Team Canada wins President’s Cup Competition
By Pat Payton | Sports Editor for the Journal Argus
Canada is back on top!
Well, at least in the local President’s Cup competition--an annual golf event held at St. Marys Golf and Country Club.
In the two-day competition Monday and Tuesday, Team Canada claimed a 26 points to 19 points victory over Team World in the 5th annual event.
The first year for the President’s Cup was 2013 and the Earl Staffen Memorial Trophy has changed hands every year.
Last year, Team World made a last-day comeback in the singles matches and pulled out a dramatic 16-15 win.
This year, the Canadian squad dominated on the second day and now lead the competition three wins to two.
Also this year, the two squads consisted of 18 players. And for the first time ever, eight ladies—four on each side—played in the competition. Four Super Seniors (70 and up) also competed, two on each team.
“It was good to add the ladies and Super Seniors,” Team Canada captain Tom Jenkins said. “We want to expand it and include as many people as we can.”
Jenkins and Mike Wraith (Team World) were their respective team captains for the second year in a row.
The golfers teed it up early Monday morning. The Chapman format was used for the first nine holes. Better ball was used for the second nine.
At the end of the opening day of competition, Team Canada held a slim nine and a half to eight and a half points lead. “It was really tight,” Jenkins remarked.
On Tuesday, the format for the first nine holes was a two-person scramble. The second nine was head-to-head singles matches.
Team Canada opened up a little breathing room early in Tuesday’s matches. It left Team World having to play catch-up.
“I think we had to go 7-3 in our last 10 (singles) matches (to win),” Wraith said. Then, Team World was forced to win five of their last six matches for any chance of retaining the trophy. However, it didn’t happen.
Notes:
--Following lunch Tuesday, Earl Staffen’s grandson Matt presented the coveted trophy to the ‘red’ Team Canada squad. Matt is president and general manager of the St. Marys Golf & Country Club.
--For being gracious hosts of the event, the St. Marys golf club was thanked by the two team captains.
--After five years, lefty Bob Mills is finally a member of a winning squad in the President’s Cup.
