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TOURNAMENT PREVIEW:
CANADIAN TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Dates:
November 3-6, 2011
Course:
Desert Dunes Golf Club
Location:
Desert Hot Springs, California
Purse:
$150,000
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2011 Order of Merit
Top 10 standings after 11 events: Jose Rodriguez $80,227.88
Hugo Leon $66,351.20
Benjamin Alvarado $57,691.15 Roger Sloan $49,788.39 Stuart Anderson $46,234.44
Dustin Risdon $45,645.83
Garrett Sapp $38,865.28
Adam Hadwin $38,509.88
Danny Sahl $38,450.00
Joe Panzeri $36,709.99
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Official World Golf Rankings
Top 10 Canadian Tour players in the World Golf Rankings (rank as of October 23):
Adam Hadwin (222)*
Benjamin Alvarado (306 )
Jose Rodriguez (377 )
Roger Sloan (541)
Dustin Risdon (587 )
Stuart Anderson (632)
Hugo Leon (634)
Danny Sahl (642)
Brian Unk (702 )
Garrett Sapp (735 )
* Adam Hadwin is currently the top ranked Canadian in the OWGR
Click here for the site of the Official World Golf Ranking
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Expert Picks
Each week, experts from the golf industry -- including media, pros, and instructors -- predict who will win the tournament and who might emerge as a dark horse. Below is a taste from some of our experts. Click the link below to see all the expert picks and why they selected them.
Top 5 Standings as of October 27th:
Kevin Corriveau $106,730,75
Todd Saelhof $94,068.50
Chris Stevenson $78,894.79
John Down $65,476.78
Brad Ziemer $64,828.64
This Week's Picks for the Desert Dunes Classic:
Kevin Corriveau, PGA of Canada Professional & Windsor Radio PersonalityWinner: Adam Hadwin Dark Horse: Byron Smith Todd Saelhof, Sports Editor - Calgary Sun
Winner: Hugo Leon Dark Horse: Byron Smith Chris Stevenson, Sports Columnist, Ottawa SunWinner: John Down, Sports Writer, Calgary HeraldWinner: Hugo Leon Dark Horse: Wes Heffernan Brad Ziemer, Sports Writer, Vancouver SunWinner: Adam Hadwin Dark Horse: James Allenby
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CANADA'S TOP GOLFER SET TO DEFEND TITLE AT
DESERT DUNES CLASSIC
 | | Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, BC seen here with the Desert Dunes Classic Trophy after his maiden Canadian Tour victory in 2010. |
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Adam Hadwin will be looking to cap off a strong year this week as he prepares to defend his title at the Desert Dunes Classic. The 23-year-old Abottsford, BC native has been the story of the year on the Canadian Tour. Playing in just five events on the PGA TOUR the two-time Canadian Tour winner made five of five cuts and earned $440,752 which was enough to earn him conditional status on the Nationwide Tour for 2012. Of course Hadwin, who recently earned a bypass into the final stage of PGA TOUR Q-School will be looking to better his position with a strong showing at PGA West which is located just 20 minutes from Desert Dunes.
"I think having some status on the Nationwide Tour will help my mindset," confessed Hadwin from his home in Abottsford, BC. "Having some Nationwide Tour status is a huge help and gives me another chance to prove myself at the next level," added Hadwin.
Hadwin's goal for the 2012 season, however is to play on the PGA TOUR. Hadwin is a perfect six for six in cuts made on the PGA TOUR dating back to his debut on the big tour in 2010 at the RBC Canadian Open. Since then Hadwin has amassed two top 10's and three top 40 showings accounting for just over $460,000 in earnings, not bad for a Canadian Tour member.
For now Hadwin will focus on defending his title at Desert Dunes and capping off his Canadian Tour schedule in solid fashion. Should Hadwin clinch victory it will be the first time a Canadian Tour player has successfully defended a title since 1999 when Brian Kontak won his second Alberta Open.
"I'm excited to get down there and defend my title. It's something I've never done before as a Pro," added Hadwin, who won the co-sanctioned Pacific Colombia Tour Championship earlier this season. "Last year's win was pretty special for me seeing as how it was my first win on a recognized tour and it definitely played a roll in my progress this year," admitted Hadwin.
120 players will tee it up in the first round of the Desert Dunes Classic which begins Thursday November 3, 2011. The limited field event is the final event of the Canadian Tour schedule for 2011.
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CALIFORNIA DREAMING - A STAR STUDDED AFFAIR | | Grant Fuhr is one of the many sponsor exemptions for the 2011 Desert Dunes Classic |
A star studded cast of professional and amateur celebrity golfers are set to tee it up in early November at the second annual Dessert Dunes Classic in Palm Springs, CA. Hall of Famers Grant Fuhr (NHL), Ozzie Smith (MLB), Marshall Faulk (NFL), will all take part in the final Canadian Tour event of the season.
A number of other former sports legends will also be teeing it up in Palm Springs including professional golfer and former Major League Baseball pitcher Rick Rhoden. Rhoden has had varying success as a professional golfer earning over $350,000 in 33 starts on the Champions Tour. Rhoden's real claim to fame in golf can be found on the Celebrity Golf Tour where he has won eight times.
Rounding out the professional athlete celebrities are Marty McSorley (NHL), Vince Coleman (MLB), Mickey Tettleton (MLB), Mark Belhorn (MLB), Royce Clayton (MLB), Jermaine Dye (MLB), Garry Templeton (MLB) and Alfonso Ribeiro of Fresh Prince of Bel Air fame.
 A sponsor exemption was also granted to four time PGA TOUR winner Notah Begay III who will be making his first Canadian Tour start since the 2010 Jane Rogers Championship. Begay has made a total 15 starts on the Canadian Tour dating back to 1996 where he played in 11 events as a rookie and finished 15th on the Canadian Tour Order of Merit.
 Another former PGA TOUR member and current Nationwide Tour member Todd Demsey was also granted a sponsor's exemption. Demsey held PGA TOUR membership in 1997 as well as 2008 with career earnings of just under $300,000. Exemptions were also granted to Michael Bruchet, Aaron Dexheimer, Tyler Mancini and European Challenge Tour winner Alan Wagner.
Click here to view the entire field
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BUBBLE BOYS
The last event of the Canadian Tour season is always a nerve racking affair for those looking to finish inside the Top 80 on the Canadian Tour Order of Merit. Those players finishing within the Top 80 will retain full playing privileges for the 2012 season. Players who finish in the 81-90 spot will have non-exempt privileges for 2012. Here is a look at those players on the bubble.
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Ryan Thornberry currently sits in the 80th spot on the
Canadian Tour Order of Merit
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75 - Eugene Smith*** (not in field)
76 - Tobias Rosendahl (not in field)
77 - Andrew Parr
78 - Mauricio Molina* (not in field)
79 - Bobby Kalinowski**
81 - Ramon Bescansa (not in field)
82 - Alex Quiroz** (not in field)
83 - Jim Lemon**
84 - Daniel Im***
85 - James Allenby
86 - Thomas Petersson
87 - Darren Wallace
88 - Kent Fukushima**
89 - Michael Jensen
91 - Matt Daniel**
92 - Adam Cornelson
93 - Armando Favela
94 - Adam Spiers** (not in field)
95 - Roger Furrer
* Molina will retain playing privileges based on a three year exemption earned in 2009 for a two win season
** Veteran member of the Canadian Tour will retain status for 2012
*** Eligible to apply for veteran status for 2012 should player not finish in Top 90
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PLAYERS TO WATCH IN
CALIFORNIA
 Hugo Leon, Santiago, Chile
Leon currently trails money leader Jose Rodriguez by $13,876.68 in the OOM race. Leon will need at worst a solo second place effort to have any chance of catching Rodriguez. Leon will be making his Desert Dunes Classic debut.
 Adam Hadwin, Abbotsford, British Columbia
 @ahadwingolf
The defending champion and arguably the hottest Canadian Tour player has proven he can rise to the occasion when called upon. The 23-year-old made $440,752 in just five starts on the PGA TOUR with a career best T4 showing at the RBC Canadian Open.
 Lucas Lee, Brazil
This UCLA graduate is coming off a nice showing at first stage of Q-School where he shot 61 in the final round. Lee also qualified for the World Cup of Golf by winning the South American qualifier last month and will look to continue his solid momentum at Desert Dunes.
 Stuart Anderson, Victoria, BC
@stuandersongolf
Anderson is coming off an impressive run at the first stage of Q-School where the Canadian Tour Championship winner finished T3. Anderson would like nothing more than to cap off his season with a win before second stage of PGA TOUR QSchool.
Jim Rutledge, Victoria, BC
Rutledge finished T4 at Desert Dunes in 2010. The six-time Canadian Tour winner will be looking to improve on that performance in preparation for the final stage of Champions Tour Q-School. In his second full year on the Champions Tour Rutledge finished 51st on the money list with just over $297,000 in earnings.
 Ryan Yip, Calgary, AB
Like Rutledge, Yip finished T4 in 2010 but shared the lead with Hadwin and Richard Lee heading into the final round. The 2009 Jane Rogers Champion is coming off yet another impressive performance at first stage of PGA TOUR Q-School where he finished T2.
 Byron Smith, Ranch Mirage, CA
This is a home game for Smith as he tries to better his position from last year's T8th finish. The cool Californian will be looking for some redemption after last week's disappointing miss at the first stage of Q-School.
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