2009 Vancouver Golf Tour Spring Championship

MarketPlace IGA
VANCOUVER GOLF TOUR

2009 VGT SPRING CHAMPIONSHIP
Hazelmere Golf Course
Thursday, May 28th

TOURNAMENT REVIEW

“Jonas Schools them all at his home track at Hazelmere”

In a star-studded field of 45 Professionals, including 26 past or present Canadian Tour players, Hazelmere’s own Teaching Professional Phil Jonas showed them all how it’s done, shooting 68 (-4) on a challenging Hazelmere layout for a one shot victory over Guilford Head Professional Dan Swanson. Jonas’ lone bogey on the day came on the long par 3 – 7th hole, where he failed to get up-and-down for what would be his fault on the card. When interviewed after the round, Jonas owned up that it wasn’t the prettiest of rounds, but as he is so well known for, he made the very most of his good play and ‘worked his way around the golf course’ like he knows how to better than most anyone in the game, certainly here in Vancouver. Jonas took home $1,500 for his victory and vaulted himself some $1,300 ahead of past Nationwide Tour Player Bryn Parry. MarketPlace IGA’s John MacNichol was on hand to award the professional cheques to all winners. When Jonas was given the opportunity to speak, he very quick to add how thankful he and everyone playing VGT was for their continued support of local golf in Vancouver. China Tour player Dong Su and Shaughnessy Professional Lindsay Bernakevitch tied for 3rd, each winning $672.50. Swanson earned $1,000 for his 2nd place showing.

VGT gave a warm welcome to one of Canada’s finest young talented golfers, James Lepp - 2005 NCAA Champion and 2-time Greater Vancouver Charity Classic winner. “It was great to have James in our field today” stated VGT Commissioner Fraser Mulholland. “Not only does James add to the credibility of our tour by his presence, but it was great to see him back in action at what he does so very well”. Lepp fired 71 (-1), good for 5th place and $550. He commented after the round that it was ‘good to get back into his first tournament in over 6 months and feel the competitive juices flowing’. With only a bit of expected ‘tournament rust’ from not competing for so long, Lepp got the job done for the most part in the event– and other than a couple of late bogeys on his last two holes, looked very impressive and ready to return to action in both the Victoria Open and City of Surrey Open coming up on the Canadian Tour schedule starting next week. Lepp has been hard at work lately developing his own personal brand of golf shoes and golf apparel - KIKKOR GOLF (http://www.kikkor.com/).

The Spring Championship was the final event on the VGT Spring Series of events and CLEVELAND GOLF/SRIXON CANADA President Dan Dodman was present to award some bonus money to the top CLEVELAND/SRIXON staff player at the end of the Spring Order of Merit. Seymour Creek’s Dave Zibrik took home the $500 CLEVELAND/SRIXON BONUS cash for being the top CLEVELAND/SRIXON staff player at the conclusion of the Hazelmere event.

VGT’s 7th ‘Open’ tour event of the year was a great opportunity for the top local Professionals to see Hazelmere a couple of weeks in advance of the Canadian Tour event (City of Surrey Open) being hosted there on June 8-15th. We want to personally thank Hazelmere Golf Course for giving our local players this opportunity and hope that this might be the slight advantage our local players need to bring home a local victory in this major event on the Canadian Tour schedule.

VGT also invited 20 of its top Amateur players to play in the Spring Championship this Thursay. Low Amateur honours went to Coquitlam’s Matt Rohatensky, who carded 75 (+3) on the tough Hazelmere set-up to win by 2 shots over Delta’s Jarda Kollar. Rohatensky leapt ahead of Northview’s Derek Wray by 400 points in the Championship Amateur Order of Merit with his second victory of the year, earning himself a Cleveland Travel cover and $200 in Perfect Lies Gift Cards.

VGT’s top 5 Amateurs in Flight A were invited to the Hazelmere event and it was Greenacres’ own Daniel Lee who prevailed, winning a Cleveland Travel cover and a $100 Perfect Lies Gift Card. Pete Fung was the Low Amateur in Flight B, also winning a Cleveland Travel cover and a $100 Perfect Lies Gift Card.

For full tournament results, click on http://www.vancouvergolftour.com/2009/live_scoring.htm and click on VGT Spring Championship.