CDN Open Round 1

For all that might be said about the Angus Glen Golf Course, there aren’t very many easy holes at this week’s Canadian Open. I had the pleasure of following our two sponsored pros, Richard Scott and Danny King, around the course yesterday for 9 holes each.

If you are at all into golf, think about a 490 yard par 4, driving into a stiff wind. Several of the par 3s seemed to play over 200 yards.

Danny’s card is here. Richard’s here.

On the nine I was with Richard, he outdrove his two playing partners on many of the longer holes, but his putter wasn’t in top form. A couple of wayward tee shots left him in situations (in the “hay”) where he’d be scrambling to get a par. But on his back nine he drove the 536 yard par 5 Hole #11 in two and converted the putt for an eagle. Ended the day at +2, with the projected cut sitting at even right now.

Danny’s average driving for the day was 322 yards, which ties him for sixth of the 150+ professional players that were out there yesterday. On the first hole I was able to watch (#1), Danny hit the 1st green in two but missed the long eagle put (still made the birdie). A great start as he had been hit with a triple on the hole immediately prior (#9). He had good birdie chances on the 2nd and 3rd holes but missed both. Then the course goes into a stretch where par is a good outcome. He had trouble with a couple of greens on two holes for bogeys on each, but finished the side at only 1 over. 4 over for the day, largely courtesy of that one brutal hole.

As a spectator it was fun to join their two groups of fans and family members. Much like hockey, I suppose, aspiring professionals needed very strong support from their immediate families over the years to get where they are, and both enjoy that in spades.

For Wellington Financial, we won’t have sold any loans out there yesterday solely from two pros wearing our logos. And as a private company, we have no shareholders to impress. But despite the hundreds of thousands of people that play the sport each weekend across our country, Canadian golf is not well supported by the corporate world. Richard and Danny are two of Canada’s best golfers, and our firm was the first to be their corporate sponsor.

Lots of firms will pay for a homegrown player to wear a hat or a logo during the Canadian Open, but these individuals need meaningful longterm financial commitments if they are to reach their difficult goals.

The RCGA’s issues with title sponsorship for the Canadian Open may be well deserved and largely of their own making, but individual player sponsorship is certainly a great way to support the development of the sport. For us, backing Canada’s many of Canada’s best growth stories also includes these two fellows.

We wish them both luck today.

MRM