Doug Roxburgh wins Canadian Men’s Senior Championship
August 29, 2014
Terry Lenyk (Golf Canada)
West Vancouver, B.C. (Golf Canada) – Vancouver’s Doug Roxburgh shot a 2-under par 69 Friday to claim a wire-to-wire victory at the 2014 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship.
Doug Roxburgh (Golf Canada/ Kim Stallknecht)
Roxburgh, 62, finished at 7-under 277 (69-69-70-69), three-shots clear of runner-up Brady Exber (74-71-67-68—280) of Las Vegas. Exber, 58, is the reigning (British) Seniors Amateur Champion. Steven Hudson of Birmingham, Ala. finished third at 1-over par 285 (71-71-76-67).
The win today at Capilano Golf and Country Club marks the sixth national golf title for Roxburgh, who won the Canadian Junior Boy’s Championship in 1970 and Canadian Amateur titles in 1972, 1974, 1982 and 1988.
The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member and 13-time British Columbia Amateur champion was ecstatic with the win, perhaps even more so because it came so close to home.
“It feels outstanding,” Roxburgh explained. “I had a good week here. It was fun, I had great playing partners and the course was outstanding. Each national championship is special, but it’s nice to win in Vancouver in front of my family, friends and clubmates from Marine Drive (Golf Club) who came out to support me.”
With the win, Roxburgh earns an exemption into the 2014 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship taking place September 13-18 at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, Calif. Surprisingly, the career amateur has played just one previous United States Golf Association (USGA) event during his 40 plus years in competitive golf. Roxburgh was tentative to confirm he’d be taking advantage of the exemption and head south to challenge for the Frederick L. Dold Trophy.
“I still need to talk it over with my wife,” added Roxburgh. “I did try about 10 days ago to qualify for it (US Senior Amateur) in Portland, but I didn’t make it. I’ve only played one other USGA event and it was many years ago – the U.S. Amateur – so it might be sort of fun. And, I hear the golf course is just outstanding. So, you’ll probably see another Canadian flag on the leaderboard… somewhere.”
Final results and a full field list can be found online here.
Roxburgh takes 4-shot lead into final round of Canadian Men’s Senior Championship
August 28, 2014
Terry Lenyk (Golf Canada)
West Vancouver, B.C. (Golf Canada) – Vancouver’s Doug Roxburgh edged closer to winning his first Canadian Men’s Senior Championship title Thursday, firing a 1-under-par 70 at Capilano Golf and Country Club to take a 4-shot lead heading into tomorrow’s final round.
Doug Roxburgh (Golf Canada)
The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member once again got off to an unsteady start with a bogey on the 1st hole, but it proved to be the only blemish on his scorecard for the day.
The four-time Canadian Amateur and 13-time British Columbia Amateur champion carded birdies on holes 9 and 10 to fire his third consecutive sub-par round (69-69-70) at Capilano to sit at 5-under 208.
“I had a bit of a shaky start, but settled into a nice rhythm,” said Roxburgh. “I always enjoy playing with Sandy Harper and it was a fun day. I’m looking forward to tomorrow with Sandy again and Brady (Exber).”
Brady Exber of Las Vegas carded a 4-under 67 Thursday – the low round of the tournament – and now sits alone in second at 1-under 212 (74-71-67), four-shots back of Roxburgh.
“My approach today was to not make the silly mistakes I made the first two days,” he explained. “I’ve been driving the ball really well, and having some 4 or 5 irons into the par-5s, but was missing the greens in very bad spots. Today I did a better job of that, birdieing all four of the par-5s.”
Exber is the reigning (British) Seniors Amateur Champion, winning the R&A’s championship earlier this month in North Yorkshire, England to gain entry into the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship.
“My goal this week was to just not embarrass myself because people know I’ve won a big tournament and I didn’t want them to think it was a fluke,” he joked. “I think I’ve accomplished that at this point, so the pressure if off there. I’m still riding that high though, trying to play good and hopefully tomorrow will be a good day.”
Nanaimo, B.C.’s Sandy Harper is third, five shots off the lead at even-par 213 (71-73-69).
This week’s champion receives an exemption into the 2014 USGA Senior Amateur Championship taking place September 13-18 at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, Calif.
The Canadian Senior Men’s Championship continues Friday with the final round beginning at 7:30 a.m. (PDT). Scoring, pairings and start times can be found online here.
Doug Roxburgh continues to lead Canadian Men’s Senior Championship
August 27, 2014
Terry Lenyk (Golf Canada)
West Vancouver, B.C. (Golf Canada) – Vancouver’s Doug Roxburgh continued his solid play at Capilano Golf and Country Club Wednesday, posting a 2-under 69 to build a four shot lead thru two rounds of the 2014 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship.
The Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member had a less than ideal start Wednesday, bogeying the 1st and 8th holes en route to finishing his front 9 at 1-over par. However, the 13-time British Columbia Amateur Champion rallied to birdie holes 10, 11 and 14 to get below par and shoot his second consecutive 69 (69-69—138) at challenging Capilano.
Doug Roxburgh (Golf Canada)
The difference between the two nines proved to be Roxburgh’s flat stick.
“I needed to get my putting going and started to on the 9th hole,” he explained. “I made a nice side-hiller from about 10 feet to save par. After that I really putted well. I didn’t miss too many (putts) coming in on the back nine. I left myself below the hole and took pars when I needed. I’m happy with my 69 and am looking forward to the next two days.”
Steven Hudson of Birmingham, Ala. sits second thru 36-holes at even-par 142 (71-71), while Nanaimo, B.C.’s Sandy Harper is third at 2-over 174 (71-73).
In the Inter-Provincial Team Championship, the British Columbia contingent of Roxburgh, Lance Lundy (Pemberton, B.C.) and Jim Shaw (Mission, B.C.) combined for a 2-under 140 to capture the Phil Farley trophy with a 1-over 285 total. The squad finished 13-strokes ahead of Alberta, who carded a final round 1-over 143.
Team British Columbia: Jim Shaw, Lance Lundy and Doug Roxburgh (Golf Canada)
In the battle for the Super Senior title (70+), Mickey Batten of Chateauguay, Que. claimed a two-shot victory over runner-up George Stokes of New Hamburg, Ont. Batten carded 77-80 for a two day total of 15-over 157 for the victory.
“This is my first national championship win,” said Batten, a former Quebec Amateur and Duke of Kent champion. “I’m really happy today. I played this course (Capilano) 30 and 40 years ago, but I hardly recognize it. It’s truly a special place.
The Canadian Men’s Senior Inter-Provincial Team and Canadian Men’s Super Senior Championships are conducted concurrently with the opening two-rounds of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship.
The Canadian Senior Men’s Championship continues Thursday with the third round beginning at 7:30 a.m. (PDT) off the 1st and 10th tees. Scoring, pairings and start times can be found online here.
Doug Roxburgh tops leaderboard after opening-round of Canadian Men’s Senior Championship
August 26, 2014
Terry Lenyk (Golf Canada)
West Vancouver, B.C. (Golf Canada) – Vancouver’s Doug Roxburgh shot a 2-under 69 to take the opening-round lead Tuesday at the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at Capilano Golf and Country Club.
Doug Roxburgh (Golf Canada)
“Overall, I think I played pretty good,” said the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame honoured member. “It’s a tough golf course – the pins were tricky and the greens firm. I made some good putts, par savers, to keep my momentum going.”
Roxburgh and his hot putter got off to a great start, eagling his first hole on the day – the par 5 10th hole – to get into red numbers early. He’d add two birdies and two bogeys to his scorecard en route to becoming the lone player to finish their opening-round under par. He would have been a shot better if not for missing a short par attempt on the 9th hole, his last of the day.
“Unfortunately I missed that short one for par on the last hole” he added. “Other than that, I was really happy with my score out there today.”
Roxburgh had reason to be content with his round. The scoring average for the field was nearly 10 shots above par (71) at 80.26 during the opening round. The 12th hole played as the most difficult hole of the day, with the 156 player field averaging the 362 yard par-4 nearly a full stroke over par (4.94).
Roxburgh, a four-time Canadian Amateur champion, had high praises for host Capilano on Tuesday.
“I think Capilano is my No. 1 course anywhere that I’ve played,” he explained. “I’ve played a lot of great events here over the years and it’s always great to come back”
Roxburgh may have been the only competitor to tame Capilano Tuesday, but he still has a great deal of work left if he wants to capture his first Canadian Men’s Senior Championship.
Three players trail the 62-year-old in second. Pat Thompson of Asheville, N.C., Steven Hudson of Birmingham, Ala., and Sandy Harper of Nanaimo, B.C. all fired matching even-par 71s to sit two-shots off the lead.
The Inter-Provincial team championship is conducted concurrently over the first two rounds of stroke play each year at the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship. Team British Columbia leads by five-strokes heading into the final round. Roxburgh, Lance Lundy of Pemberton, B.C., and Jim Shaw of Mission, B.C., combined to card a 3-over 145 to sit ahead of Team Saskatchewan’s Colin Coben (Delisle), Paul Grimes (Arcola) and Percy Murray (Delisle) at 150, +8. Team Ontario, which is comprised of Brampton’s Rick Dodds-Hebron, as well as Larry Cooper and Lars Melander of Oakville, are third at 9-over 151.
Mickey Batten of Chateauguay, Que. leads the Super Senior Division (70+) after a 6-over 77. Bob Masukawa of Aurora, Ont. is second at 7-over 78 and George Stokes of New Hamburg, Ont. rounds out the top 3 in third at 8-over 79.
The shot of the day went to Frank Morris of Guelph, Ont. who used a 4-hybrid to card an ace on the 201 yard par-3 16th hole. The Guelph Lakes Golf Club member opened with a 5-over 76 and sits tied for 30th.
Defending champion David Schultz of Calgary is tied for 9th after a 3-over 74.
This week’s champion earns an exemption into the 2014 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, Calif. September 13-18, 2014.
The Canadian Senior Men’s Championship continues on Wednesday with the second round beginning at 7:30 a.m. (PDT) off the 1st and 10th tees. Scoring, pairings and start times can be found online here.
Canadian Men’s Senior Championship heads to Capilano Golf and Country Club
August 22, 2014
Morgan Bell (Golf Canada)
West Vancouver, B.C. – Top male senior golfers from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and the United States will compete at the 2014 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship which will take place from August 25-29 at Capilano Golf and Country Club in West Vancouver, B.C.
2013 Canadian Senior Men's Champion, David Shultz (Golf Canada)
The Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, featuring players aged 55 and over, is played over 72 holes with a cut after 36 holes to the low 70 scores and ties. The Super Senior Championship, featuring players aged 70 and over, is contested concurrently over the first 36 holes of the championship. The Senior Inter-Provincial Team Championship, featuring three-player teams representing each of the ten provinces, also runs concurrently with the first 36 holes of the tournament.
Conducted since 1962, the 2014 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship will see 156 players take to Capilano Golf and Country Club.
“The field is incredibly strong at this year’s Canadian Men’s Senior Championship,” said Golf Canada Tournament Director Mary Beth McKenna. “Capilano is going to challenge these elite competitors from across our country and worldwide and we’re looking forward to another great championship.”
Calgary’s David Schultz will return to defend his title after his one-stroke victory over Chip Lutz last year at The Briars Golf Club. Additionally, Schultz will be joined by a strong contingent of international players ranked inside the top-50 on Golfweek’s Senior Amateur rankings including, No. 2 Steve Sharpe of Greensboro, N.C., No. 8 Cyrus Whitney of Oro Valley, Ariz., No. 15 Jeff Burda of Modesto, Calif., No. 16 Brady Exber of Las Vegas, Nev., No. 25 Pat Thompson of Asheville, N.C., No. 49 Doug Williams of Hong Kong and No. 50 John Hull of Scottsdale, Ariz.
Capilano Golf and Country Club consistently ranks inside the top-10 courses in Canada. The Stanley Thompson designed course has a rich history in competition as the club has previously hosted seven of Golf Canada’s national championships alongside the World Amateur Team Championship in 1992. Additionally, the Pacific Coast Amateur was contested at the club in 2003 and 2013.
“Our membership has come together to support this championship and we are all looking forward to making this an event to remember for the competitors and spectators,” said General Manager, Brad Burgart. “Hosting a national championship is a great honour and we’re excited to watch as these elite competitors vie for a national championship title at our club.”
Locally, Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Doug Roxburgh of Vancouver headlines the list Canadian competitors. Roxburgh, a 4-time Canadian amateur champion and a 13-time B.C. Amateur Champion, recently defended his title at the 2014 B.C. Men’s Senior Championship. He will look to add his first Canadian Men’s Senior title to his incredible amateur career.
In the Inter-Provincial Team Competition, the Team Alberta contingent of Frank Van Dornick, Jim Russell and Pat McGowan will look to defend their title after besting Team British Columbia in 2013 by seven strokes.
The 2014 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship winner will earn an exemption into the 2014 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, Calif. September 13-18, 2014.
More information on the championship can be found here.