No-quit Californian in lead

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/07/2011 (5485 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With the notable exception of those wild mustard-coloured pants he wore when he won the MTS Classic in 2006, Josh Habig has just kind of blended in on the Canadian Tour in recent times.

Never bad, but just never again a winner or graduate.

The 34-year-old Californian is out to rewrite that here this week and he put a good start on the effort with a six-under-par 65 at Pine Ridge Golf Club Thursday in the first round of the Players Cup Hosted By Jonathan Toews.

He holds a one-shot lead over Monday qualifier Tom Hoge of Fargo, the last man on the course Thursday, and a two-shot margin on a dangerous list of seven characters that include the tour’s all-time money leader Mike Grob of Montana, Albertan Dustin Risdon and B.C.’s Roger Sloan, and Americans Jon McLean, Ryan Thornberry, Micah Burke and Garrett Sapp.

Those 60s rounds all came on a day with substantial southerly breezes, usually the 6,610-yard course’s most difficult.

Given that just about every Canadian Tour player’s goal is to leave the tour for greener grounds, how is it that Habig is still around five years after his only Canadian win?

“I’ve been dreadfully close (to leaving),” he smiled after finishing his round Thursday with birdies at Nos. 8 and 9, which is definitely not blending in. “One year, I missed at the second stage by one person. That was probably the worst Thanksgiving I ever had.

“I’ve been playing steady, consistent golf, especially from the middle of last year on. My putting’s better and I’ve been doing the important things better and I’ve been playing all the weekends.

“That’s the frustrating part about this game; a guy could win every event out here, but if he doesn’t play well at Q-school (in the fall), you’re back doing the same thing.”

Habig bounced between 30th and 53rd on the money list in the three years after his win. Last year, he cranked it up to $40,000 and was top-10 for the second time.

In 2011, he is 11th and given his strong opening day, a contender to be among the Canadian Open exemptions the tour has been extended for its top-five money players.

“That’s been my goal before this stretch of tournaments,” Habig said. (Getting there) means you’ve played well.”

Pine Ridge featured all kinds of swings on Thursday.

American Steve Saunders went 29-42 to wind up at even par. Chile’s Ben Alvarado aced the par-3 16th with a six-iron en route to a 68.

McLean, 25, is in his third season on the Canadian Tour and was thrilled with the good start.

“It’s a lot more fun to play the week.You don’t have to climb back all week,” he said.

McLean’s father is renowned teacher Jim McLean.

“That goes well now,” McLean smiled. “When I was younger, I couldn’t do it. He would have one of the other teachers there do it for a while. I really don’t think it was any different than any other father and son.

“As I’ve gotten older, I listen more and it’s gotten easier.”

It’s a popular question, he said.

“My dad’s the best teacher in the world, so it’s nice to get asked about it,” he said.

Grob, 47, finished third at Pine Ridge last July. He laughed Thursday that he’s probably played the course more than anyone else in the field other than Rob McMillan, who beat him here as an amateur in 1996.

Grob simply loves Pine Ridge.

“I don’t know why,” he said. “I think it’s just a great test — not long, but you have to be so patient and so smart. You have to pick your places to take advantage, and it’s tough to get those opportunities.”

The cut falls tonight to the low-60 players and ties, and the championship winds up Sunday, with the winner exempted to next week’s RBC Canadian Open.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca