Submitted by CanTour Communications John Berkovich
SOLIDARIDAD, Mexico – The Canadian Tour swings back into action this week with the playing of the US $100,000 Iberostar Riviera Maya Open at Playa Paraiso Golf Club.
The tournament, one of two rescheduled after the H1N1 virus caused the postponement of the Mexican Swing in May, is the penultimate event on the 2009 Canadian Tour schedule.
Daniel Im made an impressive Canadian Tour debut here last year when he birdied the final hole to defeat Brent Schwarzrock and Oscar Serna by one stroke.
He won’t be back to defend but his younger brother Jae Woo is here. The 19-year-old has taken great pleasure in outplaying his older sibling for much of the season with his best finish a T-5 in Seaforth.
Scott Gibson finished T-6 here last year and has knocked on victory’s door several times this season – including the Tour Championship earlier this month. He’s due.
Rafael Gomez, a winner at the 2008 Sport Frances Open in Chile, is in the field. Gomez led the Nationwide Tour’s Panama Open last February before finishing T-6, four strokes behind winner Vance Veazey.
This could be Lucas Lee’s week. A second at the Players Cup and a playoff loss to James Love at the Tour Championship are on his 2009 resume and the young man from Brazil has plenty of talent.
Ryan Yip figures to be in the mix this week. A winner at the Jane Rogers Championship last month, the Calgary native continues to play with confidence and has two additional top-five finishes this season, including a third at Seaforth after battling James Hahn and eventual winner Brian Unk down the stretch on Sunday afternoon.
After three second place finishes last season, George Bradford has struggled this season but he could be a sleeper pick this week. The talented Maryland native has several top finishes on the Mexican Swing throughout his career.
While the exempt spots for second stage of Q-School and the Bursary Awards have already been handed out, there is still plenty on the line in Mexico.
The top 80 on the Order of Merit after next week’s event earn exempt status for 2010 while the next 10 attain non-exempt cards.
2009 IBEROSTAR RIVIERA MAYA OPEN
DATES: Sept. 24-27, 2009
LOCATION: Solidaridad, Mexico
PURSE: US $100,000
COURSE: Playa Paraiso Golf Club (P.B. Dye)
YARDAGE/PAR: 6,683; Par-72
2008 WINNER: Daniel Im
2007 WINNER: Spencer Levin
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