FedEx Cup features four Canucks vying for big bucks
Canadian golfers are certainly bringing their eh-game come playoff time.
Overall, it’s been a good year for the Canucks on the PGA Tour, and the second season is about to start.
Just like it was for the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs this year with five Canadian-based teams, there’s a stronger Canadian presence in the PGA’s lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs than there was a year ago.
Last year, three golfers from Canada — David Hearn, Adam Hadwin and Saskatchewan’s Graham DeLaet — qualified for the lucrative playoffs, where big paydays await participants.
This year, Hadwin and DeLaet will be joined by Nick Taylor and Mackenzie Hughes in post-season play.
Hearn, who was the top Canadian a year ago in the FedEx Cup playoff standings by finishing 56th, just missed out in qualifying among the top-125 for this week’s Northern Trust Open at the Glen Oaks Club in New York. Hearn, who was 121st a week ago, slipped to No. 128 after tying for 64th at last week’s Wyndham Championship won by Henrik Stenson.
While Hearn is like the Winnipeg Jets in 2017, the others are playing like the Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens.
DeLaet will tee up Thursday in a group with Patrick Rodgers and Grayson Murray. Taylor is paired with J.B. Holmes and Kevin Streelman, while Hughes gets to golf with Justin Rose and Xander Schauffele.
Hadwin is in a trio that includes Marc Leishman and Matt Kuchar, a couple of pretournament favourites.
Other consensus top picks include Stenson, Hideki Matsuyama, Dustin Johnson, Paul Casey, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Tony Finau, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Ollie Schniederjans and Louis Oosthuizen.
FULL MONTY ON BOARD
The annual Synergy 8 golf event is just around the corner with its 2017 Drive for Cancer campaign set for Tuesday at the Willows Golf and Country Club and Prairieland Park.
Golf fans will be in for a treat with Scotland’s colourful favourite golfer, Colin (Monty) Montgomerie, as the headliner special guest along with host Holly Sanders.
Montgomerie is filling in for David Duval, who had to pull out due to a scheduling conflict.
CANADIAN MID-AM
The Canadian mid-amateur men’s golf championship is in full swing at Regina’s Wascana Golf Club with a heavy Saskatchewan presence.
Looking down the leaderboard, you will find 39 Saskatchewan golfers among the 155 participants.
That includes 2017 Saskatchewan champion Brad Phelps and 2016 provincial champ Tyler Wright, a runner-up to Phelps this year.
Landon Emberley, Travis Fifi, Scott Allan, Tyler Zaba, Andrew Wilson, Paul Raycroft, Ryan McNall, Jason Galon, Ben Findlay, Matt Procyshen, Jay Hodgson, Ryan Haight, Tyler Frank, Mark Folk, David Stewart, Shawn McNall, Dan Morin, Shaun Dunphy, Todd Turgeon, Ron Swan, Jaret Nelson, Derek Schneider, Bob Friesen, Paul Wagner, Shawn Loney, Harold Klempner, Ken Rodgers, Colin Coben, Wade Huber, Jason Klemenz, Kris Carley, Jeremy Isted, Ron Cleghorn, Rick Ledingham, Randy Gilewich, Darryl Czuy and Grady Brown are among the other Saskatchewan entries.
GOLF SEASON IN REVIEW
Here’s a quick review of the Golf Saskatchewan provincial competitions and how Saskatchewan fared at nationals:
■ Men’s Amateur (Deer Park, Yorkton) — Champion Tyler Wright, runner-up Cory Selander and third Danny Klughart. Wright, Selander, Klughart, Mitchell Matichuk, Justin Wood, Marc Sweeney, Jehremy Ryde and Matt Procyshen missed the cut at the Canadian Amateur in Kingston, Ont., which hosted more than 240 golfers. Saskatchewan’s team placed seventh overall.
■ Women’s Amateur (Lloydminster) — Champion Brooke Hill, runner-up Julia Dereniwsky and third Kim Walker. At the Canadian Women’s
Amateur in Guelph, Ont., Saskatchewan placed eighth overall and Walker and Carrie Lambden were the top Sask. golfers.
■ Mid-Am (Lloydminster) — Champion Phelps, runner-up Wright and third-place Brian Laubman and Jim Born.
■ Junior women (Swift Current) — Winner Chloe Sies, runner-up Hannah MacNeil and third-place Alexandra Schmidt. All three, along with Sarah Grieve, missed the cut at nationals in Mississauga, Ont., where Saskatchewan placed eighth.
■ Junior men (Swift Current) — Champion Tayden Wallin, runner-up Roman Timmerman and third-place Andrew Campbell and Jayden Dudas. Timmerman, Kade Johnson, Dudas, Josh Nagy, Wallin, Willie Chiang, Campbell and Stephen Oleskiw all missed the cut at nationals in Kingston. Saskatchewan finished 10th overall.
■ Senior men (North Battleford) — Winner Ken Rogers, runnerup Rick Ledingham and third place Dave Wilson.
■ Senior women (North Battleford) — Winner Jo-Anne Schiller, runner-up Tammy Bezaire and third-place Lori Boyle.
■ Rosebowl (Harbor Golf Club) — Winners Debbie Dirven and Kim Boreen.
■ At the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg, Kade Johnson placed seventh and Roman Timmerman was tied for 25th in the boys competition. Andrew Campbell finished 27th.
■ Among the junior girls, Chloe Sies was tied for 15th. Alexandra Schmidt placed 23rd and Sarah Grieve was 25th.