Canadian Open returns to Angus Glen
IN: News | US PGA | Canadian Open (2007) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 25 Jul 2007
The Canadian Open is this week being played for the second time at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ontario, just north of Toronto.
The Angus Glen Golf Club was developed in 1995 when the owner of the land (Arthur Stollery), which had been previously a cattle (Angus of course) and thoroughbred horse breeding operation, decided to fulfill his dream to build a great golf course there. He engaged the services of Doug Carrick, one of Canada’s most prolific and best modern day golf course architects. With the course opening to national acclaim in 1995 it also proved to be a good venue when first used in 2002.
The course measures 7314 yards but plays a little longer than that with thick rough ensuring that it will not necessarily be a contest for ‘the bombers’ only.
In 2002 John Rollins won a three man playoff against Justin Leonard and Neal Lancaster with Greg Chalmers and Steve Flesch one shot further back.
The favourite this year is likely to be Jim Furyk, who last year won by a shot over Bart Bryant at the Hamilton Golf Club. Furyk returns from a reasonable week at the British Open Championship. Furyk has not won in 2007 but he has been all around it and is in good enough form to be fairly considered the favourite to successfully defend his title.
Viay Singh was perhaps a little disappointing last week at Carnoustie but in general he has played well enough of late to be a good chance this week. In 2002 he finished just two shots from the playoff for the title and so has background on this layout. He is a previous winner of the tournament in 2004 when the event was played at Glen Abbey.
The two leading Canadians, Mike Weir and Stephen Ames will fly the flag with some hope of success. Weir seems to be returning to the sort of form we know he is capable of as he looks to win his national title for the first time.
Ames has had mixed results in recent starts, missing the cut at the British Open last week but finished a very solid 10th at the US Open.
Hunter Mahan is in brilliant form including a very respectable 6th place last week at Carnoustie at the Open Championship. After what had been a slow start to 2007 he has hardly missed a beat in recent weeks including when winning in Hartford.
The man who won at this venue in 2002, John Rollins, has mixed his form in 2007 but his 5th place finish at the Buick Open gives an indication that he might be able to repeat his previous effort at this venue. He missed the cut at the Open last week but this is a much different proposition.
Justin Leonard was beginning to show glimpses of his capabilities prior to last week at Carnoustie where he missed the cut. His runner up finish at the Buick Open was a better indication of where he is at with his game and returning to a course where he so nearly won in 2002 might aid his recovery from a rather ordinary golfing slump.
Sean O’Hair has been on the verge of something good in recent starts and might be a chance to do well.
A couple for longer odds might be Neale Lancaster and Steve Flesch. Lancaster played well at the recent John Deere Classic and was runner up at Angus Glen in 2002. Flesch seems to be on his way back after finding form at the US Bank event last week. He finished close up at this layout in 2002.
The Australasians are headed by Nathan Green who said this week that he is looking for an improvement in his wedge play this week.
“I positioned the ball well last week at the US Bank Championship but really didn’t give myself enough opportunities with wedge play that wasn’t really precise enough. I like the look of this course however.”
Steve Elkington, Mathew Goggin, Stephen Leaney, Andrew Buckle, Gavin Coles, Michael Sim, Steve Allan, Jarrod Lyle, Paul Gow, Adam Bland and New Zealanders, Grant Waite and Craig Perks, complete a numerically strong Australasian contingent.
The tournament marked the PGA Tour debut of South Australian Adam Bland who has a start courtesy of his success on the Canadian Tour in 2007.
