Canadian Tour - Players Cup Tees Off This Week

Submitted by CanTour Communications John Berkovich

WINNIPEG, Man. – The race for the RBC Canadian Open concludes this week at the prestigious $200,000 Canadian Tour Players Cup with the winner and top five on the Order of Merit earning exemptions into the 100th Canadian Open.

One of the flagship events of the Canadian Tour, the Players Cup has roots dating back to 1931 with names such as George Knudson and Dan Halldorson winning the championship.

With possibly the strongest field of the year and plenty at stake, this year’s edition will have no shortage of drama.

Defending champion Wes Heffernan missed the cut last week in Saskatoon and is looking for some redemption. A four-time winner on the Canadian Tour, the Calgary native wants another crack at the Canadian Open.

They say the best time to win your second tournament is right after your first. With his victory in Saskatchewan last week, Andres Gonzales moved to eighth on the Order of Merit and within striking distance of the top.

Sure he’s already in the Canadian Open via a sponsor’s exemption, but Graham DeLaet wants another victory on his growing resume. A final round 64 in Calgary earned him the title and he’s now a threat every week.

After a fifth in Saskatoon, keep an eye on Brent Schwarzrock. The 2007 Montreal Open winner finished T-9 in Edmonton and is returning to the form that made him a PGA TOUR regular before back injuries slowed him down.

He’s struggled this year but playing before the hometown fans may inspire Adam Speirs. A winner at Vancouver last year, Speirs is familiar with the Pine Ridge layout and could be in the hunt on Sunday.

It was another strong week for Liam Kendregan in Saskatoon and he could be a factor in Winnipeg. He is playing with confidence and aside from Victoria; he hasn’t finished outside the Top-20 this season.

Yohann Benson has quickly become a name to be reckoned with. The friendly Montreal native finished T-3 at the City of Surrey Invitational and T-6 in Saskatoon. He’s playing some of the best golf of his life and look for the trend to continue.

The qualifiers for the Canadian Open are anyone’s guess at this point but at 1-2 on the Order of Merit, Mauricio Molina ($59,508.55) and Byron Smith ($57,616.52) are virtual locks for a spot, while Graham DeLaet (#3) is with his exemption.

With the winner automatically in and keeping DeLaet’s exemption in mind, a tournament within a tournament will be contested for the final tickets to Glen Abbey Golf Club.

All of this bodes well for one exciting Canadian Tour Players Cup.

Order of Merit Top 15

Mauricio Molina $59,508.55
Byron Smith $57,616.52
Graham DeLaet $46,500
Mike Grob $36,987.46
Jim Rutledge $33,600
Hugo Leon $32,556.59
Rafael Gomez $31,457.29
Andres Gonzales $30,119
Stuart Anderson $27,282.08
James Hahn $26,757.21
Rob Grube $26,680.25
Fabian Gomez $26,083.27
Scott Gibson $24,549.63
Robert Gates $22,692.12
Andy Matthews $20,356.55