Riley Wheeldon will make his first-ever PGA Tour start this week at the RBC Canadian Open, thanks to his ability to maintain the lead on the PGA Tour sa国际传媒 Order of Merit.
The 22-year-old Comox resident earned one of the three exemptions made available to the top three money earners on the Canadian-based tour after this past week鈥檚 Players鈥� Cup in Winnipeg.
鈥淭his is what I鈥檝e been playing for since I first started playing golf. It鈥檚 finally here,鈥� Wheeldon said of qualifying for a PGA event. 鈥淚鈥檓 just going to go out there and play my game, shoot the lowest number possible and see where I end up at the end of the week.鈥�
At $39,937.50, Wheeldon leads the PGA Tour sa国际传媒 ahead of Americans Wil Collins and Stephen Gangluff at $34,243.75 and $28,444.17 respectively. The latter two 鈥� who both were previous members of the PGA Tour 鈥� also qualify to tee it up this week at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.
Gangluff won the sa国际传媒 Island Savings Open in Victoria, the inaugural event for PGA Tour sa国际传媒 (formerly the Canadian Tour).
Wheeldon finished third that opening week and added his first victory on the tour at the Syncrude Boreal Open presented by AECON in Fort McMurray, Alta., to put himself in position to claim an RBC Canadian Open spot.
This past week, Wheeldon finished tied for 19th after rounds of 69, 73, 69 and 71 at The Players鈥� Cup at Pine Ridge Golf Club. American Carlos Sainz Jr. went on to win the event by one shot over Nathan Tyler. Victoria鈥檚 Cory Renfrew finished tied for 11th after rounds of 68, 66, 74 and 72.
鈥淚鈥檝e never played it, I hear Tiger hit a really good shot there once,鈥� Wheeldon said tongue-in-cheek of the Jack Nicklaus-designed Glen Abbey course. He was referring to Tiger Woods鈥檚 famed 6-iron shot back in 2000 that helped him win the Canadian Open.
Woods鈥檚 gutsy approach out of a fairway bunker on the 18th hole was a daunting shot over a pond that protects the green. It helped him defeat Grant Waite for the 2000 title.
鈥淗opefully on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I can get a feel for the course, get comfortable 鈥� or as comfortable I can get 鈥� playing in my first PGA event and take it from there,鈥� added Wheeldon, who has never played the course.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 got any advice yet. I鈥檓 hoping maybe to be able to talk to a few guys who have been there and done that and hopefully can share some words of wisdom.鈥�
Wheeldon is not the only Vancouver Island golfer competing this week at Glen Abbey.
Kevin Carrigan, of Royal Colwood, is also among the list of entries, but he is playing as an amateur. Carrigan earned the right to play by winning the 2012 Canadian Mid-Amateur.
CHIP SHOTS: After four events on PGA Tour sa国际传媒, Wheeldon is also tied for the lead in birdies made at 73 along with American Tyler Aldidge. ... Both Collins and Gangluff have previously competed at the Canadian Open. Collins also played in the U.S. Open at Merion this year. ... Former UVic golfer Mitch Evanecz had the longest driving average of the week at Pine Ridge at 325 yards per drive. ... A total of 16 Canadians (prior to Monday qualifying) will be in the field at Glen Abbey.
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