Connor to tee it up at Players Cup

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This article was published 20/06/2019 (2270 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Kyle Connor will have just one objective when he tees it up at the Players Cup later this summer.

The high-scoring winger wants lower scores than his centre, Mark Scheifele, posted a year ago at the professional golf tournament at Southwood.

“That’s going to be my goal, just trying to beat Scheif’s rounds last year,” the Winnipeg Jets’ two-time 30-goal man said Thursday afternoon in a conference call.

“It’ll be fun. I’ve talked to (Scheifele) about it. He was actually up here in Michigan a little bit ago, and I played some golf with him. He just said, ‘Have fun, enjoy it and try and meet as many people as you can and talk to the golfers.’ It’ll be a good experience.

“When the opportunity presented itself, I was really excited. This is definitely a sport I’m passionate about and played ever since I was a kid growing up. So, to be able to go out and see these type of players operate at the level they are is going to be exciting.”

“This is definitely a sport I’m passionate about and played ever since I was a kid growing up. So, to be able to go out and see these type of players operate at the level they are is going to be exciting.”

Connor will compete in the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada event on a sponsor’s exemption. The annual Manitoba pro championship, celebrating its 100th anniversary, is set for Aug. 15-18.

Scheifele carded an opening-round 15-over-par 87 and trimmed a stroke off on the second day to finish 29-over 173 and miss the cut after 36 holes.

It’s no secret Connor, an 8-handicap, often has bragging rights when he’s golfing with teammates.

“I’m definitely one of the better players. We have a couple of players that are very good. Pretty much everybody plays. We’ve got a couple of players who are pretty low-handicap players,” he said. “Mathieu Perreault is a really good player, (Connor) Hellebuyck is up there. I’ve never played with (Blake Wheeler), but I’ve heard he is a really good player, as well.

“Pretty much everybody can play. It’s just kind of one of those things that goes hand in hand with hockey and golf.”

“Mathieu Perreault is a really good player, (Connor) Hellebuyck is up there. I’ve never played with (Blake Wheeler), but I’ve heard he is a really good player, as well.”

Many of the Jets have played the challenging track in St. Norbert before, yet Connor is well aware Southwood will really bear its teeth under tournament conditions.

“It’s a great course. They couldn’t have picked a better venue. They’ll set it up really well. I remember Scheifs saying they make it quite a bit longer than what we play in team tournaments throughout the season,” Connor said. “I’ve had some good rounds there. I’ve shot high 70s. Most times, we play best ball as an outing as a team, so I don’t have any official tournament scores for you.”

Connor’s brother, Jacob, who played competitively in high school, will caddy for him.

“He’s very knowledgeable… he knows my game really well. We’ve played tons of rounds together. It will be fun to share that experience with him as well, and to kind of lean on him for certain things, because he’s a pretty good player himself,” said Connor, 22.

Connor developed a love for golf in his early teens, playing round after round at a course near his home in Shelby Township, Mich. He and his buddies would golf until darkness swallowed up their tee shots.

“My first set of clubs — I had a driver, a five-iron, seven, wedge and putter. We’d hop on a twilight round when we were in middle school and play pretty much every day.

“So, it was a lot of fun, a lot of good memories, and that’s transpired to me playing the rest of my life.”

“Pretty much everybody can play. It’s just kind of one of those things that goes hand in hand with hockey and golf.”

How will he manage the stress that, almost assuredly, comes with ball striking in front of gifted pros and large, inquisitive galleries?

“I think on that first tee shot there will be some nerves. But, once we get going, I think it’s like anything. When you get those competitive juices flowing, get the round going — once you’re out in the fairways — I’m sure I’ll calm down and hit some good shots and it’ll be just like playing another round,” Connor said.

“I’ve got a pretty long ball, so that’s an advantage, and I definitely try to use that. I hit my irons pretty well, so just trying to bring it all together. My short game, around the greens, the wedge play, would be a strength play of mine, so just trying to put it together and have a couple of good rounds.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell