The constrasting combination of sweltering heat and an ever-present breeze was the perfect characterization of the Flagstick.com PGA of Ottawa Tour event held at The Meadows Golf and Country Club in Gloucester, Ontario on Monday, June 17.
Fittingly the Club EG Pro-Pro Championship is a team event and much like the elements of the weather, the end result of the competition requires contribution from two players to create the outcome.
In this case, those offerings from each pro had to take place over 27 holes, the first time that this event has used this longer format. With nine holes of play in three variations of scoring – better ball, Chapman (modified alternate shot) and scramble there was also some endurance and long-term concentration required for success, in concert with required golf skills.
The field included seven teams competing in the Senior Division while twenty-nine two-person squads tangled in the Main Division.
Hall & Kalil Win Senior Division
Pine View’s Steve Hall teamed with Ottawa Hunt’s Dave Kalil to post a score of four-under-par, 104, over the 27-holes to win the Senior Division of the PGA of Ottawa Pro-Pro Team Championship by one-stroke over the teams of GUNNGOLF’s Graham Gunn with GreyHawk’s Dany Lacombe, and PGA of Canada’s Malcolm Trickey teamed with John Doolan from the Smiths Falls Golf & Country Club. The team of Barry Laphen and Greg White from the Cedarhill Golf & Country Club finished alone in fourth place with their total score of two-under-par, 106.
“Steve made three long putts and that was the whole difference”, said Dave Kalil when asked about their win in the Senior Division of the PGA of Ottawa Pro-Pro Team Championship. Dave continued, “We hit it pretty well and when one of us went sour, the other one was ok. Steve made eagle on sixteen and that really vaulted us up there.” “And then Dave made some clutch putts to keep us in the game”, said Steve Hall. Both players agreed that “It was nice to get the win and we played well in the wind.” Both players also agreed that the course was in great shape and the pins were tough especially with the wind.
Girard & Desjardins Win Main Division
In the final foursome of the day, the team of GreyHawk’s Denis Girard and Casselview’s Carl Desjardins finished just before dusk with a score of thirteen-under-par, 95, over the 27-holes to win the Main Division of the 2024 PGA of Ottawa Pro-Pro Team Championship. They dashed the hopes of Chris Barber and Michael Beneteau from the Landings Golf Course & Teaching Centre in Kingston, Ontario who finished earlier in the day with their score of ten-under-par, 98.
When asked about their Main Division win in the 2024 PGA of Ottawa Pro-Pro Team Championship Denis and Carl responded – “We played well as a team today. When one of us was in trouble, the other was safe. We were especially strong in the alternate shot middle section of the tournament. We were never in trouble with always a ball in play on the fairways and greens. We had birdie chances on almost every hole. We thoroughly enjoyed the golf course and especially the greens which were deceptively fast. It was a fun day.”
Finishing alone in third place with a score of nine-under-par was the 2023 winning team of Bill Minkhorst from the Prescott Golf Club and Adam Miller from the Brockville Country Club followed by the team of Allen McGee from the Edgewood Links Golf Course with Derek MacDonald from the Whitetail Golf Club at eight-under-par. Tied for fifth place with scores of seven-under-par were the father and son team of Jonathan and Gregory Schaepper from the Mountain Creek Golf Club along with the Rideau View Team of Dan McNeely and Tyler Epp. Tied for seventh place with scores of six-under-par were the teams of Adam Findlay from the Timber Run Golf Club with Smiths Falls’ Gord Percy, Brett Claggett-Woods from the Canadian Golf & Country Club along with Greg Smith from the Falcon Ridge Golf Club, GOLFTEC Ottawa’s Colin Pitchers with Teru Hino-Jencz, and the team of Marc Lacombe from Hylands Golf Club with Camelot Golf & Country Club’s Marc-Andre Piette.
PGA of Ottawa Executive Director Carol Ann Baxter thanked The Meadows management and its head professional Dave McDonald for giving up time for PGA of Ottawa players to participate in the Pro-Pro Team Championship on their golf course. She also thanked Club EG for its sponsorship of the Pro-Pro Team Championship and Flagstick.com for their overall Tour sponsorship.
Candidate Success
One of the biggest tests for golfers wanting to become PGA of Canada Apprentice Professionals is to complete their Play Ability test in at a PGA of Ottawa-sanctioned tournament. So far this year, Adam Bhaiwala, Sebastian Charlesbois, Ethan Crossett and Jon Kiru have achieved this goal by playing in at the PGA of Ottawa Spring Open at eQuinelle Golf Club in Kemptville. At The Meadows Golf & Country Club in the Pro-Pro Team Championship, Cameron McCulloch from the Cataraqui Golf & Country Club and Coleman Orenstein from the Renfrew Golf Club both played in and will now become eligible to become PGA of Canada Apprentice Professionals.
Next up on the Flagstick.com Players Tour is the PGA of Ottawa Summer Championship sponsored by COBRA PUMA Golf being held at the Kanata Golf Club on Monday, June 24th.
