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Checking in with Team Canada

Nicole Vandermade

College visits

Derek Ingram, head coach of the Team Canada women’s squad meets with a few of his team members competing at spring NCAA events

Derek Ingram, Team Canada women's head coach

Published on Thursday, Apr. 07, 2011 12:10PM EDT Last updated on Thursday, Apr. 07, 2011 12:11PM EDT

I just returned home from observing two college events where several of our National Team athletes were competing.

The first one was the MountainView Collegiate in Tucson, Ariz. Jessica Wallace (junior at Colorado University) and Anne Catherine Tanguay (freshman at Oklahoma University) were participating. The golf course was in excellent condition and the 55-plus community really comes out to support the tournament. There were as many spectators as I have seen at a college event in a long time. Most college events get almost no spectators – except for parents.

Both Jessica (T6 – 71, 72, 73) and AC (T12 – 75, 72, 71) played well. Their games are really coming together with top-15 finishes. They play a similar game – both accurate off the tee and average length, but sneaky long at times! They are good irons players and excellent around the greens too. I love that they are both gutsy, tough competitors as well.

The second tournament was the Ping/ASU Invitational at the Karsten Course in Tempe, Ariz. Rebecca Lee Bentham, Nicole Vandermade (freshman and junior Texas) and Christine Wong (sophomore at San Diego State) were participating. The weather was perfect, 28 C, and slight winds to help with keeping cool. This event always has many of the best teams in collegiate golf, making it a super strong field.

All three team members played well. Nicole (72, 70, 75) and Christine (72, 73, 72) finished T6 and Rebecca (71, 74, 78) was on pace for a top-10 until a triple bogey on her third last hole moved her to T25. These are three great players with differing styles. Nicole is one of the longer hitting players in college golf with a solid all around game; Christine is an aggressive and athletic player who plays fast and efficiently; while Rebecca is smart, steady and a relentless competitor.

I was fortunate enough to have my wife and two sons meet me in Phoenix for a short family holiday in between the tournaments. That was a real treat for me as I travel a great deal. Our highlights were a Phoenix Coyotes Game (Go Jets!!!), a Cleveland Indians preseason game, shopping (for mom) and pool time for the boys. Oh yes, we had time play a few holes too!!

Hope you have a warm spring!

Derek