Notebook

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This article was published 13/08/2011 (5512 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Patte in great position

OSHAWA, Ont.’s Jacob Patte, who bolted into Canadian Amateur contention at just two off the lead, said after his 68 Friday that he’s relishing the chance to test himself on the weekend.

“This is a great position, one I’ve never been in,” said the 23-year-old pro-shop staffer from the Oshawa Golf and Curling Club. “But obviously that’s my goal; I want to get into contention. I’m really looking forward to the next couple of days.

Coming off a third-place finish at this summer’s Ontario Amateur, Patte (pronounced Patty) said there’s something about Niakwa that suits him.

“I’ve putted really well,” he said. “And I play at an old Stanley Thompson course at home so I suppose there are some similar looking shots and the greens are just beautiful.

“Get it on line and they go in.”

Ontario rules Willingdon

IT was no surprise that Ontario put a serious spanking on the rest of the field Friday, winning the Willingdon Cup interprovincial team title by a whopping 15 shots at the Canadian Amateur Championship.

Powered on Friday by Albin Choi’s 67 and Jacob Patte’s 68, Ontario ran made it no-contest over its closest pursuers from New Brunswick and Quebec.

Thanks to a 70 by Mathieu Gingras and a 71 from Jason Roach, New Brunswick moved up to second with a one-under day to finish at plus-four, while Quebec was one-over on Friday to finish third at plus-seven.

Manitoba finished ninth out of 10 provinces.

Callbeck thrilled

THERE is no one happier to be playing the weekend at Niakwa than Victoria’s Jarred Callbeck.

Callbeck opened the championship with a dreadful 79 Thursday at Niakwa.

He fixed it all with an impressive, clean card Friday at Elmhurst. It had five birdies, an eagle three at the par-5 ninth and not a bogey, adding up to a tournament-best 64.

That moved him up 167 spots on the leaderboard and into a tie for 20th.

The ‘Tobans make cut

ONLY three Manitoba golfers were in for the weekend at four-over 146 or better.

They were Niakwa’s Scott Markham and Todd Fanning at 144 and Southwood’s Adrian Kibsey at 145.

Missing the cut were Breezy Bend’s Jesse Skelton at 148 (despite a Manitoba-day’s-best 70), Bret Thompson of Southwood at 148, Dale Goehring of Calgary at 148, Breezy Bend’s Eric Johnson at 151, St. Charles’ Matt Gray at 151, Rossmere’s Ryan Pitzel at 152; Teulon’s Aaron Cockerill at 152, St. Charles’ Derek East at 153; Niakwa’s Spencer Harris at 154, Southwood’s Burke Wiebe at 155, Pine Ridge’s Josh Wytinck at 156, Elmhurst’s Brian Katchnoski at 156, Winkler’s Tyler Friesen at 156, Breezy Bend’s Garth Collings at 157, Selkirk’s Mark Starodub at 158, Elmhurst’s Dean Herak at 159 and Niakwa’s Taylor Reilly at 160.

— Campbell