Kent Fukushima putts on the fifth green Friday at the PGA of Canada Senior National Championship hosted by Connaught Golf Club.--NEWS PHOTO SAMANTHA JOHNSON
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Medicine Hat and Connaught Golf Club were on full display this week during the PGA of Canada Senior Championship.
The national three-day tournament wrapped up Friday as event favourite Jim Rutledge led after each round, winning his seventh PGA Canada Seniors’ Championship with a final score of 16 under par (64,70,66). Rutledge’s tournament win Friday, falling on his 63rd birthday, puts the Victoria product just one victory behind the record of eight held by Canadian golf legend Moe Norman.
Locally, Connaught CPGA professional Brian Oliphant and Desert Blume owner/GM Trevor Ellerman each represented the Hat as one of the 43 golfers competing in the tournament.
Oliphant, who finished tied for 24th at 15 over par (81,75,75), said it was a great week on the course.
“The weather was beautiful, the golf course was in great shape,” Oliphant said. “Other than my first-round score, I was happy with the way I played and it was just nice hearing good compliments from former tour players raving about our course. All in all it was a good week.”
He said hosting the PGA of Canada event was a good opportunity to showcase golf in the city and Medicine Hat itself.
“All the players really gave a, ‘you have some great golf at Medicine Hat here,'” Oliphant said. “They went out to Desert Blume just to have a look. So they’re very impressed with the quality of golf that we have here in Medicine Hat and that can only help everybody in the long run.”
Oliphant said it would be years before they host another PGA Canada event only because the golf organization likes to move tournaments around before revisiting locations.
Both Oliphant and Ellerman said they had not played competitive golf for a while before the seniors’ championship but enjoyed getting the competitive juices flowing once again.
“I was playing pretty good going in but then tournament golf is just a touch different than regular golf,” Ellerman said. “So suddenly, that two-foot putt is two feet, and you’re not kind of sweeping it away as a gimme, so it gets a little trickier.”
Ellerman finished his tournament in 20th (77,77,74), earning the rank of the highest finish between the two Medicine Hat golfers. He said he was just glad him and Oliphant were able to compete in the tournament while representing the city.
“I think it’s just good that we both come out and played,” Ellerman said. “For both of us just to get out there and put yourself on the line where it can make things either go good, or you could really embarrass yourself in a hurry. Golf is kind of like that, so I think it’s good for both of us to show up and put our best foot forward, which I think we both did.”
Ellerman said he appreciated seeing all of the volunteers and members out helping. Oliphant could not say enough about those who came out to help and keep the tournament running.
“Just a big thank-you to everybody, the restaurant staff, the grounds crew, they worked so hard, the pro shop staff, but a big thank-you to all the volunteers that came out,” Oliphant said. “We had members, non-members, it was just incredible seeing 30-40 people out here volunteering, because that’s the only way you can host a tournament like this is with volunteers.”
Oliphant and the rest of the Connaught staff don’t get much time to rest as the club gears up for the 89th annual Southeastern tournament next weekend. Oliphant said the course was in great condition after the senior’s championship and should be in tremendous condition for their flagship tournament.
Editors note: A previous version of the story stated Friday was Rutledge’s 64th birthday when it was actually his 63rd.
