Mid-amateur champ sailing, then… disaster

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This article was published 14/08/2011 (5405 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OF his many athletic abilities, it came to light this week at the Canadian Amateur that Victoria’s Cory Renfrew can dunk a basketball.

The 25-year-old B.C. mid-amateur champion, the co-leader after the second round, is going to have to pull a similar move for today’s final round — go over top of some people and jam it home.

He’s now facing a three-shot deficit entering today’s final 18 holes.

Playing with the lead all day Saturday, including a three-shot bulge at the turn, Renfrew was handling the pressure beautifully, even if he wasn’t at his sharpest.

With his ball on the tee at Niakwa’s closing hole, the par-4 18th, he was in a share of the top with Ontario’s Mackenzie Hughes at nine-under-par.

Then, disaster.

“I actually thought I hit a good drive, a little pull, but I just thought it would be left side,” Renfrew said, bravely recounting the start of the mess. “It got a pretty good kick, but it was hardpan over there so it went into the bush. I could only hack it out left-handed and I didn’t get it back to the fairway.”

From there, with no look at the hole cut to the green’s far left, Renfrew went through the green into the back right bunker.

“It was a tough bunker shot,” he said of the sand shot that just ran into the collar, about 20 feet past the flag. “Then I got too aggressive with my first putt and ended up three-putting.

“I didn’t think I hit a bad shot out there, but I hit seven of them on the last hole and I didn’t think one of them was that bad. It’s just kind of the way she goes.”

Holding the lead, Renfrew said, did not bother him all day.

“There were times I was nervous out there but I think everyone was,” he said. “I know it’s a cliche but you’ve just got to stay in the moment, forget about the score and try to play golf.

“I think I did a good job of that.”

At 10-under through the turn Saturday, Renfrew appeared to be cruising along. But he failed to take advantage of the two par-5’s that start the back nine and he just couldn’t push his lead to a better number.

He said he wasn’t worried about stagnating.

“I was still trying to put it in good spots off the tee and attack the pins,” he said. “But I was just a little off with my timing I think, missing the fairways by just enough and missing a good spot on the green by just enough. I didn’t really have any good looks.”

Heading for today’s final round, he still remained optimistic despite the tragic ending to Saturday’s play.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Renfrew said. “I’m going to get those shots back and make a run. I’m excited about that.”

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca

The three Manitoba players (of 20) who made the cut at the 2011 Canadian Amateur this week found it hard to get traction during Saturday’s third round.

Niakwa’s Scott Markham, who started off strongly on his home course, managed a round of even-par 71 that moved him from tied-for-31st spot to 21st, two-over-par for three days.

Clubmate Todd Fanning was one-over 72 on Saturday but still moved from tied-for-31st to 26th, at three-over.

Southwood’s Adrian Kibsey was 74 on Saturday and went from 41st to 51st.