Birdie Barrage at Guildford ends in Dramatic Fashion

Vancouver Golf Tour

After course record tying 63’s on day one, Seymour Creek’s Bryn Parry and Victoria based Canadian Tour Pro Stuart Anderson battled back and forth on Sunday to decide the 2009 Guildford Open Champion in classic style.

After round one on this newly resurrected event, there were a total of a dozen Professionals who carded 68 (-4) or better. Round two was a birdie shoot-out for those within a handful of shots of the lead, but none were up to the challenge of Anderson and Parry on this day.

Going down to the final hole, Parry and Anderson were tied at 14 under par. After staying level with each other at -11 at the turn, it was Anderson who took the lead with a birdie on the par 4 - 10th. Both Parry and Anderson then birdied the par 5 - 11th to keep Anderson 1-up on the day and 13 under par for the tournament. Parry was the next to make his move with birdies on # 13 and #14 to get to -14 and a one shot lead with 4 to play. This see-saw battle didn’t end here however as the 31 year-old Alberta born Anderson birdied the tough 15th to bring this tournament dead even at -14 with three to play. After pars on 16 and 17 by both players, this tournament would ultimately be decided either on the 18th or in extra holes.

After both Anderson and Parry split the 425 yard par four fairway with their drives, they were left with short iron approaches to a well guarded pin, surrounded by a gallery of 50-60 who were privy to this excellent display of golf. Anderson first to play, he took dead aim and made a great shot into the flag, some 12 feet below the hole. Parry was next to play and his iron shot covered the identical line as Anderson’s and spun back to within 6 inches of Anderson’s ball. He would be first to play.

Parry carefully studied his 12 ½ footer that would have put the pressure squarely on the shoulders of Anderson if it went in. He stroked the ball smoothly up the hill but his putt just wouldn’t take the break as he had expected and he would tap in for his par at minus 14 for the Championship. All gallery eyes now laid on Anderson- playoff or not? Anderson coolly stepped up and drained his 12 footer in the heart of the hole to win this exciting Championship by one shot at -15 for 36 holes. Some fantastic golf on this bogey-free tournament which consisted of 11 birdies and 2 eagles over the 2 days.

Anderson was interviewed after the tournament and was quick to thank his sponsor Laurie Guthrie of Fort McMurry, Alberta for giving him the opportunity to play on the Canadian Tour and pursue his dreams of making it to the PGA Tour. He also thanked Guildford’s Head Professional Dan Swanson for re-vitalizing the Guildford Open event and partnering it with the Vancouver Golf Tour.

Anderson has been a member of the Canadian Tour since 2001 and he has been getting better each year he has been out there. His first win came in 2005 at the Foster Farms California Classic and his second the following year at the Canadian Tour Championship, vaulting him to 11th on the 2006 Rolex Order of Merit. Since then, Anderson has become a steady player on the Canadian Tour, posting a number of top 5 and 10 finishes in ’07 and ’08 and continues to show his consistency with 5 top 20 finishes this year on tour including two top 5 finishes. Anderson’s focus will be to continue the remainder of the Cantour schedule which kicks off again this week in Calgary at the ATB Financial Classic. If his Cantour schedule will permit, Anderson plans to re-join VGT at the Vancouver Open Championship on Sept.13-15th at Fraserview, Langara and McCleery Golf Courses. He will then head down to PGA Tour Qualifying School in the fall.