NEWS F ROM T H E G REEN ◗ Marc Cousineau
PGA Tour Canada player Joe Panzeri tees off during the ATB Financial Classic final round.
credit: PGA Tour Canada
PGA Tour Canada has First-half Trials, Triumphs ◗ It is half-way through the PGA Tour Canada’s inaugural season, as of this writing, and the circuit has had an interesting rookie campaign thus far, including weather woes and a top-class, hometown favourite. The season started at the Times Colonist Island Savings Open at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria, BC, home of CGSA member Brian Youell. Stephen Gangluff, from the U.S, took home the first trophy of the season by two strokes. The tournament saw three Canadians place in the top five. The ATB Financial Classic at Country Hills Golf Club in Calgary was the next scheduled event, but floods that devastated much of the area halted the event. The Dakota Dunes Open followed, hosted by Dakota Dunes Golf Links and CGSA members Marc Robert, Tyler McComas and Jason Langyel, in Saskatoon. American Wil Collins narrowly beat out two Canadians by one stroke to win. The next tournament saw a Canadian win for the first time this season on the national tour. Riley Wheeldon held off the 12 greenMaster | www.golfsupers.com
Classic, hosted by CGSA member Scott MacArthur’s course Country Hills, resumed with American Joe Panzeri taking the tournament by two strokes. The top money earner after five events was Canadian Riley Wheeldon, making the tour live up to its name. He topped the field with close to $40,000 in earnings after the half-way point.
The crew at Country Hills work to clear water from the course after unprecedented rainfall struck southern Alberta credit: PGA Tour Canada
field to win the Syncrude Boreal Open the Fort McMurray Golf Club. At the Players Cup at Pine Ridge Golf Club in Winnipeg, Carlos Sainz Jr. beat out fellow American Nathan Tyler by one stroke to prevail. After six weeks, the ATB Financial
Lasers, Prisoners, New Grass All Being Considered at U.S Course ◗ Golf course management at a U.S course are looking at some unorthodox methods for lowering costs and improving the facility, including the use of lasers, prisoners and a new variety of turfgrass. The Black Mountain Golf Course in Black Mountain, North Carolina, has battled years of bad weather, budget shortfalls and an overwhelming amount of geese that have left course management looking for innovative ways to erase the wear that has built up over the seasons.