Loewen behold, he did it

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This article was published 14/07/2009 (6234 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

He had any number of opportunities to fail on Monday but Pine Ridge’s Scott Loewen put perseverance into the asset column as he qualified for this week’s Players Cup.

The 23-year-old left-hander survived a pair of three-putts during his qualifying round, executed a tough two-putt on the 18th green for a round of even-par 71 and then earned his berth in the Canadian Tour event with a solid par on the second playoff hole.

"This is, for me, the highest level I could think of, where my game’s at," Loewen said after the three-man playoff for two spots. "Playing with these guys and in this atmosphere, it’s extremely valuable as far as what I want to do in the future.

"It’s a second-to-none experience. Being able to qualify, have the feeling that you fit in this field, it makes it that much better."

The Canadian Tour’s elite, playing this week for $200,000 and a spot in next week’s RBC Canadian Open, start play on Thursday at Pine Ridge. Three amateurs — Loewen, defending Manitoba Amateur champ Brad Kirton and runner-up Garth Collings — will be in the field of 156.

Loewen said after Monday’s qualifier that competing this week on his home course will help his comfort level. It’s the fourth time he’s been invited to play or earned a spot in the province’s biggest annual pro tour event.

"I want to say it’s a big help," he said. "Being able to know these greens and how they react in certain positions is important. It still is a pro atmosphere but it helps being a member, being able to play this course regularly."

Florida’s Jim Fitzpatrick led the Monday field with a three-under 68. Mark Bourgeois of Dieppe, N.B., followed at 69, leaving Loewen, Okotoks, Alta.’s Mitchell Fox and Californian Phil Telliard to go extra holes for the final two berths.

All three had chances but only Fox birdied Pine Ridge’s first hole, from 20 feet.

At the par-4 second, Loewen pured a five-iron from the left rough from 230 yards and routinely two-putted from 35 feet.

Telliard outdrove Loewen by 30 yards and hit a crisp iron pin-high to the right, but three-putted the downhiller from 20 feet, going three feet by and missing on the way back.

"I had to catch that five-iron and it’s exactly what happened," Loewen said about the second playoff hole. "There’s no doubt it’s a little intimidating seeing him 30 or 40 yards past me. But at the same time, he still has to hit a shot.

"In those circumstances, it’s not easy, whether it’s 100 or 200 yards. I just figured if I hit a good shot into the middle of the green, it’ll give him something to thing about. He hit a great shot in there nonetheless, but I think he got on the tough side of the hole."

Loewen himself had a couple of miscues with the putter earlier in the day — weather permitting, Pine Ridge’s slick greens are bound to present all kinds of challenges this week — three-putting No. 5 for a bogey and No. 8 for a par.

NOTES: The 2005 champion of the MTS Classic, Lee Williamson, withdrew on Monday due an illness in his family… The pro-am is scheduled for today, with Wednesday left for practice before the first ball is struck on Thursday at 7:30 a.m… Tickets for action Thursday to Sunday are available at the Pine Ridge gates. The course is located on Garven Road, about two kilometres east of Hwy. 59.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca

 

Players Cup

Monday qualifying

at Pine Ridge, Par 36-35 — 71

x-Jim Fitzpatrick 33-35 — 68

x-Mark Bourgeois 36-33 — 69

y-Mitchell Fox 38-33 — 71

y-Scott Loewen (a) 35-36 — 71

Phil Telliard 39-32 — 71

Peter Laws 39-33 — 72

Greg McAuley 37-35 — 72

Tyler Mancini (a) 35-37 — 72

Danny Mijovic 40-32 — 72

Riley Unger (a) 38-35 — 73

Ryan Vallely 36-37 — 73

Jason Humphrey 37-37 — 74

Brenton Fowler 40-34 — 74

Chase Cronk 40-35 — 75

Scott Borsa (a) 40-36 — 76

Andrew Jensen 41-35 — 76

Rob Speirs 40-39 — 79

Larry Petryk WD

Adrian Young WD

x-qualified; y-qualified via playoff