Canadian contingent at PGA tournament could be a record
The 2014 PGA Tour hasn't been kind to Canadians.
The best this country has to offer couldn't win a tournament again, running this country's winless streak to five years. After finishing 2013 in eighth place in the FedEx Cup rankings, Canadian Graham DeLaet stumbled and ended 2014 in 37th place. He still made $2.6 million, though that was a slight drop from 2013.
But there's one area where Canadian golf fans can wave the flag: the growing number of Canucks on the tour. According to Bob Weeks of Score Golf, the six Canadians who teed off at the 2014-15 season opener Frys Open Thursday in Napa, Calif., may represent an all-time record.
Weeks wrote that after consulting with the PGA, it appears that this is the greatest Canadian representation at any PGA event not held in Canada.
As Weeks points out, Canada is surpassed in the size of its contingent only by the U.S. (102) and Australia (nine.) There are more Canadians in the tournament than South Africans, Englishmen or South Koreans. That alone may be a first.
Apparently, the Canadians decided to stick together on the opening round. Four of the six are in a tie for 43rd place, five strokes behind leader American Andres Gonzales. DeLaet, David Hearn, Adam Hadwin and Brad Fritsch all shot a one-under 71. Nick Taylor was one stroke back of them, while Mike Weir finished the day at plus three and in danger of missing the cut.
There's a lot at stake for the Canadian sextet heading into the new season. DeLaet stands fifth on the Presidents Cup points list and needs to have a good year to ensure a spot next October in South Korea. He also needs to shed the tag of being the best golfer never to win on the PGA Tour.
He'd also love to end the five-year winless drought for Canadian golfers.
This could be a breakout time for Hadwin, who finished as the leading money winner on the Web.Com Tour last year and was a finalist for player of the year. Now he needs to make the next step.
