Last week Elmira, Ontario’s Garrett Rank was playing on the world’s biggest stage. As a full-time National Hockey League referee and amateur golfer, he was a media sensation at the 118th United States Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. The result was that his week was filled to the brim with not only all the preparation it takes to play in a major championship, but many, many media obligations.
Apparently the top physical conditioning he requires in his chosen profession helps his golf stamina as the big week did not diminish his efforts at this week’s Investors Group Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship much closer to home.
In fact, the 30 year-old Elmira Golf Club member showed no signs of fatigue as he reeled off rounds of 64, 64, and 70 at the Burlington Golf & Country Club to win the title by a sensational ten strokes.
It is the second time that Rank has hoisted the trophy, having also done so in 2015. He is also a three-time Champion of the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship.
Fortunately for the players, the opening two days of the championship were missing the normal winds that buffet the lakeside golf course, making the low scores recorded possible. That said, posting 64 in consecutive rounds was more a sign of the skill that Rank possesses, those on a world-class level for mid-amateur players.
While Rank was not 100% happy with his showing at Shinnecock Hills where he missed the cut, he was pleased with how he responded in Burlington with a twelve under par performance.
“Anytime you can come and play in a provincial championship, and at the end of the day have a good day, being the clubhouse leader is something special. You play golf all year long to put yourself in these positions. Coming off a little bit of a disappointment but a great opportunity and a great week at the US Open, it was great to come here and shoot a great score!”
Trailing Rank by the ten stroke margin and sharing second was a trio of players, Stephen Brown of Srania Golf & Curling Club (who set a course record, 63, in round two), Patrick Forbes of Bayview Golf & Country Club, and Dave Bunker of Brampton Golf Club.
Of an interesting note, among the two players finishing in share of 5th place was Garrett Rank’s brother, Kyle, who caddied for Garrett at the U.S. Open. Obviously the busy week on Long Island did not hamper his game either.
A playoff was needed to see who would join Garrett as part of Team Ontario at the Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship in August, and Dave Bunker and Patrick Forbes earned the spots.
Bunker also earned the Mid-Masters Championship for players over the age of 40.
Full Leaderboard
| Pos | Player | Today | Thru | Total | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garrett Rank Elmira Golf Club | E | F | -12 | 64 | 64 | 70 | 198 | |
| T2 | Patrick Forbes Bayview G&CC | E | F | -2 | 70 | 68 | 70 | 208 | |
| T2 | Dave Bunker Brampton GC | +2 | F | -2 | 69 | 67 | 72 | 208 | |
| T2 | Stephen Brown Sarnia G&CC | +2 | F | -2 | 73 | 63 | 72 | 208 | |
| T5 | Kyle Rank Elmira Golf Club | +1 | F | -1 | 67 | 71 | 71 | 209 | |
| T5 | Peter Sauerbrei Cataraqui Golf & Country | +6 | F | -1 | 68 | 65 | 76 | 209 | |
| 7 | Ryan Tsang Cedar Brae GC | -2 | F | E | 72 | 70 | 68 | 210 | |
| 8 | Jeffrey Clarke Glencairn GC – L/S | +1 | F | +1 | 72 | 68 | 71 | 211 | |
| T9 | Eric Ross Burlington Golf & Country | -2 | F | +2 | 71 | 73 | 68 | 212 | |
| T9 | David Lang Donalda Club | E | F | +2 | 72 | 70 | 70 | 212 | |
| T9 | Marc St-Germain Cedar Brae GC | +3 | F | +2 | 70 | 69 | 73 | 212 | |
| T12 | Mike Dinner Eagle Ridge Golf Club | +3 | F | +3 | 71 | 69 | 73 | 213 | |
| T12 | Sean Kennedy Burlington Golf & Country | +4 | F | +3 | 71 | 68 | 74 | 213 | |
| T14 | Tyler McDannold Kawartha G&CC | +1 | F | +4 | 67 | 76 | 71 | 214 | |
| T14 | Derek Dalziel Public Player | +3 | F | +4 | 72 | 69 | 73 | 214 | |
| T14 | Adam Migur Weston G&CC | +4 | F | +4 | 69 | 71 | 74 | 214 | |
| T14 | Gavin Smith Public Player | +6 | F | +4 | 68 | 70 | 76 | 214 | |
| T14 | Charles Fitzsimmons Thornhill Club | +6 | F | +4 | 71 | 67 | 76 | 214 | |
| T19 | Steven Houle Riverbend Golf Community | +1 | F | +5 | 73 | 71 | 71 | 215 | |
| T19 | Darren Shaw King’s Forest Golf Club | +2 | F | +5 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 215 | |
| T19 | Tyler Stone Kawartha G&CC | +4 | F | +5 | 68 | 73 | 74 | 215 | |
| T19 | Gregory Goad Galt Country Club | +7 | F | +5 | 71 | 67 | 77 | 215 | |
| T23 | Mark Armstrong Oshawa Golf & Curling | +2 | F | +6 | 73 | 71 | 72 | 216 | |
| T23 | Peter McCarthy Rosedale Golf Club | +3 | F | +6 | 73 | 70 | 73 | 216 | |
| T25 | Gary Young Wyldewood Golf & Country | +2 | F | +7 | 75 | 70 | 72 | 217 | |
| T25 | Jonathan Ross Burlington Golf & Country | +4 | F | +7 | 72 | 71 | 74 | 217 | |
| T25 | Matthew Ion Young Hamilton G & CC | +5 | F | +7 | 73 | 69 | 75 | 217 | |
| T28 | Ryan Verrette Public Player | +4 | F | +8 | 70 | 74 | 74 | 218 | |
| T28 | Nic Mazze Devil’s Pulpit | +5 | F | +8 | 71 | 72 | 75 | 218 | |
| T28 | Ashley Chinner Coppinwood | +10 | F | +8 | 71 | 67 | 80 | 218 | |
| 31 | John Finley Royal Ashburn Golf Club | +9 | F | +9 | 69 | 71 | 79 | 219 | |
| 32 | Paul Sobottka Public Player | +7 | F | +10 | 71 | 72 | 77 | 220 | |
| T33 | Rob Cowan Westmount G & CC | +6 | F | +11 | 76 | 69 | 76 | 221 | |
| T33 | Robert Gibson Cedar Brae GC | +6 | F | +11 | 74 | 71 | 76 | 221 | |
| T33 | T.J. Rule Scarboro Golf & Country C | +7 | F | +11 | 72 | 72 | 77 | 221 | |
| T33 | Mark Pothier Spruce Needles Golf & Cou | +7 | F | +11 | 73 | 71 | 77 | 221 | |
| T33 | Daniel DiFrancesco Heron Point Golf Links | +7 | F | +11 | 71 | 73 | 77 | 221 | |
| T38 | Arjun Walia Public Player | +4 | F | +12 | 75 | 73 | 74 | 222 | |
| T38 | Brian Cahill Public Player | +6 | F | +12 | 76 | 70 | 76 | 222 | |
| T38 | Drew Symons Craigowan G & CC | +8 | F | +12 | 71 | 73 | 78 | 222 | |
| T41 | Ian Frauts Cedar Brae GC | +4 | F | +13 | 74 | 75 | 74 | 223 | |
| T41 | Robert McCracken Bay of Quinte Golf & CC | +5 | F | +13 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 223 | |
| T41 | Philip Arci King’s Riding GC | +5 | F | +13 | 78 | 70 | 75 | 223 | |
| T41 | Peter Johns Beverly Golf & Country Cl | +6 | F | +13 | 73 | 74 | 76 | 223 | |
| T41 | Mark Henderson Barrie CC | +6 | F | +13 | 76 | 71 | 76 | 223 | |
| T41 | Ryan Kings Deer Ridge Golf Club | +8 | F | +13 | 72 | 73 | 78 | 223 | |
| T41 | Mike Kray Rattlesnake Point GC | +8 | F | +13 | 70 | 75 | 78 | 223 | |
| T48 | Mike Currie Public Player | +8 | F | +14 | 75 | 71 | 78 | 224 | |
| T48 | Cam Burke Public Player | +9 | F | +14 | 74 | 71 | 79 | 224 | |
| T48 | Tim Lew Public Player | +8 | F | +14 | 73 | 73 | 78 | 224 | |
| T48 | Ranga Sugathapala Public Player | +9 | F | +14 | 73 | 72 | 79 | 224 | |
| T52 | Jason Buliga Willow Ridge G&CC | +6 | F | +15 | 72 | 77 | 76 | 225 | |
| T52 | Steve Fredericks Kawartha G&CC | +12 | F | +15 | 70 | 73 | 82 | 225 | |
| T54 | Matt Skipp Rocky Crest Golf Club | +8 | F | +17 | 78 | 71 | 78 | 227 | |
| T54 | Peter Willis Public Player | +11 | F | +17 | 74 | 72 | 81 | 227 | |
| T56 | Doug Mirrlees Heron Point Golf Links | +10 | F | +18 | 76 | 72 | 80 | 228 | |
| T56 | Drew Mayhew Cataraqui Golf & Country | +10 | F | +18 | 76 | 72 | 80 | 228 | |
| 58 | Joe Rinker Public Player | +11 | F | +19 | 72 | 76 | 81 | 229 | |
| 59 | Michael Forbes The National Golf Club of | +12 | F | +20 | 76 | 72 | 82 | 230 | |
| T60 | Robert Crifo Cedar Brae GC | +13 | F | +21 | 78 | 70 | 83 | 231 | |
| T60 | Robert Favaro Essex G & CC | +14 | F | +21 | 74 | 73 | 84 | 231 |
