Homegrown golfers aware of drought
Canadians don’t need to be reminded that Fletcher’s win came 63 years ago
Two years ago, David Hearn, the longtime pro from Brantford, Ont., led the RBC Canadian Open by two shots heading into Sunday. He finished third.
Last year, Jared du Toit, the amateur from Kimberly, B.C., played the final round in the final group. He finished tied for ninth.
With17 Canadians expected to be in the field when the national championship begins Thursday morning at Glen Abbey Golf Club, perhaps this will be the year a native son finally navigates a long-lost path to homesoil victory. Certainly none of the men representing the Maple Leaf need to be reminded that a Canadian hasn’t won the Canadian Open since 1954.
“We’re all trying our best. Yes, we know that Pat Fletcher was the last one to win. We know that,” Adam Hadwin said. “So we’re all trying our best to be moving forward.”
Hadwin, the 29-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., is the favourite to break through here. Already a winner this year on the PGA Tour at March’s Valspar Championship, Hadwin is 13th in the FedEx Cup standings. The only player ahead of him in this week’s field is Dustin Johnson, who sits second.
Which is not to say Hadwin is the only Canadian capable of rising to the top of a relatively unimpressive field.
“I think we’ve got as good of a crew (of Canadians) as any this year, which is exciting,” said Graham DeLaet, of Weyburn, Sask. “I feel like I’m one of the old guys now. If I’m ever going to win one of these, it better be soon, because obviously the times that I’m going to play are running out. But there’s obviously a lot of other great Canadians coming up.”
Other notable Canadians in the field include PGA Tour winners Mike Weir, Nick Taylor and Mackenzie Hughes; longtime PGA Tour members Hearn, DeLaet and Brad Fritsch; and NHL referee and amateur stalwart Garrett Rank. Du Toit, who has turned pro since last year’s tournament, is also back in town.
SLAP HAPPY? Hadwin is coming off a disappointing performance at last week’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, where he missed the cut. He said he’s been trying to “sleep as much as possible” since returning to this side of the Atlantic.
He said he expects Glen Abbey’s fans will give him a lift, as will the uniquely Canadian touch at the hockey-themed par-three No. 7, dubbed The Rink. In a Canadian Open first, the hole has been decorated with a goal net, boards and a Zamboni. Hadwin, who played soccer, baseball and basketball as a kid, said he could see hockey’s merits as a mid-round stress buster.
“You hit one in the water and you can kind of relax and take a slap shot or something,” Hadwin said. “Or cross-check your caddie into the boards.”
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson offered his stamp of approval on Glen Abbey’s current condition.
“I like the golf course. It’s in perfect condition. You can’t find anything wrong with it. The greens are perfect. The fairways are perfect,” Johnson said. “Around here, if I’m driving it straight, then I’m going to play really well. The fairways aren’t very wide, but if you’re in the fairway, you can attack the flags. The course isn’t very long, but you’ve got to be in the fairway, so you can hold the greens.”