May 30. McCulloch secured his spot in the tournament by winning the Canadian Amateur Championship last August with a score of 7-under par 277.

The Kingston, Ontario native will start his first round on Thursday morning at 8:35 a.m., playing alongside Ryan McCormick and Paul Barjon. Reflecting on his victory at the Canadian Amateur, McCulloch remarked, "It's awesome, it's a tournament you grew up watching (in Canada)." He acknowledged the significance of joining past champions like Mackenzie Hughes and Nick Taylor, who became the first Canadian in 70 years to win the Canadian Open last year.

Before the tournament, McCulloch played practice rounds with former Michigan State player and current PGA Tour professional Ryan Brehm. Michigan State Head Coach Casey Lubahn accompanied them. Lubahn expressed pride in witnessing both a former and current player from Michigan State participating together on the PGA Tour: "That was a pretty special moment and day, not only for me but for Ashton too."

McCulloch has had an impressive college career at Michigan State. This year, he was named All-Big Ten Second Team and achieved top finishes in several events. His scoring average of 70.89 over 36 rounds broke the previous school record held by James Piot. Over three seasons at Michigan State, McCulloch has consistently ranked among the all-time single-season leaders.

Looking back on his journey, McCulloch said that winning the Canadian Amateur helped him regain confidence after struggling during his sophomore year. "I realized I am good enough to compete," he noted.

McCulloch aims to turn professional eventually and sees this week's tournament as an opportunity to gain valuable experience. "I'm proud of the circles I've moved into on the amateur level and hoping I can carry that over," he stated.