Bussieres defends crown at PGA Assistants’ championship
Quebec golfer put together a 7-under 65 to hold off hard-charging local Fleming
With Marc-Etienne Bussieres, it seems he’s never out of striking distance.
Perhaps that’s why he’s the PGA of Canada’s top-ranked golfer.
On Wednesday, the Quebec player put together a 7-under 65 to defend his crown at the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada, a three-day event held at The Winston Golf Club in Calgary.
Bussieres staved off hard charges from area stars Riley Fleming and Dustin Risdon to post a 17-under 199 total. His rounds of 65, 69 and 65 earned him the $9,000 top prize and a berth into next summer’s RBC Canadian Open.
“Good things just happen, I guess,” said Bussieres of his latest rally to earn his second consecutive exemption into the Canadian Open for being the No. 1-ranked player.
“Dustin had it going (Wednesday) — we had it going pretty tight on the start of the back nine. That actually pushed me to play a little better.”
Last year at this same event in B.C., Bussieres overcame a fivestroke deficit on the back nine to grab the title.
“Just a grinder, I guess,” Bus- sieres said. “Whenever I’m in that position, it’s fun to grind.
“Once I started to get the groove going on the back nine, birdies just started happening,” the native of Longchamp, Que., said.
“Not even because I made long ones (putts). I just started stiffing it really close to the pin. I had a few hiccups, but I came back from them.”
Bussieres figured his game-saver came on hole No. 15, after his drive found a right-side trap and got up close and personal with the lip of the bunker. He opted for a 6-iron instead of the 8-iron, blew it high in the air and dropped it three feet from the pin for an unreal birdie.
He left no doubt on the final hole, putting it close on two shots and draining a 12-foot putt to seal the deal and defend his title.
The craziest scorecard of the day belonged to Airdrie’s Fleming, who continued a fine season of golf by carding 11 birdies and two bogeys for a final-round 9-under — good enough to put him in the clubhouse lead with a 15-under 201.
“That’s pretty low,” said Fleming with a broad smile and a chuckle. “I mean ... 11 birdies is filthy low.”
Certainly, it was a day to savour even though he had to settle for second place and $5,250.
Calgary’s Risdon (National Golf Academy) finished third at 13-under 203 after Wednesday ’s 2-under final round to pocket $3,250.
The Alberta squad of Fleming, Risdon, Heffernan and Eric Locke won the 36-hole Inter-Zone competition, which is compiled of four players on each team representing their respective PGA Zone.