New Dad Kevin Stinson Gets His Second Crack At RBC Canadian Open
By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf
No matter how well things go at this week’s RBC Canadian Open, Kevin Stinson knows playing the event at Hamilton Golf & Country Club will not be the highlight of his year.
That happened on April 15, when Stinson’s wife, Allison, delivered their first child, a son named William. “He is perfect,” his proud dad said before heading east for what will be his second Canadian Open.
We don’t mean to suggest that Stinson is not excited about teeing it up in Hamilton. He is, but the arrival of his son has helped give him a new perspective on life and golf. He wants to play well, but if doesn’t, well, it’s not the end of the world.
Stinson’s first Canadian Open was in 2014, when he Monday-qualified his way into the field at Royal Montreal Golf Club. This one feels a lot different. “Back then, I was playing full time and now I play part time,” he said.
“It’s pretty limited, especially now that we just had a kid six weeks ago. Golf now is pretty secondary, it’s probably third in line now. But I think that has freed me up a little. I am not so worried about making the cut or finishing whatever to get in the next week. It’s more I can just go and enjoy it and free-wheel and have fun with it.”
Stinson, the head pro and lead instructor at Cheam Mountain Golf Course in Chilliwack, was the winner of the PGA of Canada’s Mike Weir Player of the Year for 2023. He earned his Canadian Open exemption by leading a points list based on finishes at select PGA of Canada and PGA of BC events.
Stinson thinks having more time to prepare for this year’s Open will benefit him in Hamilton. “When you Monday-qualify your way in, the week goes by really fast. I have had a few months to prepare for this. At the end of last year I had a good idea I would get in. It was still up to Golf Canada to give us the exemption, but based on previous years that spot was going to go to me.
"My wife was really awesome, she said go down to Phoenix for two weeks, so I got to go down in February and I got some good work in. I have just tried to maintain that with the few rounds I have played lately. But my game actually feels okay. It could be a great week, it could be an average week, it could be a poor week. I believe in my game. It just comes down to, does my A game, my B game or my C game show up.”
Stinson will get in two practice rounds at Hamilton before Thursday’s first round. That’s one more than the Mission native had 10 years ago at Royal Montreal, where he missed the cut. “For me, putting is key,” Stinson said. “You go from playing our local courses in B.C., especially at this time of year when they’re not in perfect shape, and then you go to a tour event where you know they are going to be firm and fast. So getting the speed down and avoiding three-putts and making your two-putts always makes golf so much easier.”
Stinson has spent some time recently working with local putting guru Brett Saunders and hopes that will pay dividends on Hamilton’s greens. “At that level everyone hits it good and we can all get it around the golf course. It’s who can get it in the hole the fastest and that usually comes down to the putter.”
CHIP SHOTS: Stinson is one of eight British Columbians in the RBC Canadian Open field this week. Eighteen B.C. players teed it up in Monday’s final Canadian Open qualifier at TPC Toronto. That qualifier was twice delayed by rain and had to be concluded on Tuesday. None of the B.C. players was in a position to grab one of the four spots available.
Click HERE to see the RBC Canadian Open Qualifier scoring.