The Condo Group Vancouver Island Pro Tour swings into the 2016 season today with the opening stop at Cordova Bay Golf Course.
It is the first of 15 scheduled events for top club professionals on Vancouver Island.
All the group needs now is some sun and warmth, says new tour commissioner Jeff Palmer, who recently took over as general manager and head pro at Ardmore Golf Course, situated in North Saanich.
鈥淯p until this [past] weekend, it鈥檚 been awfully wet. We can use some dry weather,鈥� said Palmer. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking forward to getting going. We鈥檝e got a nice field for our first event. I think we鈥檝e got 32 guys, with a couple of sponsors in there, so that leaves 29 or 30 pros.鈥�
Among them will be defending champion Ben Griffin of Uplands Golf Club, who claimed the 2015 Order of Merit after rounds of 67 and 68 at the final tour championship held at Pheasant Glen and Cordova Bay in October.
Griffin was five strokes better than Kevin Maxwell of Olympic View, who recorded back-to-back 70s. Lance McCullough of Cordova Bay was third with rounds of 76-67. Griffin won the Order of Merit ahead of Matt Matheson of Olympic View with McCullough third. Edd Boudreau of Gorge Vale Golf Club was fourth and Maxwell fifth.
Maxwell won the 2014 Order of Merit after Gordy Scutt of Olympic View and Axe Riley of Highland Pacific claimed the 2013 and 2012 trophies, respectively. Mac MacLeod of Royal Colwood Golf Club took the 2011 title after Scutt had won in 2010.
鈥淕ordy had that neck injury last year so he鈥檚 looking forward to getting back and we鈥檙e looking forward to having him in the field,鈥� Palmer said.
The second event is slated for April 11 at Highland Pacific, with the Paddy Irwin Jr. Pro-Am on April 16 at Mt. Brenton Golf Club. The season culminates with the Toothguy Island PGA Championship on Oct. 1 at a site yet to be determined.
The group will hold its annual general meeting after today鈥檚 event to determine sites for a pair of the scheduled stops. The season also includes the Georgia Strait Cup against the Lower Mainland Tour, May 16-17 in Whistler.
鈥淚t鈥檚 our top 10 against their top 10 from last year鈥檚 Order of Merit,鈥� said Palmer, who is settling into his new position at Ardmore, moving over from his director of instruction position with the GBC Golf Academy at Olympic View. 鈥淚鈥檒l still be teaching and it will allow me to play a little bit more. We鈥檝e got a lot of cool stuff on the go out here.鈥�
CHIP SHOTS: Cordova Bay recently played host to a CJGA Junior event where Charles-Eric Belanger of Quebec topped the U-19 boys鈥� field with rounds of 73-73, one shot better than Thomas Simpson (71-76) of Ont. Victoria鈥檚 Josh Miller was third, one more shot back (71-77). Grace St-Germain of Ont. (76-80) won the U-19 girls鈥� event, four shots up on local product Megan Ratcliffe of Bowser (84-76). Courtenay鈥檚 Abigail Rigsby was third (79-83). Duncan鈥檚 Callum Davison (70-76) and Surrey鈥檚 Hannah Lee (75-76) won the U-17 boys鈥� and girls鈥� categories, while Jeevan Sihota (70-74) and Akari Hayashi, both of Victoria, claimed the U-15 divisions.
