Matt McQuillan (via Getty)Canadian professional golfer Matt McQuillan died on August 5, 2026, at the age of 45. He passed away in Kingston, Ontario, surrounded by his loved ones. His death has left the Canadian golf community mourning a player who reached the PGA Tour after years of hard work and persistence. McQuillan was known for his competitive spirit and strong connection with golf from a young age.Born on June 19, 1981, in Kingston, Ontario, McQuillan started playing golf at the age of 10. His father, Mark McQuillan, introduced him to the sport at the Garrison Golf and Country Club. Matt quickly developed into one of Kingston’s promising young golfers before building a professional career in Canada and the United States.Who is Matter McQuillan? Here's his legacy and PGA Tour career McQuillan’s journey to professional golf was built over many years. As a junior golfer, he enjoyed considerable success in Ontario. In 1996, at just 15, he became the youngest winner of both the Garrison Men’s Open and Garrison Men’s Club Championship. He later won the club championship again in 1998 and 1999.His amateur career also included victories in the Ontario Junior Championship and Ontario Junior Match Play Championship in 1999. That same year, he was named Kingston’s Amateur Athlete of the Year. In 2000, he represented Canada at a World Junior Team event in Japan.McQuillan turned professional in 2003. He soon made his presence felt on the Canadian Tour. His biggest early success came at the 2005 Telus Edmonton Open, where he claimed his first Canadian Tour victory.His breakthrough on the PGA Tour came after a strong performance at the 2010 qualifying school. McQuillan earned playing rights for the 2011 PGA Tour season after finishing inside the required positions at the final qualifying stage.He made his PGA Tour debut at the Sony Open in Hawaii in 2011. Although his first season was challenging, he produced the best result of his career at the John Deere Classic.McQuillan finished tied for third at the tournament after a superb final-round performance. He earned $261,000 from the event and moved significantly higher in the world rankings. He also finished tied for sixth at the Reno-Tahoe Open later that season.Overall, McQuillan made seven cuts in 21 PGA Tour events in 2011. He finished 137th on the money list. He later continued his professional career and qualified for PGA Tour Canada in 2017.Matt McQuillan’s family: Parents and sister Away from his achievements, McQuillan was remembered for his close family ties. His father Mark played an important role in his early golfing journey and coached him for several years. His mother Donna was also connected with the Garrison club and helped introduce him to the game.McQuillan’s sister, Cortney, was another important member of his family. His family’s obituary remembered him warmly as a devoted son, brother and friend. His mother died shortly before Matt’s own death, making the family’s loss particularly difficult.Publicly available biographical and obituary information does not identify McQuillan as having a wife or children. Instead, tributes focused on his relationship with his parents, sister, friends and the wider golfing community.