On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, the golf world received heartbreaking news. Matt McQuillan unexpectedly passed away at 45. On August 8, Golf Canada paid its condolences via a tweet.

“Golf Canada joins the Canadian golf community in mourning the passing of Matt McQuillan, a former @PGATOUR member and longtime teaching professional. He was 45.”

McQuillan passed away at Kingston General Hospital (KGH) in Ontario, surrounded by family.

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McQuillan was a former PGA Tour professional who had played professional golf for 23 years. He made his mark right after college with exemplary performances as a junior in the 1990s. McQuillan’s performances eventually took him to high ranks before he turned his attention to full-time teaching.

But his journey to professional golf was anything but smooth. Before his struggles, McQuillan was a kid from Kingston, Ontario, who picked up golf clubs at the age of 10. His father raised and coached him for a few years. Matt was a prodigy at the course almost immediately. He became the youngest-ever winner of the Men’s Open and Men’s Club Championship at Garrison Golf and Curling Club at just 15.

Shortly, McQuillan made a name for himself as one of the most promising young golfers in the late 90s. He secured the No. 1 national junior ranking in 1999. His highlights include winning the Ontario Junior Championship and the AJGA Tucker Anthony Championship.

McQuillan’s exemplary performances continued as he played collegiate golf at Oklahoma State University and the University of Georgia. But bad times were to come. Soon after leaving college, he struggled to make ends meet. To survive, McQuillan started serving beer in restaurants. Even after turning pro in 2003, he couldn’t live off his earnings from the Canadian Tour.

Even after multiple attempts, McQuillan didn’t get the results. Frustrated, he said goodbye to golf and returned to working in a restaurant in 2006.

But then, McQuillan had a change of heart. He went back on the Canadian Tour to play mini-tour events. His perseverance was rewarded: a PGA Tour card in 2011. He had his most memorable performance at the John Deere Classic the same year. He closed the tournament with a bogey-free 64 and finished tied for third, his best result in 32 PGA Tour starts.

Fans Shattered by Matt McQuillan’s Loss

One fan took a moment to highlight McQuillan’s best-remembered plays as they commented.

“RIP Matt McQuillan, Canadian Pro Golfer, PGA Tour, PGA Tour Canada, Canadian Tour (2003-2019), Winner of the Telus Edmonton Open (2005), Oklahoma State University, University of Georgia. In Memoriam #RIP”

Another fan commented, “RiP Matt…hope you are at peace now.”

Doug Roxburgh, who captained McQuillan in the National Cup, said,
“I was lucky enough to captain Matt and the others in the Four Nations Cup in 2001 at Lambton GC. Matt was a fierce competitor and contributed an incredibly hard-fought win the final day against a strong Aussie player. Very sad and heartfelt condolences to family and friends.”

“Very sad to hear that Matt McQuillan has passed away. He was a very, very good amateur, underrated pro who had his moments but never caught a lot of breaks. I really enjoyed chatting with him a few times over the years. Rest in peace. ❤️,” said journalist Peter Robinson.