First Canadian Tour Event of 2009 Goes Thursday

Submitted by CanTour Communications John Berkovich

MAZATLAN, Mexico – A field of 153 top PGA TOUR prospects are set to tee it up Thursday morning in their quest to earn the title of Mexican PGA Champion.

Several new and familiar faces are chasing the US $20,000 first prize and an exemption into the Nationwide Tour’s 2010 Mexican Open.

This is the fourth event of the 2009 season that began last November at the Sport Frances Open in Chile.

The Rookies:
Among the new faces this season is Canadian Victor Ciesielski (pictured). The talented native of Cambridge, Ont., (pronounced “Cha-Shel-Ski,”) first made national headlines at the 2006 Canadian Open when he made a hole in one in the second round after an opening 68.

He followed it up with a 69 on Saturday and although he faded in the end, the happy-go-lucky young man was on his way. Ciesielski made his season debut at the Costa Rica Classic last December where he finished T-19.

Keep an eye on 23-year-old Robert Gates. The 6’6 Texan won the 2008 Fall Q-School and in his one appearance this season, finished 3rd at the Cost Rica Classic. A three-time Big 12 All Conference, Gates has both the game and the desire to go a long way in golf.

Though technically a rookie, Rob Grube already has three top five finishes under his belt. The Stanford alumnus finished T-4 at the 2008 Saskatchewan Open and followed up with a T-5 at the Players Cup two weeks later.

Heading to Latin America, Grube opened with a 66 at the Costa Rica Classic and finished second. He comes to the Canadian Tour with a glowing amateur record and an already impressive professional resume.

Fabian Gomez captured the Argentine Masters last December in a field that boasted Masters Champion Angel Cabrera. A Nationwide Tour member the past two seasons, the 2006 Venezuela Open winner will likely spend the majority of his season there after finishing 70th on the money list.

Familiar Faces:
With three runner-ups and a third, George Bradford was the best player not to win a tournament last season. He wants to fix that.

Bradford makes his 2009 debut after skipping the first three events of the season but a T-6 here last year bodes well for him.

Tour sophomore Daniel Im aims for his third title this week after winning two of his first three last year. He journeyed to Chile last fall and finished second at the Sport Frances Open.

Barely 24, Im was featured as a Rising Star in the January issue of Asian Golf Monthly.

Another player to watch is Brock Mackenzie. One of the top Tour players in 2005 and 2006, Mackenzie moved to the Nationwide Tour for an impressive 2007 and then lost his game last year.

After a few adjustments and a trip through Q-School, he is ready to once more use the Canadian Tour as a springboard to the next level.

Tournament play begins Thursday.