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Just like any other professional golf tournament, most of these competitors have been putting in countless hours at a driving range or practice facility.
What’s different is that they may not have had much time to hit balls, fine-tune their own putting strokes or sneak out for rounds, especially early in the season when lessons are in such high demand.
The field for the 2024 PGA Championship of Canada — on tap Monday-Wednesday at Mickelson National —features some of the finest instructors from across the country, those who have made a career out of providing pointers to the rest of us.
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“I would definitely say it’s our most important event. I mean, it’s our national championship,” said Calgary’s Wes Heffernan, typically a top contender at any PGA of Canada get-together. “We place a lot of importance on it, so there’s definitely going to be some nerves. I think the challenge with this event is it’s so early in the season. I’ve really only played two one-day tournaments, which is not much. I mean, it’s basically two-day events in the past seven months. So hopefully the game is there when you show up.”
The 156-player field for the 2024 PGA Championship of Canada includes 30-some pros from Calgary and surrounding area. You will recognize some of the names — Heffernan, for example, was a standout on the old Canadian Tour and twice teed it up in the U.S. Open — or at least the clubs and facilities they are proud to represent.
For the locals, one of the big advantages is a familiarity with Mickelson National, which will play at roughly 7,000 yards this week.
There are, however, some unique challenges too.
“Being in the hometown, it will be play in the event and then come back to work, or if I tee off later, I’ll work early and then go play,” said Sam Kirkness, the head professional at Inglewood, the popular semi-private setup on the banks of the Bow River. “If it’s out in Ontario or somewhere else, I get to just be at the course and focus on the tournament itself. It’s a bit of a blessing and a curse at the same time.
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“But there’s definitely a flip. As soon as you start to play, you’re focused on what’s going on at the tournament and you try to forget about what’s going on at work.”
They’re all hoping, after Wednesday’s final round, to be heading back to work as a national champion.
The winner will claim the P.D. Ross Trophy, historic hardware that has been handled by the legendary likes of Moe Norman, Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino.
They’re also vying for valuable points in the PGA of Canada’s player rankings. Whoever is sitting in top perch at the end of the season will score an exemption to tee it up in the PGA Tour’s 2025 RBC Canadian Open.
Heffernan, who teams with his wife Shannon to run Calgary’s Dynamic Motion Golf Performance, where you’ll find a framed photo from his victory at the 2022 PGA Championship of Canada, is currently sitting third on the list. He trails only B.C.’s Kevin Stinson and Quebec’s Yohann Benson.
Mitch Fox of Speargrass is sixth, while Kirkness — a former college basketball player and reigning winner of the PGA of Alberta’s Club Pro Championship — is at No. 11.
So what’s the key to success on Lefty’s layout at Mickelson National?
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“Definitely good lag putting,” Heffernan said. “I’ve been lucky to play it when it’s pretty calm. Their Invitational last year, it was really calm. I’ve played maybe nine holes in a hurricane, but I haven’t played enough to know what it would be like in the wind. Obviously, much tougher. But when it’s calm, it’s fairly easy off the tee and it’s all about your second shots and getting it in the right spot on the greens so you’re not lagging it from 50 or 60 feet.”
“If the greens are firm and fast, you have to be really, really good with your pace hitting putts,” Kirkness agreed. “And then you have to avoid the bunkers, because they’re super steep, super slopy. You can get into trouble that way. So basically avoiding bunkers and getting the right pace on the greens, those are two keys.”
Spectators are welcome this week at the 2024 PGA Championship of Canada at Mickelson National. You can follow the live leaderboard here.
wgilbertson@postmedia.com
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