Steady play earned PGA of Canada member James Skrypec the biggest victory of his professional career on November 18. The teaching professional at The Golf Academy at Deer Ridge (Kitchener, Ontario) turned in a three round total of 213 (-3) to win the 2023 PGA Head Professional Championship of Canada (presented by Callaway in Cancun, Mexico.
Skrypec’s opening round of 72 has him immediately seven shots in arears to Danny King, but his scores of 71 and 70 follow were ultimately enough to sneak him past Gord Burns and Ed Mauder (both finished at -2) for the win. King, who backed up with a 77 and 76 after his first round 65 had to settle for 4th place.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet, I still can’t believe I’m a national champion,” Skrypec shared with Brendan Stasiewich of the PGA of Canada. “Today I went into it thinking ‘it doesn’t really matter,’ I was just going to play like I was at home with my buddies and not think about the outcome and it seemed to work for me.
“I kept the ball in play and made a few good up-and-downs, nothing too impressive but nothing too bad, either,” added Skrypec who earned $8,000 for the win.
Two PGA of Canada – Ottawa Zone members were in the mix throughout the week, ultimately finishing inside the top ten.
Roger Beale of Rideau View Golf Club ended up 7th, while Lee Curry of Camelot Golf & Country Club was part of a three-way tie for 8th.
Notably, Sarah-Andréa Landry, the Head Professional at the Rivermead Golf Club, earned a share of 25th as the only female in the field. She was 11th in the Club Professional division.
The low club pro race – which included a $500 bonus – ended up being decided in a playoff after Weston Gillett made a 50-foot putt on his final hole of the day to match Inglewood Golf Club Head Professional Sam Kirkness in a tie for fifth.
In the playoff, Kirkness made a 15-foot birdie putt to claim the low club professional trophy.
Roger Beale finished in 3rd in the club pro category, while Gord Percy of Smiths Falls Golf & Country Club was 8th.
The Main leaderboard:
| Pos. | Player | Total To Par Gross | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total Gross | Purse | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James SkrypecThe Golf Academy at Deer Ridge | -3 | 72 | 71 | 70 | 213 | $8,000.00 | |
| T2 | Gordon BurnsGord Burns Golf School | -2 | 67 | 73 | 74 | 214 | $4,375.00 | |
| T2 | Ed MaunderOakville Indoor Golf Centre | -2 | 70 | 72 | 72 | 214 | $4,375.00 | |
| 4 | Danny KingThe Performance Academy at Magna | +2 | 65 | 77 | 76 | 218 | $2,500.00 | |
| T5 | Samuel KirknessInglewood Golf & Curling Club | +3 | 74 | 75 | 70 | 219 | $1,750.00 | |
| T5 | Weston GillettLacombe Golf & Country Club | +3 | 75 | 72 | 72 | 219 | $1,750.00 | |
| 7 | Roger BealeRideau View Golf & Country Club | +5 | 75 | 73 | 73 | 221 | $1,500.00 | |
| T8 | G.W. KingThe Academy at The Georgian Bay Club | +6 | 72 | 77 | 73 | 222 | $1,300.00 | |
| T8 | Scott StilesEarl Grey Golf Club | +6 | 72 | 78 | 72 | 222 | $1,300.00 | |
| T8 | Lee CurryCamelot Golf & Country Club | +6 | 74 | 72 | 76 | 222 | $1,300.00 | |
| T11 | Marc HurtubiseClub de golf le Parcours du Vieux Village | +10 | 73 | 75 | 78 | 226 | $1,050.00 | |
| T11 | John CochraneJohn E. S. Cochrane Golf Schools | +10 | 76 | 79 | 71 | 226 | $1,050.00 | |
| 13 | Nathan LeonhardtTour Development Academy | +11 | 74 | 75 | 78 | 227 | $900.00 | |
| 14 | Eric LaporteMontcalm (Club De Golf) | +12 | 79 | 78 | 71 | 228 | $800.00 | |
| T15 | Sergej DronovPacific Golf Academy (Richmond) | +13 | 76 | 74 | 79 | 229 | $700.00 | |
| T15 | Jamie GerlitzPicture Butte Golf Club | +13 | 80 | 75 | 74 | 229 | $700.00 | |
| T15 | Eric LockePriddis Greens Golf & Country Club | +13 | 79 | 82 | 68 | 229 | $700.00 | |
| T18 | Adam BruceGOLFTEC Sherwood Park | +14 | 74 | 74 | 82 | 230 | $575.00 | |
| T18 | Craig GibsonSirocco Golf Course | +14 | 79 | 76 | 75 | 230 | $575.00 | |
| 20 | Keir Smith | +15 | 81 | 74 | 76 | 231 | $500.00 | |
| 21 | Gordon PercySmiths Falls Golf & Country Club | +16 | 78 | 75 | 79 | 232 | $450.00 | |
| 22 | Frédéric RaymondClub de Golf La Tempete | +17 | 80 | 79 | 74 | 233 | $405.00 | |
| T23 | Derrik GoodwinGlendale Country Club | +18 | 74 | 80 | 80 | 234 | $370.00 | |
| T23 | Chris CallihooSaint-Raphael Inc. (Club De Golf) | +18 | 77 | 80 | 77 | 234 | $370.00 | |
| T25 | Todd BishopDormie Workshop | +19 | 80 | 77 | 78 | 235 | $311.25 | |
| T25 | Sarah-Andréa LandryRivermead (Club De Golf) | +19 | 74 | 84 | 77 | 235 | $311.25 | |
| T25 | Marc-Antoine LamoureuxSt. Hyacinthe (Club De Golf) | +19 | 78 | 80 | 77 | 235 | $311.25 | |
| T25 | Ron KeneskyTwenty Valley Golf & Country Club | +19 | 79 | 81 | 75 | 235 | $311.25 | |
| 29 | Teejay AlderdicePort Carling Golf & Country Club | +21 | 76 | 79 | 82 | 237 | $270.00 | |
| 30 | Greg ColekessianThe Georgian Bay Club | +23 | 71 | 76 | 92 | 239 | $260.00 | |
| T31 | Kyle BrodhagenStratford Municipal Golf Course | +24 | 77 | 79 | 84 | 240 | $241.67 | |
| T31 | Derek MacDonaldWhitetail Golf Club | +24 | 84 | 75 | 81 | 240 | $241.67 | |
| T31 | Kevin BlackRedwood Meadows Golf & C.C. | +24 | 82 | 82 | 76 | 240 | $241.67 | |
| 34 | Philippe MongeauClub De Golf Beloeil | +26 | 81 | 78 | 83 | 242 | $230.00 | |
| T35 | Glen MillsAssiniboine Golf Club | +28 | 81 | 80 | 83 | 244 | $220.00 | |
| T35 | Marty WheatonLloydminster Golf and Curling Centre | +28 | 81 | 82 | 81 | 244 | $220.00 | |
| T35 | Michael MonizMaple Downs Golf Club | +28 | 77 | 89 | 78 | 244 | $220.00 | |
| T38 | Jonathan GarronHampton Golf & Country Club | +30 | 84 | 79 | 83 | 246 | $205.00 | |
| T38 | Dave McMillanElmhurst Golf & Country Club | +30 | 89 | 78 | 79 | 246 | $205.00 | |
| T38 | Andrew SteepSouthwood Golf & Country Club | +30 | 86 | 78 | 82 | 246 | $205.00 | |
| 41 | Eric PorterLethbridge Country Club | +32 | 80 | 79 | 89 | 248 | $0.00 | |
| T42 | Miles McMulkinBeaumaris Yacht Club | +36 | 84 | 83 | 85 | 252 | $0.00 | |
| T42 | Jeff ChambersElmwood Golf & Country Club | +36 | 89 | 79 | 84 | 252 | $0.00 | |
| T42 | Matthew MahMill Woods Golf Course | +36 | 89 | 84 | 79 | 252 | $0.00 | |
| T45 | Matt LorenzElmhurst Golf & Country Club | +37 | 82 | 82 | 89 | 253 | $0.00 | |
| T45 | Mackenzie KuhnInnisfil Creek Golf Club | +37 | 86 | 81 | 86 | 253 | $0.00 | |
| 47 | Cameron GallCarleton Golf & Yacht Club | +39 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 255 | $0.00 | |
| 48 | Frank McMulkin | +51 | 93 | 88 | 86 | 267 | $0.00 | |
| 49 | Mike McEvayM-Squared Golf Instruction | +53 | 93 | 86 | 90 | 269 | $0.00 |
