Hadwin takes on world’s top golfers in match play tournament
A look at what Canadian pro male golfers are up to this week, by John Grainger.
1. Match Play for Hadwin
Top-ranked Canadian Adam Hadwin returns to work this week at the World Golf ChampionshipsDell Technologies Match Play event in Austin, Texas. This is the event where the highest-ranked players on the planet gather for a match play event. Hadwin, seeded 38th, is part of Group 1 and opened Wednesday by halving his match against American Kevin Kisner. He faces American giant Dustin Johnson Thursday. Hadwin, who has never played in this event before, plays Austrian Bern Wiesberger on Friday. The matches will only get tougher should he advance through to Saturday. Regardless, it’ll be a good payday.
2. Connors in Dominican
Corey Connors gets back to work this week at the Corales Punta Cana Resort and Club Championship. This is the PGA stop for those who didn’t make the cut for the big event in Texas. Conners had Canadians on the edge of their collective seat two weeks ago when he led for the first three rounds of the Valspar Championship before finishing in a tie for 16th. He’ll be looking to grow from that event as he returns to action this week. Other Canadians in the lineup include veterans Mike Weir and David Hearn.
3. Web.com in Louisiana
Five Canadians are in the lineup for the Web.com Tour stop at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by NACHER. Adam Svensson is sitting in the No. 2 spot in the race for the Top 25, while other Canadians in the field include Albin Choi, Roger Sloan, Ryan Yip and Stuart MacDonald.
4. Upcoming Q-schools
The first of five Q -schools for the Mackenzie Tour concluded last week in California. Texan Sam Fidone won medallist honours and will be exempt throughout the year. Three Canadians will have conditional status including Andrew Funk, Alistair Docherty and Brett Kennedy. One more Q -school is scheduled for next weekend in Florida and two others are scheduled for April. They will be in Arizona and Florida. The final Q -school is set for the first weekend in May at the Crowne Isle Resort Golf and Country Club in Courtenay, B.C.
5. Spittle and Ames hit course
The Champions Tour stops in Biloxi, Miss., this week for the Rapiscan Systems Classic. Among the entrants are Canadians Rod Spittle and Stephen Ames.