Coppinwood golf club hosts the 2014

Kingervision Classic

UXBRIDGE (April 28, 2014) - The GTA AM Tour officially kicked-off its 11^th season today with 73 winter weary, Tour players set to do battle in the Kingervision Classic. Our host Club was Coppinwood Golf Club, a golfer's paradise like no other. Tom Fazio has designed a fantastic, par 72. layout featuring five sets of tees, located on 357 acres of rolling terrain, with stunning elevation changes, designed to provide players of all abilities an exceptional golfing experience. While most golf courses in the GTA area have suffered greatly from Mother Nature's wrath of a long, cold winter, GTA AM Tour players would be treated to incredible spring golf conditions. Coppinwood's Turf crew had the course in fabulous spring shape having only been open for 3 days. Despite the cool temperatures and the strong winds, the competition was hot and The Tour crowned its first four winners of the 2014 season.

In the Championship Flight, it would come down to, in the words of Mark Young, Canadian Golf Tours Inc. President "an awesome playoff with exciting swings and two of the greatest golf shots I have seen." With one of the more dramatic finishes the Tour has witnessed. Stephen Wright (Toronto, ON) and TJ Rule (Toronto, ON) who both ended their day tied at 77, would head to the first hole for a sudden death playoff.  

The two would start the first by finding the fairway off the tee. Stephen's second shot was down the middle and his third would come up short, requiring him to chip. TJ would pull his second shot right of cart path, leaving him 130 yards out. His 3^rd shot would find the green at the base of the slope. TJ two putted for par which put the pressure squarely on Stephen to hole his 25 foot par putt. And he did just that to move the playoff to a second hole!  

The second hole would see both players hit ok 3-woods into the rough on either side of the fairway. TJ's second shot would land 15 yards right of the green. Stephen, calmly walked up to his ball and hit an amazing second shot. Looking at 205 yards to the pin, a side/head wind, he proceeded to take out a 5 iron and hit a baby draw that landed about 3 feet onto the front edge on green and finished 12 feet from the cup. TJ, now feeling the pressure, was faced with a difficult, downhill 15 yard chip shot to a tucked pin. He would knock it to within 4 feet. Stephen completed the hole with a stress free two putt, while TJ would tap in his par putt to move the playoff to the third hole.   

On the third hole of the playoff, Stephen piped his drive down the fairway, leaving him a second shot of 150 yards to the green. TJ's drive would find the fairway bunker and his second shot left him under a tree. He then hit a fantastic punch shot, from 125 yards to about 20 feet from the pin. Stephen, having hit his second shot to green, was left with a 35 foot birdie putt. He rolled it up to 3 feet and finished off his par. TJ was left with a 20 footer to extend the playoff, however, he just missed on the left side and finished with a bogie. Stephen would mark his first win of the season, after a tremendous playoff. Placing third in the Championship Flight, having finished with a 79 on his day, was John Harrington (Ajax, ON).  

In The A Flight it would a first time winner on Tour making his mark, Jim Tadeson (Toronto, ON) had a great day, for the most part, playing a steady round, and, on the par 4 14th, would have one of those shots to remember, draining his second shot from 120 yards out, giving him an rare eagle on his card and ending his day with a round of 79. Finishing in second today was Matt Ward, who finished his day with 11 pars and a score of 81. Alone in third, was Jordan Lebel (Toronto, ON) who ended his day with a round of 82 and took home a case of Mill Street beer and one dozen TaylorMade balls for his troubles.

In the B Flight, Paul O'Leary (Toronto, ON) would mark his first win ON TOUR but had to endure some mid round challenges to earn it. Through one stretch, he went seven over in four holes but was able to keep his composure and finish strong to post a score of 84 and take home the first place prize of a $250 Ultra 94 Preferred Pricing gas card. Earning his first, second place finish of the season, David MacLachlan (Toronto, ON) finished his day with an 86. In third place, the 2013 Kingervision Classic defending champ, Brett Parry (Newmarket, ON),  who has really made his mark at this event having finished first in 2013 and second in 2012, ended his day with an 87.

The C-Flight would crown another first time winner on the Tour when the youngster, at the age of 69, Clayton MacKay (Nobelton, ON) turned in his card, with a steady round of 87, for a four shot victory. Clayton was very pleased with his performance as he and Jim Tadeson spent a lot of off-season time at the Golf Lab, working on their respective games. To determine second and third place, card matching was used as three were tied with scores of 91: Ross Baker (Acton, ON), Krish Nair (Toronto, ON) and Gerry Blokzyl. When matching the inward nine scores, it would turn out to be worth the drive for Ross who carded a 44 to take second place over the 2013 C-Flight Myrtle Beach Order of Merit Champion, Krish, who would take third as his card showed a 45 while Gerry posted a 46.

 Another one of the many ways to win on Tour is through Net Score competitions. Net Score  is a calculation of the all the players who did not place in the top three gross winning positions in their respective Flights. The top two Net winners, at each event, will receive one dozen TaylorMade golf balls and one case (24) of Mill Street beer. This week's Net Score winners were Carl Thompson, with a net 69 and Mike DiFlorio takes second with a 70. In addition to the season-long Gross Score, Myrtle Beach Order of Merit, players will compete for a parallel season-long Net Score Order of Merit. For complete standings click on the link.