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Ken Duke’s photo is all over the property.
Everywhere that Duke looks, there’s another reminder that he is the reigning king of what is now known as the Rogers Charity Classic.
As he climbs out of his courtesy vehicle in his reserved parking spot at Canyon Meadows G&CC, the defending tournament champion is treated to a unique view — a blow-up of his celebratory fist-pump after he clinched his victory with a clutch birdie putt last summer.
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That same image is splashed on a broadcast tower by the 18th green. After finishing his practice round Tuesday, the 55-year-old Duke asked his caddie, Marvin King, to snap a photo as he stood in front of that larger-than-life promo.
“Just all the exposure that Rogers has put out there, all the pictures of me winning and pictures of that putt … ” Duke beamed. “I mean, that putt was a big deal. It got a lot of exposure on the PGA Tour Champions and on the Golf Channel and even from Rogers, with all the commercials. And it’s been really nice to see all that.
“I see it with other guys all the time. But seeing it and it’s me, that’s very, very special.”
Indeed, Duke is not accustomed to being one of the marquee attractions — or to the fanfare that comes with it.
His triumph in 2023 at Canyon Meadows was his first career win on the PGA Tour Champions. His best result so far this season is a tie for third.
“I’ve had a bunch of people already say, ‘Hey, great to see you back!’ And that means a lot,” Duke said. “You try to enjoy every moment of it.”
Duke is certainly enjoying this trip down memory lane. As he put it after Tuesday’s refresher rip around the 7,086-yard layout: “Just seeing the vision of where I’d hit it here and where I’d hit it there, it was awesome.”
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“We always try to play good,” said Duke, who completed three laps last summer with a total score of 14-under 196. “And most of the time, whenever we have a lot of good vibes and good memories, we do.”
REMEMBER WHEN?
Justin Leonard was still in his PGA Tour prime when his longtime swing coach started working with a talented tyke who had just moved to the Dallas area.
You may have heard of him … Scottie Scheffler.
Yeah, the same dude who has won seven tournament titles this season, including the Green Jacket at the Masters and the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
“It’s been phenomenal, the way he has played the last three years, really,” Leonard said of Scheffler. “It’s hard to say when you’re looking at a 12-year-old that they’re going to be the best player in the world. We didn’t play very much — I didn’t play very much back in that day when I was at home — so it was mostly just practice. I mean, you knew that he was going to be special. But I’m not going to sit here and say that I knew he was going to be the best player in the world.”
Leonard is among the newcomers in the field as the PGA Tour Champions sharpshooters return to Calgary for another edition of the annual senior showdown at Canyon Meadows.
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“I’ve heard good things,” he said. “So thought I’d come play.”
Now 52, Leonard is best remembered for his triumph at the 1997 British Open at Royal Troon and for the clutch putt that capped a dramatic comeback by the U.S. at the 1999 Ryder Cup at Brookline.
After focusing for several years on a second career in the broadcast booth, he’s playing catch-up as he competes against his pals on the PGA Tour Champions circuit. In 36 starts so far, his best finish is a second-place showing.
“It takes a bit to get back into it — physically but also mentally and the whole process of it,” said Leonard, a 12-time winner on the PGA Tour. “But it’s been good. I’ve been playing this game for a long time and even though I took some time off, it’s crazy how much you can still learn about it.”
CANADIAN CONTENT
Gordon Burns suddenly needed to clear his schedule for the remainder of the week.
He certainly wasn’t complaining about that.
A Toronto-area teaching pro, Burns scored a tee-time for the 2024 Rogers Charity Classic by firing a 6-under 66 during Tuesday’s final qualifier at Elbow Springs. He’ll now be joining Stephen Ames, Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Vijay Singh and others in a star-studded field.
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“I have 40 lessons booked from Wednesday-Sunday, so I have to text all those people and tell them I can’t see them now,” Burns said after securing his spot. “I have to change my flight from tonight to Sunday night. I have to find somewhere to stay. So I have a busy next couple of hours.”
Burns turned 50 in the fall and has been chasing the qualifying circuit, with a few unsuccessful bids before this one.
On Tuesday, he mixed seven birdies with just one bogey, then waited to find out if he’d made the grade. Hyeong Geon Kim and Jason Norris shared medallist honours at 8-under 64, while Burns snagged the final entry.
“It means the world to me,” he said. “This is my first PGA Tour Champions event, so I’m thrilled. I’m going to do my best to prep for Friday and keep the game going. It feels good, so I’m going to do my best not to get overwhelmed by the moment and just go with it.”
With Burns earning a tournament tee-time, there are now five Canadians in the field. That list also includes Ames, Alan McLean, Mike Weir and Calgary’s own Steve Blake.
Ames, who was victorious this past weekend at the Boeing Classic in Seattle, will personally donate $500 for every birdie he makes this week to First Tee — Alberta.
wgilbertson@postmedia.com
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