Nick Taylor named First Tee-Canada ambassador

British Columbia golf star Nick Taylor is no stranger to thrilling golf fans and inspiring the next generation of players. All it took was draining a historic 72-foot putt on a fourth playoff hole to become the first Canadian in 69 years to win Canada’s National Open Golf Championship.

Taylor, who still calls Abbotsford, B.C. his home, was twice named the PNGA Men’s Player of the Year (2008, 2009), and for 21 weeks during his senior year at the University of Washington was the No. 1-ranked amateur player in the world.

Now the five-time PGA TOUR winner and 2023 RBC Canadian Open champion is giving back to youth golf, becoming an official ambassador for First Tee-Canada and taking on a leading role alongside his wife Andie and their family in inspiring children from all backgrounds to experience the sport and its core values.

As the program’s newest ambassador, the 2024 Olympian will carry the First Tee-Canada logo on his TOUR bag in support of the national youth development program delivered by Golf Canada which has introduced nearly 200,000 youth to the sport since launching in 2021.

“Being part of First Tee-Canada is an incredible opportunity to give back to the game that has given me so much,” said Taylor, the only Canadian male golfer to have won the Canadian Junior, Amateur and National Open trifecta. “Golf has shaped my life in many ways, and I want kids across our country to experience the values of discipline, friendship, integrity and the joy of competing which they can carry into everything they do. Andie and I are humbled to be able to support First Tee-Canada through our annual charity event.”

First Tee-Canada, a program designed to make golf more accessible by providing equipment, coaching and inclusive spaces, has quickly expanded into schools, community centers and golf facilities nationwide. Many of the program’s nearly 200,000 youth participants have joined from communities that would not otherwise have the opportunity to play the sport. Along with golf instruction, participants learn about perseverance, integrity, teamwork and respect — skills that reach beyond the fairway.

With First Tee-British Columbia as one of the charitable beneficiaries of the Nick Taylor Charity Classic, Taylor strives to make the sport he loves more accessible and inclusive for youth.

First held in 2017, the annual Nick Taylor Charity Classic once again showcased the power of community, sport, and generosity, raising more than $550,000 this year to support youth and family programs across the Fraser Valley and beyond.

Held September 5-6, 2025, the two-day celebration featured a vibrant day of golf at the picturesque Cultus Lake Golf Club, followed by a community celebration in Chilliwack.

His support for the program has helped the BC chapter expand no-cost programming to Cultus Lake, reaching hundreds of participants near his hometown of Abbotsford.

“I continue to be blown away by the generosity of this community and the way people rally around this event,” Taylor said. “When we started nine years ago, we couldn’t have imagined the growth, impact, and spirit this Classic would generate. To see more than half a million dollars raised this year alone is truly inspiring.”

The Nick Taylor Charity Classic has now raised over $2.5 million since it was first held in 2017, with proceeds fueling scholarships, grassroots golf programming, and community sport initiatives across the Fraser Valley. The addition of the First Tee Fraser Valley chapter in recent years has further extended the Classic’s reach, ensuring that children of all backgrounds can benefit from golf’s values of honesty, integrity, and perseverance.

Fundraising for First Tee-Canada is led by the Golf Canada Foundation, and the program is proudly supported by RBC and other contributing partners.

As a member of Team RBC, Taylor’s ambassador role also builds on his involvement with the RBC Community Junior Golf initiative, launched by RBC in partnership with Golf Canada in 2022, which brings affordable and community-based golf opportunities to children across Canada.

“Golf Canada has been fortunate to know Nick and the Taylor family since he was a young teenager,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “He has excelled at every level of golf, from junior through his amateur young pro career and now being one of the top professionals on the PGA TOUR. What has been equally amazing to witness is Nick’s commitment to making an impact when he’s off the golf course. In becoming a First Tee-Canada ambassador, it further demonstrates Nick’s incredible contribution to golf, to Canada and to the youth and families whose lives he will shape and inspire.”

With the shared commitment of Taylor as a proud ambassador, Golf Canada will continue to expand the First Tee-Canada program across the country, encouraging more equity-deserving youth to discover the game, embrace its values and develop skills for life.

For more information about First Tee-Canada, visit firstteecanada.ca.