Manitoba talent skyrockets to 16

By: Tim Campbell Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Wednesday, Jul. 13, 2011

LOCAL flavour in the Players Cup Hosted by Jonathan Toews has increased dramatically in 2011.

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LOCAL flavour in the Players Cup Hosted by Jonathan Toews has increased dramatically in 2011.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/07/2011 (5486 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LOCAL flavour in the Players Cup Hosted by Jonathan Toews has increased dramatically in 2011.

Sixteen Manitobans will contest the $200,000 Canadian Tour event starting Thursday, including seven amateurs.

Last year, the Players Cup, one of the tour’s elite events, had room for only nine Manitoba players and one amateur.

A spate of tour member withdrawals this year has left the door open.

That was fortunate for several players who tried the Monday qualifier at Elmhurst.

There, it was already a good day for locals, as 2010 Manitoba junior champ Aaron Cockerill of Teulon and Bel Acres led the field.

He was joined by Pine Ridge pro-shopper Josh Wytinck, Southwood’s Adrian Kibsey and Fargo rookie pro Tom Hoge.

Tuesday, it was learned that Pine Ridge’s Brad Kirton and Calgary’s Drew Hartt, who lost in a playoff for the final two spots, were accepted into the tournament anyway, and they were joined by the qualifier’s official alternates, Eric Johnson of Breezy Bend, Ryan Bonni of Rossmere and Jesse Skelton of Breezy Bend.

All of them will join tour members Adam Spiers, Scott Loewen and Matt Johnston as well as host pro Shane Dick, Tyler Mancini, former Manitoba Open champ Rob McMillan, Dean North and Manitoba amateur champ Peter More.

Loewen back at his old course

FORMER Pine Ridge member Scott Loewen is back at his old course and in his hometown for this week’s Players Cup.

The rookie professional, now 26, earned a Canadian Tour card in March at the winter qualifying school.

He has missed five cuts, but finally made the weekend last week in Saskatoon, finishing 58th.

“The experience is huge,” said Loewen, the former elite amateur. “Slowly and slowly you get more comfortable. I’d say it took me a couple of months to get used to the idea I was a pro golfer in general.

“For me, it’s more upstairs than anything. If I can believe in it, then I can make it happen.”

Though he has struggled, Loewen said there are no second thoughts about his career decision.

“None at all,” he said. “The first day I played tournament golf, I knew this is what I wanted to be doing. Seeing some of my buddies here this week, well, I wouldn’t change this for the world.”

“I’m just so happy to be back in the ‘Peg.”

Last year’s champ elsewhere

FOR a second straight year, the Players Cup will have no defending champion.

Aaron Goldberg, who made the 2010 Players Cup the first of his three wins last year, has qualified for this week’s Nationwide Tour event in Ohio.

No Manitoba playoff for 22 years

IT’S almost an annual event in itself — counting the years without a Canadian Tour playoff in Manitoba.

We’re at 22 years without extra holes to decide a championship in Winnipeg.

There have been a few close calls, but the last time overtime was required was 1989 at Southwood when Stu Hendley won the Manitoba Open on the first extra hole against Dave Barr and Steve Chapman.

— Tim Campbell