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CANADIANS ON TOUR
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June 16, 2003
It was the most complete Fathers Day gift a son could give his father who had taught him everything about the game of golf, how to swing his clubs and the values that come with living a life with integrity. It was the most perfect Fathers Day gift Jim Furyk could possibly imagine creating for himself as he celebrated his own Fathers Day for the first time by winning the 2003 U.S. Open, his first Major golf championship.
eight-under par that was three shots better than Aussie Stephen Leaney and six ahead of Masters Champion Mike Weir of Bright’s Cove ON (73-67-68-71—279) and Kenny Perry who tied for third. In 12 events so far this season Weir has accumulated $4,046,392 in earnings with three victories, three thirds and seven Top 10 finishes. He is the PGA TOUR’s leading money winner and will quite likely move from fifth into the top three or four in the Official World Golf Ranking this week.
Speaking of his parents and his wife, Furyk fought to keep his emotions in check as he commented: "Those people have made a lot of sacrifices for me. This has been a team effort, and to be able to share this with them is what's so special. What I've done as a person and as a golfer, I owe to my family.”
The U.S. Open was also a milestone for two other Canadians. Ian Leggatt, of Cambridge, ON tied for 20th (68-70-68-77—283) despite experiencing a letdown the final round and managed to come away with $64,170. Chris Baryla, the Vernon, BC, amateur who celebrated completing his sophomore year at University of Texas-El Paso by qualifying for his first U.S. Open, shot a respectable (72-74—146) six over par and missed the cut by three strokes. Baryla was one of 10 amateurs entered - - only two survived the cut.
In an all-foreign playoff Australian Rachel Teske challenged two of the best the LPGA TOUR has to offer during a four-player playoff and over three extra holes posted a par and two birdies to emerge as winner of the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic in Vienna, Ohio. Teske finished 54 holes at (70-65-69—204) 12-under par and tied with Annika Sorenstam (71-65-68—204), Lorie Kane (70-71-63—204) of Charlottetown, PEI and Jennifer Rosales of the Philippines (72-64-68—204). They all pared and birdied the first two extra holes but Teske’s next birdie putt clinched her sixth LPGA victory and a prize worth $150,000. The win also halted Sorenstam’s winning streak at two in a row following her PGA TOUR adventure some three weeks ago.
Kane’s cheque for $69,945 boosted her season’s earnings to over $308,000. A.J. Eathorne, Penticton, BC finished at (71-71-73—215) one-under for $5,024 while Liz Earley, St. Catharines, ON was (69-76-77—222) six-over and received $1,947. Angela Buzminski, Dawn Coe-Jones, Nancy Harvey and Gail Graham were all cut.
A pair of back-to-back 7-under par 64’s in the second and third rounds of the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic at the Glenmaura National Golf Club in Scranton, PA helped propel veteran Blaine McCallister to his first professional victory in 10 years. It was an impressive (68-64-64-69—265) 19-under par triumph that allowed the 44-year-old McCallister to finish three shots in front of his close friend Bill Glasson, set a new course record 10 strokes better than the previous mark and claim his first pro victory in 10 seasons, along with $81,000.
David Morland IV, North Bay, ON was (69-70-67-70—276) 11 shots back and pickled up $3,345 while Dereck Gillespie, Oshawa. ON, leading money winner on the Canadian Tour (72-67-77-67—283) earned $1,338 and Rob McMillan, Thunder Bay, ON (69-70-73-73—285) picked up $1,215. Jim Rutledge, Victoria, BC and Richard Zokol. White Rock, BC were cut.
About a week ago a discouraged Stephanie George began questioning her golf skills, wondering if she still had the desire to go on. Today, however, Stephanie has some of the answers she was seeking, thanks to a two-hole playoff victory at the Michelob Light Futures Charity Golf Classic in Decatur, IL and a winner’s cheque for $8,400. After finishing in a three-way tie at (69-69-70—208) eight-under, George birdied then pared her two extra holes to gain her first pro victory. The Futures Tour, with more international playing members than any other golf Tour in North America, had seven Canadians finish in the money. Isabelle Beisiegel, Norman, OK (70-72-71--213) and Lanie Cahill, Brockville, ON (72-73-68--213) both T12th and earned $1,063 each; Marie-Josee Rouleau, St. Lambert, PQ T29 (73-73-70--216) for $439; Kareen Qually, Olds, AB T37 (72-74-71—217) and won $317; T42 were Jennifer Greggain, Calgary, AB (74-73-71—218) and Chris Greatrex, Vancouver, BC (74-72-72—218) to win $270 while Toronto’s Louise Zylstra finished (75-72-73—220) T57 and collected $68.
It took him almost five years but England’s Malcom Gregson managed to claim his first victory since 1998 by posting a three shot victory in the Irvine Whitlock Jersey Seniors Classic, worth 21,675 euro. "To be honest, at my age, I didn't think I would ever win again.” said the 59-year-old, who posted a (67-66-70—203) 13-under par score. “It's so much tougher than it used to be with all these youngsters coming through. I'm absolutely over the moon."
Canada’s Bill Hardwick, a European Senior veteran, T21 by finishing at (72-70-74—216) even par and collected 1,732 euro dollars ($2,747Cdn).
B.C. Mid-Amateur
Ed Beauchemin of Victoria pared the fourth extra hole to defeat Nanaimo's Ken Thompson in a sudden-death playoff at Storey Creek Golf Club in Campbell River to capture the 2003 B.C. Mid-Amateur golf championship Wednesday (June 11). Beauchemin (73-71-68) and Thompson (71-69-72) finished the regulation 54 holes at four-under par 212, one better than Stephen Watson of Nanoose Bay. Beauchemin, a veteran Greens Superintendent at Glen Meadows GC in Sidney, birdied the final three holes for a closing 68, best round of the tournament, while Thompson, the second-round leader, lost his advantage with one hole to play by taking a double-bogey five on the 17th. Steve Savage of Delta, Don Gowan of Victoria and Dave Gazley of Richmond each finished T3rd at 215. Gowan and Savage birdied the second extra hole in a playoff for the final two places on the B.C. team for the Canadian Mid-Amateur. Watson, 36, is ineligible for the 40-and-over national tournament, in late August at Regina. The age limit in B.C. and several other provinces is 35.
By Arv Olson, BCGA Media Services
PNGA Men’s Senior Amateur
Ken Forester of Oregon’s Illahe Hills Country Club successfully defended his PNGA Senior Amateur title at Big Sky G&CC near Whistler, BC Thursday (June 12) scoring a one stroke victory over Roy Niznick of Harbour Point GC while Canadian golfers failed to hold their positions during the final round. Forester was three off the pace opening day and one stroke behind second round leader Ray Henry of Victoria’s Royal Colwood. In the end it took a 15-foot birdie putt on his last hole for Forester to finish at (73-76-74—223) seven over par and one shot ahead of Niznik (74-76-74—224). Rick Weihe of Bellingham G&CC also shot a final round 74 to finish third at 225 while Vancouver’s Murphy Costello of Shaughnessy G&CC was (79-70-78—227) fourth. Henry ballooned to a closing 82 and finished (74-74-82—230) seven shots back, T14. In the Open division, Milo Novotny of Washington’s SunLand G&CC scored a (78-77-73—228) one shot victory over Boyd Swent of Pendleton CC, five strokes better than Robert Stokes from Delta’s Beach Grove GC who was third.
Point Grey Golf & Country Club has played host to some outstanding tournaments in the past but none larger or more anticipated than the upcoming BMO Canadian Women’s Open July 7-13. And the club has never looked better, inside or out. General Manager George Pinches and staff have put in a lot of hours to be sure no details have been overlooked when the world’s top golfers begin arriving after playing in Oregon at the U.S. Women’s Open.
So far ticket sales are ahead of what they were in Montreal last year at this time and the RCGA and Point Grey are prepared for record numbers. Don Griffiths, the RCGA Tourmament Chair, is confident his home course can handle the crowds coming to see Annika Sorenstam, Grace Park and Dawn Coe Jones. “We expect a lot of people will use public transportation where possible, but there will also be shuttle buses bringing people in from the parking that’s been arranged at UBC.”
A number of other changes will be in effect during tournament week, including moving the main entrance from SW Marine Drive to the base of Dunbar Street and putting up new netting around the driving range which is being completely reversed. And lastly, the golf course is being rerouted so that players can tee off and finish at the holes closest to the clubhouse. To get a feel for these changes and find your way around this lush layout visit Point Grey Golf & Country Club
There are also a few volunteer positions still open so for details or for tournament tickets and packages for the week check the web site or call 604-266-7171.
The third and last event on the BMO Canadian Women's Tour is June 23-24 at Wolf Creek Golf Resort in Ponoka, AB -- the last opportunity for professionals and amateurs to gain entry into the Open. Quebec’s Marie-Josee Rouleau and Toronto’s Louis Zylstra won he first two events and have already qualified. Third on the Order of Merit list is 18-year-old Vancouver amateur Ecom-Ji Park with 317.5 points, followed by professionals Heather Lee of Edmonton (298.5) and Chris Greatrex of Vancouver (218). One name to watch for is that of 16-year-old Kirby Dreher from the Lake Point Golf & Country Club in Fort St. John. Dreher almost qualified to play in the BC Men’s Amateur next month on her home course, just missing by two shots. She chose not to attempt to qualify for the Junior Boys because the BCLGA Junior is being held at the same time and she’s hoping to qualify to represent BC in International women’s competition. Up until this year, Kirby spent a couple of winters playing defense in a boys hockey league and this season moved up to play centre on a girls midget team. A win this week at Ponoka will put Dreher into the Canadian Women’s Open automatically but even a second or third place finish could earn this young dynamo enough points to make top seven on the BMO Order of Merit and win a tee time at Point Grey with Annika, Lorie Kane or A.J. Eathorne.
ON THE FIRST TEE: . . . . Reigning Canadian Senior Ladies Champion Alison Murdoch and defending BC Seniors Ladies title holder Linda Palanuik headline a strong field of contenders teeing off this week at Revelstoke in the BC Senior Ladies’ Championship. Vicki Torbett and Holly Horwood, who combined last season with Murdoch and Palanuik to win the Canadian Senior Ladies’ Team Championship for BC, will undoubtedly make this championship just as competitive as it was last year . . . . the LPGA’s Teske, who has unofficially accepted a sponsor’s exemption into an Australasian PGA Tour event later this season, on why her husband caddies for Wendy Doolan and not his wife: “My husband caddied for me when I first turned pro and played in Europe. He’s a great caddie, but we found it gets too tough spending 24 hours a day together. So now, I prefer him as a husband rather then a caddie.” . . . . how ironic: both PGA weekend winners Furyk and McCallister are almost neighbors in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida . . . . and what are the odds of this happening: so far the winners of this year’s two major championships, Weir and Furyk, were both born on the same, May 12, 1970. Could it happen that the winners of next month’s British Open and the PGA Championship in August will also be 33?
The Royal Canadian Golf Association has named five new Future Links Licensed Facilities bringing to 25 the number of junior-friendly courses across the country now bearing the Future Links name and delivering affordable, accessible programs to young golfers through BMO Financial Group Future Links, Canada’s national junior golf development program. The new facilities include The Willows Golf Course in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, River Bend Golf Course in Red Deer, Alberta, The Landings Golf Course and Teaching Centre in Kingston, Ontario, Hidden Lake Golf Club in Burlington, Ontario and Club de Golf Royal Charbourg in Charlesbourg, Quebec.
DID YOU KNOW . . . . that 268 years ago the first Golf Club said to be established was the Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh; that nine years later the first 13 rules of golf were written by the Gentlemen Golfers of Edinburgh; that 10 years after that the Royal and Ancient Golf Club was established at St. Andrews and it took another 10 years for the R & A to decide that this game should be reduced from the 22 holes they were playing in 1764 to the 18 we play today. In 1932 Gene Sarazen is credited with inventing the ‘sand wedge’ in the same year he won the British and U.S. Opens and 49 years ago this month the U.S. Open was televised for the first time.
