More the merrier after his big win

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This article was published 23/07/2010 (5842 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The emotions are ever-present on his sleeve, though they don’t convulse and contort like they used to.

And that’s one of the big reasons Peter More is finally a Nott Autocorp Manitoba Amateur champion.

Thursday, the Breezy Bend member punctuated a week of domination with a fourth straight day under par. The round of one-under 71 capped an eight-shot victory over clubmates Jesse Skelton and Garth Collings.

"When I was young, I could get a little upset out there for sure," the 27-year-old champ said after finishing the week at nine-under-par 279. "It’s kind of the way I am, an emotional guy, and you have to be yourself out there.

"But when you’re older, you have to be a little more mature out there, be a little more respectful. I try every day to get better at that and Garth (Collings) has helped me a lot, trying to get me to be more calm out there.

"But I like to be emotional. It’s who I am. I have to be fiery and it’s the only way I know how to do it. It helps me compete."

More, in his first year at Breezy Bend, said that Collings’ influence shouldn’t be overlooked.

"Garth’s the man," he said of the defending champ. "He’s helped me a lot coming over here this year. He’s been good for my game. He teaches me a lot not only about golf, but about life a little bit. Such a great guy to learn from."

And so it was a bad week here for stoic robots, who dominate today’s golf just about everywhere.

With a little more moderation of reaction, More, the 2000 Manitoba Junior champ has also adapted and improved a game that’s always been competitive.

"My short game is better for sure," More said. "My putting this year is the best it’s ever been, and that’s a huge help.

"My ball-striking has always been pretty good but early this year, I decided I wasn’t going to try to hit a hook ever.

"Totally take the left side out of play. Since I’ve started doing that, it’s been way better."

More’s performance also added a little more history to the championship trophy, originally presented by the Manitoba Free Press. He joins his father Terry (1967) on the hardware and they become the second father-son winning combination, along with Jim and Pat Doyle.

"That’s a big deal to me," More said about matching his father’s Amateur win. "I’m proud of what he did in golf and it helped me learn how to play."

Collings, who started the day in 10th spot and 10 shots back, was only two shots off of fourth place said he didn’t want to limit his thinking for Round 4.

"I tried to stay as focused as I could, concentrate on the short ones, the bunker shots and chip shots," said the 52-year-old three-time champion. "I thought 66, that I’d need that to get to the team.

"Pete walked away with this, blew it apart, and good for him."

Four birdies and just one bogey sent him surging up the leader board, and rivals like Skelton saw it.

"I was four-up on fourth (place) on the 16th tee, then hit it left and made bogey and (Scott) Markham made birdie, so I was only two up, then I hooked into the trees on 17 and made a good bogey," Skelton said.

"I shouldn’t have looked at the leaderboard on 16. I was doing way better than I thought I was. But I got done."

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Skelton’s first-ever top-four finish had him both thrilled and relieved when it was over.

"I had picked up two shots after three holes, but I wasn’t hitting it close enough to make birdies," he said. "I was just kind of hanging on. I was sort of playing for second most of the day. But I’m pumped about going (to the Canadian Amateur)."

Finishing with a 71, Markham overtook Southwood’s Riley Unger by one shot for fourth on the final four holes Thurday, making up three shots in that stretch.

NOTES: Next year’s Amateur will be held in Neepawa, a club that has recently returned to Golf Manitoba membership.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca