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  GTA am Tour players take aim at 

THe Golf away tours tussle 

 
  

Caledon ON (May 12, 2014) - The GTA AM Tour was back this week for The Golf Away Tours Tussle, played at Osprey Valley Resorts. This outstanding 54-hole golf facility has three award-winning, championship golf courses; all designed by renowned course architect Doug Carrick. Tour players would set out today to challenge the Parkland style layout known as the Toot, which measures a lengthy 7,106 yards from the back tees. The Toot features the rolling landscape of the Caledon hills, providing the players with several elevated tee shots that peer down onto winding fairways below. This rolling topography often left players with uphill approach shots to perched greens. Players who joined us today would not be disappointed as the competition was fierce as there were valuable Myrtle Beach Order of Merit points up for grabs. With a smaller field in competition today, it gave the players a chance to score big and score early on the season, setting them up for a chance to place in the top three in the all-important Myrtle Beach Order of Merit.  

   

 

In the Championship Flight, eighteen holes would not be enough to determine today's winner. Overtime (NHL Playoff reference!) would be required as Stephen Wright and John Harrington (Ajax ON) both finished with matching scorecards, complete with 12 pars, 2 bogies, 1 double bogie and 3 birdies for scores of 73. The Champ Flight playoff was quite short in duration but not in quality golf shots! The playoff began on the par 5 first hole; both players hit their drives deep, to the middle of the fairway, only about 15 yards apart and 210 yards from the centre of the green. John went first and hit a rope of a shot that tracked the pin all the way. John's ball landed in the front of the green and rolled out to about 12 feet behind and above the centre of green pin. Stephen then stepped up and hit, what appeared to be, the exact same shot. However, his shot hit a little further into the green and ended up about 40 feet past the pin and just up against the green collar. Stephen would putt first and ended up about 18 inches from the hole. John then calmly stepped up and drained, centre cup, the EAGLE putt to win! This was John's first win this season and Stephen's third top three finish this season. Alone, in third today, was Peter Willis, (Aurora ON) who won earlier this season at the Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday Classic. Peter finished his day with a four over par round of 76.

 

   

 

In the A-Flight, Danny MacDonald would put together one of those near perfect rounds he is likely to remember for a long time to come. His front nine would be one to frame, scoring nine straight pars, for a perfect 36. Danny would continue his outstanding play, scoring six additional pars on the back, and five over on three other holes. This outstanding play gave him a career round of 77 for a one stroke victory. Alone in second was Jordan Lebel (Toronto, ON) who would make it interesting.Jordane struggled on his first 4 holes but eventually found his groove and diligently watched the leaderboard on the Live Scoring feature as he worked his way through his round. Making a charge, finishing the final 14 holes at one over par, but unfortunately he would come up one short, finishing his day with a 78. To determine third place, card matching was used with three entering the clubhouse with matching rounds of 80: Brian Provencal (Oakville ON), Tony Oliverio (Brampton ON) and Bryan Rothery (Georgetown ON). When matching the inward nine scores, two would remain tied with Brian and Bryan matching 40s. When comparing the final six holes, it would be Brian (with an i), taking third, having scored a 27, bettering Bryan's 29.  

    

  

In the B-Flight, it would be John Waddington making a triumphant return to the Tour, playing in his first event of the 2014 Tour season. John played a steady round today, never really getting in too much trouble, scoring matching 41's on both nines, for a round of 82 and a one shot victory. To determine second and third place, card matching would be required with two scoring matching rounds of 83 turned in: Matt Pratt (Mississauga ON), and Bob Fisher (Burlington ON). When matching the inward nine scores, it would be Matt taking home the TaylorMade Wedge for second place having carded a 39 over Bob who would take third with his card showing a 40.

 

   

   

In the C-Flight, we would crown our first back to back winner early on this 2014 Tour season. It would be Mark Matusiak (Toronto ON) making it a day to remember, having tied his personal best with a round of 81, shooting a round he won't soon forget. Mark's scorecard would depict the essence of steady having only one blip. Mark would finish with 7 pars, 8 bogies, 1 triple bogie and 2 birdies to cap off a seven stroke victory. Alone in second was Krish Nair (Toronto ON) who would make it his third, top three finish, in the past four events, with a round of 88. Finishing in third today was Robert Perri (Toronto ON) who narrowly missed a top three finish at last week's BMO World Elite Summit, having come up short in a card match. Today, Robert shot a round of 90 with an incredible back nine swing, having gone out on the front with a 51 to close out the back with a 39.

 

   

 

The winner of the closest-to-the-pin was Matt Pratt, winning a dozen TaylorMade golf balls. As in previous years, and at every event, there will be the Mazda Hole in One hole, where all players will have a chance to win a $2,500 sponsor product shopping spree. The winner of the Hole in One closest to the pin contest was Mike DiFlorio. Along with these prizes, Petro-Canada, TaylorMade and Mill Street Brewery products are awarded to the top 3 finishers in each of the four Flights. The Tour also awards a draw prize at each event for a $50 certificate redeemable at the Mill Street Brew Pub; today's winner of the Mill Street Brewery Certificate was Bob Sikorski.

 

Another new addition to the 2014 Tour prizing is an opportunity to win a $20 Ultra 94 Preferred Pricing gas card. A per-event draw will take place from all players who fire a score of 94. The winner of the BMO World Elite, Ultra 94 $20 gas card this week was Michael Vettese of the B-Flight.

 

Click here to viewTHE RESULTSfrom today's event the BMO World Elite Summit played at The Devils Pulpit. Also, to see all the actions from today's event check out these greatPICTURES, and the latest TourVIDEOSprovided by Tour SponsorCapture Scratch. We hope you have a chance to check them out and download them for FREE!!

 

In two weeks, the first Major of the year will be played on May 25th & 26th, a two-day 36-hole event where Order of Merits points and prizing increase by 50%. The BMO World Elite Major will take place, for the first time in the Tour's history, at The Club at Bond Head, a fabulous Private golf facility featuring two magnificent courses, designed by the renowned firm of Hurdzan-Fry, and member of the ClubLink family. We look forward to seeing you there; space is still available, sign up today! 

   

ABOUT THE GTA AM TOUR:  The GTA AM Tour is owned and operated by Canadian Golf Tours Inc. and is sponsored by: BMO World Elite MasterCardTaylorMade Golf Canada, Mazda Canada, Mill Street BreweryUltra 94Nature Valley, Myrtle Beach Golf HolidayECCO Shoes, P.J. Dermody Insurance Brokers, Joshua Kingsmill, Prodigy Headwear, LG Electronics Canada Inc., Cellworks, Sundog Eyewear, Golf Away Tours, Paradym Tech  Privileged PlayThe Golf Lab, Pixelcarve, Pacific Links, Bright Blue Wave, Dyma, Honsberger Physiotherapy and Biomechanics Clinic, Capture Scratch and Fame International Salon and Spa. Tournament rules officials are organized through the Royal Canadian Golf Association.

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