Glendale Golfs – Winnipeg

Talk about rising to the occasion.

A cake and candles would have been impossible in the gusting wind, but they still celebrated Canada’s birthday in grand style Thursday, plastering the top of the ATB Financial Classic leaderboard with Leafs.

Canadians scored a hat-trick, eh, grabbing the top three spots, and four of the top five, after Round 1 at the Edmonton Country Club.

“It’s different than it used to be,” said Ottawa’s Scott Hawley, whose 5-under par 66 has him one shot behind Oshawa’s Derek Gillespie. “There are a lot of really good Canadians out here now. It’s no longer like ‘Oh Wow! There’s a Canadian up there!’

“It always seems like there’s a different Canadian playing well. There’s 15-20 guys who can (contend) in Canada at any given time, and that’s just out here, let along the Nationwide and PGA. That’s good. I think the fans like it.”

Gillespie, who won The Golf Channel reality show The Big Break in 2009, caught another one with the first tee time of the morning, before the wind was at its worst.

At the end of the day, 11 hours and 155 players later, his 65 was still good.

“We kind of had it easy. Even though there was a little bit of a breeze, it didn’t start picking up till about our eighth hole,” he said. “Then it got pretty tough out there — 74s or 75s are definitely out there with this wind.”

Gillespie tied for 11th the last time the Canadian Tour visited the Country Club, shooting three-straight 67s and a final round 71.

“I’ve played this course in three tournaments and it kind of suits my game. You need to place it on the fairway.”

Lee Curry of Ottawa and Josh Geary of New Zealand are tied for third with 67s, and in the usual first day logjam, eight players (four of them Canucks) are tied for fifth with 68s.

While the early tee times definitely had it a little easier, the wind didn’t seem to slow down Hawley, who made the most of his 12:40 start.

“You can really use it to your advantage when it’s at your back,” he said, rolling his eyes at a 365-yard drive on No. 7 and a 320-yard 3-wood on No. 12.

“It was really blowing out there. But with there’s so many good players and there’s so much golf left that it really helps to get a good round in there.”

Gillespie is just glad to be playing anywhere after having to cool his heels for five weeks during a pair of massive breaks in the Canadian Tour schedule. They played April 19 in Mexico, then not again until May 31 in Victoria, then had a month off until the Tour rolled into Edmonton.

“I’ve been hitting it really well the last couple of months, there’s just been nothing to play in with this tour,” he said, “You just can’t really get anything going. I was just kind of lying around the house thinking what am I going to do. I needed to make some money.

“It was getting irritating, especially when you feel you’re on top of everything and you have nowhere to go. I felt like I was striping it and playing really well, but I was playing at my home club for $5 with my buddies. I’m looking forward to these next three weeks where you can play and make some dough, get a rhythm going.”

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Golf/Canadian/2010/07/02/14583446.html

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Golf observers interested in where Canadian women’s golf is headed should cast their eyes south from Feb. 13 through 15

Jennifer Kirby is just 19, and she’s already accomplished things that no other Canadian woman has. Kirby, from Paris, Ont., is a sophomore at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Golf observers interested in where Canadian women’s golf is headed should cast their eyes south from Feb. 13 through 15, where Kirby, who lit up the amateur world in Canada two years ago, will open her college season in the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in Rio Grande.

Kirby won the 2009 Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Amateur and the 2009 Royale Cup Canadian Girls’ Junior championships. Nobody else has doubled up in this way. Last year she qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open and made the semi-finals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur. A variety of schools, including Florida State and Texas A&M, were interested in her. But she chose the Crimson Tide.

Kirby set a freshman scoring record last season at her university. She averaged 73.06, and at the same time was fourth overall in par-five scoring average. Kirby was a first-team All-SEC (Southeastern Conference) player.

Her placing in the par-five statistic might seem no big deal. But women’s golf is more and more about power. Kirby is long. She’s 5 foot 8 and she gets it out there. That’s an advantage, and she’s likely to get longer as her game matures. Kirby works with Sean Foley, the Canadian swing coach who by now needs no introduction. Tiger Woods, with whom Foley works, will again try to find his game when he tees it up Thursday in the Dubai Desert Classic.

As for Kirby, she’s been hitting the gym, the course, and her classes this fall. She’s been hitting them hard.

“We practice from two until 4:30 or five every day,” Kirby said in a telephone interview. “Everybody stays longer, even though we’re not forced to. We have scheduled team workouts every Tuesday and Thursday, and I work out every other night on my own.”

Kirby takes 16 hours of class a week. The intense golf schedule means she misses many classes. She makes them up and said she “definitely plans to finish school before turning pro.”

A member of Golf Canada’s Team Canada last year, she opted out this year.

The stresses of college golf and the commitment required to be on Team Canada, she said, “were partially the reason I decided not to be on the team this year. The schedule for Team Canada is demanding and I also wanted to be able to see Sean.”

“I would have to say I was surprised by Jennifer’s decision, but at the same time I respect the decision,” Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport development officer, said Tuesday in an e-mail. “Jennifer is truly a very talented young woman, and Golf Canada will do whatever it can to assist in her development outside of the national team program.”

Kirby didn’t make her decision lightly. She discussed the matter with her parents and with Foley. She said the decision not to join Team Canada was hard, but that she’s made the best choice for herself.

“I think especially moving forward and turning pro, I have to start doing things on my own.”

There was also the matter of Foley working with Woods. Would Kirby get enough time with him? Foley reassured her. She flew into Orlando, where Foley lives, a couple of weeks ago to work with him on a Saturday.

“Everything went great with Jenny,” Foley said after their work. “I am very proud of her, to say the least. She is a smart young woman with a great support system and I anticipate big things for her in her personal and professional life and future. She is two years away from swinging the way she will for the rest of her life. After that it will just be maintenance.”

It will be maintenance and, if all goes according to plan, plenty of success for the player Golf Canada ranked as the top amateur in the country in women’s golf last year.

http://www.golfcanada.ca/professional-tours/golf-news/?articleId=1899612

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SickKids Foundation and The Mike Weir Foundation today announced The Mike Weir Miracle Golf Drive for Kids, presented by Thomson Reuters, will be held in Toronto this spring with proceeds supporting the Research & Learning Tower Campaign at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

TSN and CTV sportscaster Rod Black and 11-year-old SickKids patient ambassador Tobin Haas were joined by Mike Weir via Skype to make the announcement at an event at the Hospital this morning.

The tournament will take place June 7, 2011, at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham and at the prestigious Goodwood golf course. To date, the annual Mike Weir Miracle Golf Drive for Kids has raised more than $2.5 million for paediatric health care across Canada.

“I am thrilled to be coming to Toronto this spring and help raise additional funds for SickKids,” says Mike Weir, professional golfer. “Hosting the past four tournaments across Canada has been incredibly rewarding and I look forward to the prospect of getting closer to our $10-million goal to support children’s health.”

A special evening reception for VIP guests and sponsors will be held on June 6 to kick-off the tournament. Nigel Hollidge, Vice President, Business Development, Angus Glen Golf Club, shared his excitement about the tournament coming to Angus Glen and the Goodwood course at the announcement this morning.

“Hosting The Mike Weir Miracle Golf Drive for Kids is a great honour for Angus Glen Golf Club,” said Hollidge. “Participants will get a unique opportunity to play on a beautifully maintained, challenging and exciting golf course, while having an impact on the health of future generations of aspiring golfers.”

The Mike Weir Foundation works in support of Children’s Miracle Network to benefit paediatric hospitals across Canada. The Mike Weir Miracle Golf Drive for Kids was most recently held in Winnipeg in June 2010 and raised $625,000 for the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.

“This event will have a tremendous impact on SickKids and we are so grateful for that,” says John Francis, SickKids Foundation Board Chair-Elect. “The Mike Weir Foundation has created a unique fundraising initiative and SickKids is fortunate to be the beneficiary in 2011 with an important boost to the SickKids Research & Learning Tower campaign.”

The SickKids Research & Learning Tower Campaign kicked off in May 2010 with a special groundbreaking ceremony. When complete, the Tower will be a 21-storey, 750,000-square-foot hub for paediatric health research and education in Toronto’s Discovery District. The $400-million Tower will bring together 2,000 scientists and staff from SickKids Research Institute and is slated to be completed by 2013.

In addition to the tournament, SickKids is organizing a Kids Putt for SickKids event preceding the tournament on June 4 at Ontario Place. This is one way the community can help support the patients and families who rely on SickKids. Children have the opportunity to play mini golf, compete for prizes and fundraise for the chance to meet Mike Weir. Individuals are invited to register now at www.sickkidsfoundation.com/page/kidsputt.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/212709

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The golf season is so long (it never ends, really), it is fair to give the Canadian contingent a mulligan on sub-par start.

Make that above-par.

In the three events in which Canucks have played (no Canadians qualified for the season-opening Tournament of Champions), Stephen Ames’ tie for 33rd at the Bob Hope Classic is the best result.

Last week’s performance at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines was Canada’s worst showing yet.

All five Canucks participated (the sixth, Graham DeLaet, is out with an injury) and Ames, Chris Baryla, David Hearn and Matt McQuillan all shot rounds above 75 to miss the cut. Mike Weir made the cut with rounds of 72 and 70, but ballooned with rounds of 78 and 75 to finish last amongst those to play on the weekend.

Weir, playing on a major medical exemption, earned just $10,788 US toward the $227,885 he must make to regain his fully exempt status for this season.

While it wasn’t much, the money Weir earned at Torrey Pines was enough to push him past the amount needed to retain conditional status for the rest of the season. When an elbow injury cut his 2010 season short, Weir finished 151st on the money list, but now he has moved into the conditional category for players ranked 126-150, a status that usually gets players about 15 starts alone.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/sports/golf/2011/02/03/17137596.html

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Karen Rackel of Edmonton was inducted as the 108th President of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) during the National Sport Organization’s (NSO) Annual General Meeting held this weekend in Edmonton.

With the appointment, Rackel becomes the first female president in the 116-year history of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (and Golf Canada). In 2005, the association amalgamated with the former Canadian Ladies Golf Association to for one united body, designated by Sport Canada as the National Sport Organization for golf.

“I am privileged and deeply honoured to be appointed the 108th president of this storied Association,” said Rackel. “Like so many golf enthusiasts across the country, I am passionate about the game and I believe that this organization has done and will continue to do great things to grow participation and excellence in the sport of golf in Canada. I want to thank the entire Board of Directors for the trust and confidence they have shown in my leadership and I look forward to helping the Association accomplish great things in 2011.”

Rackel succeeds 2010 President, Jack McDonald of Kamloops, B.C., while Westmount, Que. native Diane Dunlop-Hebert becomes First Vice-President and Michael Carroll of Vancouver assumes the role of Second Vice-President.

Charlie Beaulieu of Lorraine, Que. and Chris Rudge of Toronto will join the 2011 Board of Directors that also includes Douglas Alexander of London, Ont., Barbara Allan of Kingston, Ont., Leslie Dunning of Calgary, Michel St-Laurent of St-Bruno, Que. and Paul McLean of Richmond Hill, Ont.

http://www.rcga.org/news_details.aspx?ID=2437

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10 athletes selected to represent Team Canada’s National Squad; Under-22 Development Squad welcomes 12 players -

Golf Canada announced today the names of the athletes who have been selected for Team Canada’s 2011 golf program.

In all, 10 players comprise Team Canada’s National Squad, including six on the men’s side and four on the women’s squad.

Eugene Wong of North Vancouver, B.C. and Mitch Sutton of London, Ont. will once again return as members of Team Canada. The men’s National Squad welcomes Albin Choi of Toronto, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., Mitchell Evanecz of Red Deer, Alta. and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont.

On the women’s side, Nicole Vandermade of Brantford, Ont. is the lone returnee. New to Team Canada’s National Women’s Squad is Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Toronto, Anne-Catherine Tanguay of Quebec City and Christine Wong of Richmond, B.C.

“We are very excited about the group of young men and women who have been selected to participate in the program for 2011. It is our goal to support these players to the best of our ability to achieve their goals within the sport,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Development Officer. “Whether competing internationally, nationally, provincially or as members of their respective collegiate teams these athletes have and will continue do their best in representing Canada.”

The 2011 coaching team will consist of Master Canadian PGA Professional Henry Brunton returning as the men’s head coach and Derek Ingram as the women’s head coach. Ralph Bauer will serve as men’s assistant coach while Robert Ratcliffe returns as women’s assistant coach.

Team Canada provides athletes with a year-round environment incorporating state of the art coaching and sport science expertise. The intent of this aggressive program is to aid Canada’s top up-and-coming amateur players in all areas of their development, producing the best golfers in the world.

The program encompasses fitness, sports psychology, nutrition, technique development and exposure to international competition. Leaders in the field of sport science are an integral aspect of building and executing the program from the perspective of mental management, strength and as well as planning and periodization.

While many golf championships Team Canada members participate in are contested on an individual basis, the program enables athletes to travel and train as a team.

http://www.rcga.org/news_details.aspx?ID=2425

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