ATB Financial to stay in Calgary
Scene
The PGA Tour Canada’s ATB Financial Classic won’t be alternating between Edmonton and Calgary anymore.
Instead, the ATB Financial Classic has signed on for five straight seasons in Calgary beginning with this week’s event at Country Hills.
However, that doesn’t mean that Edmonton has been left out. Officials are actively pursuing a title sponsor that would allow Edmonton and Calgary to both have PGA Tour Canada events in the same year, which is how it used to be.
Brack Little of the Glendale shot a closing round 66 in the PGA of Alberta’s Players’ Tour stop at Calgary’s Inglewood golf course. But it wasn’t enough to catch Calgary Golf Canada Centre’s Todd Halpen, who put together rounds of 64-68 for a total of 10-under par and an eight-shot victory over both Little and Keith Whitecotton of the Edmonton Petroleum Club.
Edmonton’s Jason Martens was the top local finisher in the CN Future Links Prairie championship held at the Elmwood Golf & Country Club in Swift Current, Sask; Martens finished seventh with rounds of 71-72-72. Another Edmonton junior, Patrick Gobran, finished 12th after shooting 72-74-72.
Glendale’s Harry Aime was the top local finisher in the Alberta Mid Amateur championship held last week at Medicine Hat’s Desert Blume. Aime finished third behind winner Alan Stewart of Grande Prairie and runner-up Dave Schultz of Calgary.
❚ Speaking of Glendale, general manager Craig Rusnak did the next-to-impossible when he made an albatross double-eagle on No. 9 on his home course. Using a hybrid, rescue club from 205 yards out — from the rough and into the wind no less — Rusnak was able to mark down a 2 on the 486-yard, par-5 hole.
While the odds on a hole-in-one are about 13,000-1, the odds on making an ultra-rare albatross are close to 2,000,000-1.
Noted
As for this week’s holes-in-one, Rick Lutz was the big winner walking away with a BMW valued at $60,000 when he aced No. 14 at The Ranch from 160 yards.
Farley Wilson-Bucholz aced No. 4 at the Derrick golf course from 145 yards using a five-wood.
Lola Blumer aced No. 3 at Highlands from 99 yards with a nine-iron.
There was also another hole-in-one on No. 16 at Highlands. The latest to ace that hole is Pat Nugent using an eight-iron from 129 yards.
No. 16 was also lucky for Damian Kirchner, who aced that hole at Belvedere while using a pitching wedge from 140 yards into a stiff wind. Playing as a guest in the company of Glen Campbell and Ryk Visscher, it was Visscher who told Kirchner “You will really enjoy our back nine — especially No. 16 which could be the easiest Par 3 to get a hole-in-one on in Alberta.”
The Sherwood Park golf course had two aces on No. 7. During ladies night, Laurie Massie aced No. 7 from 97 yards with a 9-iron.
“Not bad for a hockey swing,” said Massie. A few days later, Keri Abel did the same thing while using a sand wedge.
Fort Saskatchewan’s Ken French got a hole-in-one while playing the Spur Valley golf course at B.C.’s Radium Hot Springs using a sand wedge from 126 yards.
Playing at Pioneer Meadows in the South Side Athletic’s Club’s 50th anniversary, Highlands member Scott Henderson aced No. 14 from 110 yards with his 56-degree wedge.
Two hole-in-ones to report from Broadmoor. Russ Davidson aced No. 13 from 190 yards with a three-iron. And, Vic Cheropita aced hole No. 6 from 175 yards with a four-wood.
And, at Coloniale Alan Kirkelund used a nine-iron from 142 yards on hole No. 3 for his ace.