Tee 2 Green with Barry Sharpe - - December 23/08

The February edition of Golf Digest has given Port Alberni's Jackie Little honourable mention in the magazine's review of the top players in the world. In the category of No. 1 Senior Women's Amateur, the winner was 53-year-old Diane Lang of Weston, Fla., who last season won the USGA Senior Women's Amateur for the third time in four years. Lang is 22-1 in matches since becoming eligible for the event at age 50. The first Jamaican to play on the LPGA Tour (1984), Lang regained her amateur status in 1989.

Little, owner of the Hollies' Golf Course in Port Alberni, had an exceptional season in 2008, winning the RCGA's Canadian Senior Women's Amateur championship, the Pacific Northwest Senior Women's Amateur, the British Columbia Senior Amateur, for the third year in a row the provincial Mid-Amateur title, the BC zone title and the Port Alberni Golf Club's Women's Club championship. Little has also been named as a finalist in the Masters category of Sport BC's Athlete of the Year awards event scheduled for March 24 in Richmond.

(Editor's Note: See below - - Hollies 4 Sale)

Sharing with Little in Golf Digest magazine's honourable mention are Joan Higgins, Patty Moore, and Carol Semple Thompson, all from the United States.

Padraig Harrington broke the three-year reign Tiger Woods held on World Player of the Year; Camilo Villegas was named Most Improved Male Professional; CN Canadian Women's champion Katharine Hull, the Most Improved Female Professional; Amanda Blumenherst, No. 1 Women's Amateur honour (previous Canadian winners were Marlene Stewart, 1956 and Cathy Sherk, 1978); and Buddy Marucci Jr was chosen No. 1 Senior Men's Amateur.

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Second after the first round of the Bob Hope Classic because
he shot a 10-under par 62, Mike Weir followed up with rounds
of 70 and 67 and is now tied for 23rd, eight shots behind Pat
Perez (61-62-67), who has led from day one.

Earlier in the week, Weir, the 2003 Masters Champion, was
interviewed in the media room about his game, his equipment,
what he's carrying in his bag, what he did to prepare for
the new season, and his feelings about all his BC fans pulling
for him in California

WEIR: Yeah, my equipment, I'm using a new set of irons, but they're very similar to the old irons I was using. And outside of that, what did I have in there? I put a different rescue club, TaylorMade rescue club in there for my 3-iron today. I took the 3-iron out of the bag and put an extra rescue in there, which came in handy there on 18. Everything else I'm still experimenting with, (like) the new driver which I like a lot. I just need a few more practice rounds with it, but it feels great and I can't wait to get it in play. But other than that, everything's been the same.

And skiing wise, I skied quite a bit the last couple weeks. We made a trip to Whistler, BC, and skied a few days up there. And skied a couple days with my family Friday and Saturday right before we came out here, and I flew out Sunday. So probably got about 10 days in this year.

Q. Are you the best skier on the PGA TOUR?

WEIR: I don't know. I'm sure there's some guys that are probably pretty good. I haven't skied with many guys. So I don't know.

Q. Do you snow board?

WEIR: No, I just ski.

Q. When you play here in a tournament like this you're kind of like the DC, the designated Canadian because we got so many snowbirds in the valley. How is it to playing with this many Canadian fans? I remember seeing you at Maple Leaf Gardens about six years ago, the place went nuts when you showed up with the jacket. So how does that feel?

WEIR: Well it's wonderful. I mean it's special, really. I mean, I'm in a unique position that not many guys have that and, but, yeah, a lot of Canadians like to get this warmer weather in the winter time. This is a great spot to do it and I had great support out there today.

So I was glad to shoot a good round and hopefully keep it going for them, because they have always been very supportive of me. And it's different. It's usually the west coast Canadians are down in California and then we work our way to Florida. It's a lot of Ontario and Quebec and east coast Canadians that winter down there. So we get a mix of them once we work our way across.

Q. All the license plates say, "Beautiful British Columbia."

WEIR: Yeah there's a lot of those, aren't there.

Q. I saw a wire story this morning that you talking about not playing with the celebrity field and talking a little bit about George Lopez and your disappointment about him not hosting the tournament. Can you tell us more your thoughts about that?

WEIR: That might be taken a little out of context because before George played in this event I always played in the amateur field. And George, when I became buddies with George, he asked me to play in the celebrity field, because I enjoyed playing with him. And it was great to meet some of the other guys, but mainly I played because George asked me to. And since he wasn't playing this year -- and it was true that I was, I was disappointed in the way it was handled.

He told me the way it was handled and I don't need to get
into it any more than that, but it could have been
dealt differently, I think. And not to say that Arnold's not
great. I think it was very appropriate to have Arnold here. His
50th year. But it's, George's situation could have been
handled a little differently.

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The Hollies Executive Golf Course, co-owned by Jackie Little, is now for sale. This 9-hole Executive Golf Course in Port Alberni is located on 32 acres near Walmart, a commercial development. There are approximately 27 agricultural acres, five commercial acres, a Clubhouse, a Pro Shop, and a1500 sq ft owner luxury living condominium on the site.
Visit the web site here.