In the News

[Jeffrey Reed]

Monday Qualifier Tom Hoge Makes Canadian Tour History After Winning
The Players Cup hosted by Jonathan Toews


2011 Players Cup hosted by Jonathan Toews - Sunday July 17, 2011

Pine Ridge Golf Club, Winnipeg, MB
July 14 - July 17, 2011
Par/Yardage: 36-35-71/6610
Purse: $200,000 ($32,000)


Weather
High of 32° feels like 37°. Partly Cloudy

Final Round Leaderboard
Tom Hoge, Fargo, ND 66-67-69-66 (-16)
Ben Alvarado, Chile 68-70-67-65 (-14)
Jae An, New Zealand 70-70-68-65 (-11)
Brad Fritsch, Ottawa, ON 70-73-65-65 (-11)
Josh Habig, San Diego, CA 65-69-67-72 (-11)
Vince Covello, Philadelphia, PA 70-69-68-67 (-10)
Adam Hadwin, Abbotsford, BC 72-68-71-64 (-9)
Brian Prouty, Tucson, AZ 71-65-73-67 (-8)

(Winnipeg, MB., July 17, 2011) - Monday Qualifier Tom Hoge of Fargo, ND has won the 2011 Players Cup hosted by Jonathan Toews after firing a bogey free round of 5-under-par 66. Hoge who picks up $32,000 for the win becomes the first player to Monday qualify and win on the Canadian Tour since the tour's incorporation in 1986.


It has been a whirlwind week for the 22-year-old TCU graduate who nearly missed his Monday qualifier tee time after receiving bad directions. Hoge drove to Elmhurst Road in Winnipeg before realizing that Elmhurst Golf & Country Club was on the opposite side of town. With a little bit of luck on his side Hoge made it to Elmhurst Golf & Country Club with 10 minutes to spare and eventually qualified through a playoff after shooting 1-over-par.

"It's kinda crazy that I was 10 minutes away from almost missing the qualifier and now here I am," added Hoge who finished the tournament at 16-under-par for the week. "I played great along the way and it has been a lot of fun with all of the support from the fans and volunteers, it has been a great week," added Hoge who was endeared to the over 5,000 spectators who passed through the gates.


With the victory Hoge not only gains exempt status as a member of the Canadian Tour for two years he also earns a spot in the RBC Canadian Open which goes next week at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver. Hoge sealed the exemption into the RBC Canadian Open as the winner of The Players Cup.

"I think the exemption was in the back of every players mind this week," said Hoge "For me it was simple I had to win while a bunch of other guys had to get into the top 5, so I just put my head down and tried to get it done," added Hoge who will be playing in his first PGA TOUR event and only his fourth event as a professional.


Benjamin Alvarado of Chile put the pressure on the young North Dakotan firing a final round 66 to move into contention. Alvarado had a chance on the 18th hole to put pressure on Hoge with a 12-foot birdie putt that would have moved Alvarado to 15-under for the tournament but he missed the downhill slider.

For Alvarado it's his sixth top 10 of the season and his third second place finish on the Canadian Tour this year. Alvarado moved into third spot on the Order of Merit with just over $57,000 in earnings and secured his spot in the RBC Canadian Open. Alvarado will be joined by Order of Merit leader Jose Rodriguez of Mexico, Hugo Leon of Chile who sits in second place as well as Roger Sloan of Merritt, BC and Dustin Ridson of Strathmore who sit in fourth and fifth spot respectively.


Josh Habig of San Diego who held a one shot lead heading into the final round was unable to maintain the pace after a disastrous triple bogey on the par 5 fourth hole. Habig's tee shot ended up out of bounds and the 34-year-old Indiana native proceeded to three putt en route to carding an eight on the 548 yard hole.


"It's very disappointing," he said. "It was a solid start, really. Then I was feeling comfortable and just lost my focus with my tee ball on four... I was over it and I heard something that kinda distracted me a little bit and I should have stepped away and I didn't. That's just bad discipline on my part and I put a bad swing on it," added Habig who finished in a tie for third spot and picked up just under $10,000 for his efforts.


Adam Hadwin who will also be in the Canadian Open field thanks to a sponsor exemption had the round of the tournament on Sunday firing a 7-under-par 64. Hadwin made eight birdies and just one bogey to move him from a tie for 25th spot into seventh alone. Hadwin will be making just his third start in a PGA TOUR event after finishing as the low Canadian in both the 2010 RBC Canadian Open and the 2011 U.S. Open.


John Ellis of San Jose had the third hole-in-one of the tournament acing the par 3 7th hole from 148 yards with a pitching wedge. Brad Fritsch, who finished as the low Canadian for the week (T3) also made an ace on the 7th earlier in the week while Benjamin Alvarado made a one on the par 3 16th.

Chris Cunningham of San Diego made a rare albatross on the par 5 eighth hole at Pine Ridge Golf Club. Cunningham dunked his second shot from the fairway with a six iron to post the second albatross of the season on the Canadian Tour. The other one came earlier this season at the Syncrude Boreal Open thanks to Matt Rosen.

As of Sunday evening a total of 11 Canadian Tour full and affiliate members will be teeing it up in the 2011 RBC Canadian Open. Among that group includes PGA TOUR winner Notah Begay III and 2009 Dakota Dunes Casino Open winner Andres Gonzales. Other notable Canadian Tour alumni in the field include Mike Weir, Matt McQuillan, David Hearn, Chris DiMarco, Nathan Green, Paul Casey, Brendan Steele and Chris Baryla. Check cantour.com for updates from the RBC Canadian Open beginning Wednesday.


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