Though there’s little coverage of it in either of the national dailies this morning, three Canadian golfers had significant weekends. Though it went largely unnoticed, London, Ont.’s Alan McLean, finished in a tie for 29th, ahead of the likes of Craig Parry, and David Howell. The London Free Press had a single line about McLean in its story here. For his trouble, McLean, who has had difficulties making enough money to support his young family, took home US$50,000, more than he had made in the entirety of playing on the Canadian and Great Lakes Tour this year. He’s off to the second round of Q-School this week.
He’ll be joined by Chris Baryla. Though Vernon’s Baryla was in a tie for the top spot in the Nationwide Tour’s Tour Championship on Friday, he finished in a tie for 10th after a mediocre Sunday of 2-over par. That means Baryla, who started the year by Monday qualifying into Nationwide events, has a card on that tour, but will head to Q-School to make a run at the PGA Tour.
Mind you, Jim Rutledge won’t have to bother with Q-School. The longtime Canadian veteran will become a 48-year-old rookie next year on the PGA Tour after making it in the Top 22 on the Nationwide Tour’s money list. There’s a story on Rutledge, who will become the second oldest rookie in PGA Tour history, in the Victoria Times Colonist, found here.
I had no idea that London had so many world class golfers as to ignore Alan. As a long time observer of Canadian golf and players this treatment is hardly surprising but still dissapointing. Well done Alan and thankfully Robert understands the need to let people know about a player who has had full membership on 4 of the 7 world governing bodies, Canadian Tour, PGA (Nationwide), European and South African. I am sure Alan is thrilled but let the media take some blame with the disdane some people feel when a player is still trying but is not on the PGA Tour. Disgraceful.