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wet day not enough to dampen the spirits of Tour PLayers at Wyndance Golf Club

 

Uxbridge ON (September 02, 2014) - With the summer days heading into twilight, and the last long weekend of summer in the books, the highly anticipated, and most exciting new contest the Tour players have been waiting all season for, is finally upon us!!! For the next four weeks, the Tour moves into the BMO World Elite Fall Swing as players will be rewarded for digging deeper than they have all season, to find their inner Pro and to unleash it to play their best during the final six Tour events of the 2014 Season.

 

Wyndance Golf Club, a member of the ClubLink family, was the perfect setting to crank up the excitement as the Tour played the first of six BMO World Elite Fall Swing events: the P.J. Dermody Classic. Wyndance GCholds the distinction of being the first course in Canada designed by the legendary Greg Norman, who has created a visually stunning, demanding, and masterfully crafted routing that winds through and around a former sand and gravel pit, creating a breathtaking masterpiece. It's no wonder Wyndance Golf Club was named runner-up by Golf Digest as best new course in Canada in 2008 and, since 2012, has been found on bi-annual Score Golf top 100's, sitting in the 67th spot in 2014. With 95 players taking part in the first Fall Swing event, it was up to each of them to create their own destiny to give them a leg up for what could be an exciting four weeks of golf.

 

For the second year in row, Paul Dermody, Tour player and the sponsor of today's event put the focus on a charity and the greater community. Paul made a pledge to donate, to the Darling Home for Kids, by contributing $10 for every birdie and $50 for every eagle made at today's event: the P J Dermody Insurance Challenge. A very worthy cause, the Darling Home for Kids provides paediatric hospice care and respite services to families in Ontario who have children with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses that require complex care and/or technology-dependent care. When the competition was all tallied up, Tour players notched an incredible 63 Birdies and one Eagle, bettering last year for a total donation of $680 by Dermody Insurance Brokers, Many of the players who won skins money donated their winnings to the Darling Home for Kids. Congratulations to all players for playing well and for supporting this worthy cause. If you missed contributing at the event click the link and Donate today.

 

In the Championship Flight, it would come down to a playoff! Having teed off earlier in the day, the Championship flight would not have to deal too much with the rain that would blanket Wydance for a period of two and half hours. As the final competitors were coming in, having played the final three holes in the rain, scores would be tallied and, while this was going on, the weather outside would take a turn for the worse, requiring the playoff to be put on hold until the weather let up. Peter Willis (Aurora, ON), who would be making a bid for five straight victories, was set to take on Ryan Taylor (Uxbridge, ON) who was aiming for his third victory of the season. Both had finished with perfect rounds of even par, after eighteen holes were complete. The playoff would head to the eighteenth hole. Both Ryan and Peter would hit beautiful drives leaving them both with irons into this par five hole. Unfortunately for Ryan, there was out of bounds down the entire left hand side of the fairway and he pulled his shot. He then hit his fourth shot into the greenside bunker. Peter hit his shot to the left side of the green (very close to the OB!) and was able to get up and down for a birdie. Ryan hit his bunker shot to within 8 feet and sunk the bogie putt. To determine third place, card matching was required, as two players would finish their day with matching rounds of 77: John Husband (Burlington, ON) and last week's winner, John Harrington (Ajax, ON). The result of matching the back nine scores would see John come out on top. Mr. Husband, scoring his second top three finish of the season, carded an even par 36 on the back, over Mr. Harrington's score of 38. In the Championship Flight's Myrtle Beach Order of Merit, John Harrington saw his lead diminish by 50 to 182.5 points as he currently sits with 910 points. With his fourth place finish today, Stephen Wright moves 727.5 points to sit in third spot, with the win and, improving by 100, Peter Willis now sits with 710 points.

 

In the A-Flight, Darryl Scott (London, ON) would make it three wins and five, top three finishes on the season, scoring an exacting round of 76 that would best the field by two. Darryl hit the ground running today, to set himself up for a card that showed a steady hand as he would score no worse than bogie, complimented by two birdies, ten pars and six bogies, for a round of 76. Capturing his second top three finish of the Tour season, with a second place finish today, was Brian Provencal (Oakville, ON), scoring a round of 78. To determine third place, card matching was required, as two players would enter the clubhouse with matching rounds of 79: Brent Brandham (Toronto, ON) and last week's winner Jordan Lebel (Toronto, ON). The result of matching the back nine scores would see Brent score his second, top three finish of the season, carding a 38 on the back, over Jordan's score of 41. The A Flight's Myrtle Beach Order of Meritsees a little overhaul as today's winner Darryl Scott, who had, just last week, managed to climb into second spot, on the move to the Championship Flight as a result of his game shaping up and his factor dropping. We wish him continued success as he steps back a tee deck at his next event. Shavi Kahlon continues to hold down the number one spot, with 687.5 points and a 112.5 lead over Matt Ward who climbs into second spot and now has 575 points. Moving into the top three spot, with 382.5 points is today's second place finisher, Brian Provencal.

 

In the B-Flight, Players were most excited, not for the start of The BMO World Elite Fall Swing and not for the fact that they were playing this amazing golf course that is Wydance. For them, it was the excitement of the return of one of their own. Back in competition for the first time in two months, and only his fifth round after some health challenges, one of the most genial of players on The Tour, Mike DiFlorio was back!!! With his big smile and full-of-life attitude, it was great to see Mike at it again. The Tour Team and all of your fellow players wish you all the best and it's great to have back!!!

  

Capturing his second Tour victory of the season, and scoring it in just over one months' time, Michal Vettese (Toronto, ON) played it perfect for the first event of the six fall swing events, scoring a round of 79 to get the win. His round would not come without its troubles as he would experience back to back double bogies on the fifteenth and sixteenth, having got to that point at only three over par. Michael would finish strong, parring out on seventeen and eighteen, to win by two. In second today, seemingly coming out of nowhere, quite possibly the hottest player in the B-Flight entering the BMO World Elite Fall Swing, the Tour Team's very own Brad Golden has found his groove he had seemingly misplaced since last season. In the last eight days and three tournaments he has scored a third place finish, placed fourth having lost out in a card match, and today scored an 81, good enough to take home a TaylorMade Putter for his efforts, which he promptly turned over to Tour President, Mark Young to use as an auction item in the upcoming Darling Home for Kids Charity event, to be hosted October 6th at Oviinbyrd. Alone in third was Mark Rhodes (Orangeville, ON) who had a great day, scoring his first top three finish, ending his day with a score of 83. Mark would find it difficult (LOL!) to take home the Mill Street Beer and TaylorMade Golf Balls for his efforts, but someone had to!!! In the B-Flight's Myrtle Beach Order of Merit, would see a similar overhaul to the A-Flight as John Farrugia, who has been holding down top spot for a couple of weeks now, is on the move thanks to his improving play and the fact that his Handicap Factor has now dropped to the A-Flight range. With his win today, vaulting three spots into first, our new leader, Michael Vettese sits with 455 points and a slim margin of 12.5 points over Mark Armatage who sits in second place with 442.5 points. In third spot, lurking only 40 points back of first, is Brett Parry with 415 points. As a result of the shift at the top, this has quickly become the most exciting Myrtle Beach Order of Merit race to watch only having five events left!!!

 

In the C-Flight, Rob Olivier (Toronto, ON) had it all going for him today as he would coast to a final score of 88 to win by one. Rob would keep the big numbers off the card today, playing it safe and, when he did find trouble, he would play it perfectly to lessen the damage already incurred as he would finish with six pars, seven bogies and five doubles on his day. Alone, in second, making his way back into a top three finish, Krish Nair (Toronto, ON), was back to his fine form today, scoring an 89, narrowly missing forcing a playoff having bogied the final hole. Taking third, and the Mill Street Beer and TaylorMade Golf balls, was a very happy Bob Sikorski, having finished his day with a 90. The C-Flight's Myrtle Beach Order of Meritsees a small change as Bob Sikorski's continues to lead with 767.5 total points but he now sees his previously sizable lead shrink to 225 points. In second place, improving his standings with his second place finish, Krish Nair, has 542.5 points and, in third, with no change from last week is Bob Read who has 495 points. 

 

Another one of the many ways to win on Tour is through Net Score competition. The net score competition is based on the net scores of 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 receive one dozen TaylorMade golf balls and one case (24) of Mill Street beer. This week's winners were Bob Read, with a net 69 and Michael Cann, with a net 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. After 19 events, Michael Cann holds down top spot with 638 points and, in second, Mark Matusiak has 626. For complete standings click on the link.

 

The winner of the closest-to-the-pin from today's event The P.J.Dermody Challenge was Sharad Keurer winning a dozen TaylorMade golf balls. Also at every event, there is a Mazda Hole in One hole, where all players shoot at a chance to win a $2,500 sponsor product shopping spree. This week's winner of the Hole in One closest to the pin was Christian Anderson. 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; the winner of this week's Mill Street Brewery Certificate was Ryan Taylor.


 

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 Mill Street Brewery Challenge, Ultra 94 $20 gas card was Bob Chapman of the B-Flight.

 

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 Mill Street Brewery Challenge, Ultra 94 $20 gas card was Bob Chapman of the B-Flight.


 

Click here to view THE RESULTSfrom today's event The P.J. Dermody Classic played today at Wyndance Golf Club. Also, to see all the action from today's event check out these GREAT PICTURES! We are certain you will also enjoy watching today's  VIDEO courtesy of Tour Sponsor Capture ScratchWe hope you have a chance to check them out and download them for FREE!!

 

The GTA AM Tour continues with The BMO World Elite Fall Swing next week, Monday, September 15th  for Paradym Tech Tussle to be played at The Mandarin Golf and Country Club . Space is still available at all events, sign up today! 

      

ABOUT THE GTA AM TOUR:

The GTA AM Tour is owned and operated by Canadian Golf Tours Inc. and is sponsored byBMO World Elite MasterCardTaylorMade Golf CanadaMazda CanadaMill Street BreweryUltra 94Nature ValleyMyrtle Beach Golf HolidayECCO ShoesP.J. Dermody Insurance BrokersJoshua KingsmillProdigy HeadwearLG Electronics Canada Inc.CellworksSundog EyewearGolf Away ToursParadym TechPrivileged PlayThe Golf LabPixelcarvePacific LinksBright Blue WaveDyma, Honsberger Physiotherapy and Biomechanics ClinicCapture Scratch and Fame International Salon and SpaTournament rules officials are organized through the Royal Canadian Golf Association.

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