Checking in with Team Canada

Banks is back

After an extended break from golf due to open-heart surgery in 2012, Team Canada’s Eric Banks finally had the chance to tee-it-up alongside his University of Florida teammates this past weekend.

Banks, 20, from Truro, Nova Scotia, competed as an individual for Florida at the SunTrust Gator Invitational. His 1-over-par, 211 total left him in a tie for 10th and was his second top-10 as a Gator after firing rounds of 72, 71, and 68.

Playing first tourny in 9 months tmrw, came a long way from that hospital bed

— Eric Banks (@EricBanks19) February 8, 2013

CBC News Nova Scotia spoke to Ed Hanczaryk, Banks’ coach from Nova Scotia and also the University of Florida’s Head Golf Coach, Buddy Alexander, prior to the tournament. Click here for the story.

Rank wraps it up in Australia

After having spent a month overseas in Australia, Garrett Rank is returning home after competing in three separate tournaments.

The 25-year-old finished in a tie for 11th at his opening tournament, the Australian Master of the Amateurs. He fired rounds of 68-70-73-79 over four days on Royal Melbourne’s prestigious West Course.

At the Australian Amateur, the Elmira, Ont. native advanced to match play after posting rounds of 70-76 in stroke play qualifying. Rank, however, fell 4&3 to New South Wales’ Brett Drewitt in the Round of 64.

In his final event, the NSW Medal and Amateur, Rank posted rounds of 73-71-74 in stroke play portion of the tournament. In the opening round of match play he fell 2&1 to Ruben Sondjaja.

Spring NCAA season begins

The spring collegiate season is underway for many of Team Canada’s players. This week finds five members of the women’s team competing for their respecitive collegiate squads.

The Lady Puerto Rico Classic: Feb 10-12 – Team Canada’s, August James (NC State), Brittany Marchand (NC State) and Development Squad member, Jennifer Ha (Kent State)

The Northrop Grumman Invitational: Feb 11-13 – Development Squad member Taylor Kim (Texas)

The Gold Rush Invitational: Feb 11-12 – Team Canada’s Christine Wong (San Diego State)

Puerto Rico bound! ¿¿

— Augusta James (@augusta_james) February 8, 2013

To track Team Canada throughout the NCAA season scoring can be found here.

Get to know Team Canada

This week we asked Team Canada’s Christine Wong some interesting questions… Check out her answers below to find out why she thinks ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ would be a great intro song for her on the first tee and who she’d love to play a round of golf with.

On course questions:

GC: Have you had a hole in one? If so where was it and how did it happen?
CW: My first hole in one was at McCormick Woods Golf Club during a match play event. It was a 107-yard hole uphill during windy and rainy conditions. I personally did not see it go in, but spectators were cheering before I knew it. I had hit it 6 feet past the pin, and spun it back into the hole.

GC: What golfers would make up your dream pairing?
CW: My dream pairing would be with Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Tiger Woods, and Morgan Pressel

GC: How did you learn to play golf/who introduced you?
CW: My dad taught me to play golf back when I was 8 years old at Mylora Golf Course in Richmond, BC. We spent a lot of time playing around the course and I instantly fell in love with the game. I began competing at the age of 10.

GC: What is your most memorable golfing moment?
CW: My most memorable golfing moment was when I won the BC Amateur for the second time after only playing the tournament twice.

GC: What’s the best golfing advice you’ve ever been given?
CW: "Don't try too hard, just let it happen"

GC: If someone were to ask you why they should pick up the game of golf, what would you tell them?
CW: I would tell them that it is a very stressful game. Your mindset or mood usually determines how you play that day because the state of your mind can influence your body. In turn, it determines how well you play.

GC: If you could sit down and have dinner with any professional golfer, who would it be and what would you ask them?
CW: If I was to have dinner with any professional golfer I would choose Rory McIlroy because he is a young professional golfer whom I could probably relate to the most rather than the older players and he seems like a cool guy.

GC: What’s in your golf bag aside from your golf clubs? Any lucky charms?
CW: I have a silver charm attached to my bag that my boyfriend gave me. On one side it has an angel, the other side has the word "BELIEVE" in capital letters to remind me to believe in myself and play the game with confidence.

GC: If you could have an intro song or ‘theme song’ for every time you teed off what would it be?
CW: "Kung Fu Fighting" to intimidate my opponents

Off the course questions:

GC: What’s something a lot of people wouldn’t know about you?
CW: My body has the ability to ingest a great amount of food in one sitting.

GC: If you didn’t play golf what sport would you have wanted to be better at?
CW: I played soccer for 10 years prior to playing college golf, so I would have to say soccer

GC: If you could have any super power, what would it be?
CW: FLYING POWERS!!!

GC: What’s on your iPod right now?
CW: A whole lot of dub step and country.

GC: Do you have any fears? If so, what are they?
CW: I am highly afraid of insects and bugs…I would leave the room as soon as possible if I knew there was a creepy crawling thing around or near me.

GC: When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?
CW: When I was little, I wanted to play sports and travel at the same time and that is exactly what I am doing right now :)

GC: What’s a typical day in your life like?
CW: A typical day in my life during college is waking up at 5am, driving to the course by 6am, practice at 7am until about 10am, fit in some time for strength and conditioning before having class the rest of the day….and a lot of food in between of course.

GC: What food can’t you live without?
CW: Candy, candy, chocolate, candy, chocolate, candy, and bacon.

GC: What word describes you best?
CW: ENERGETIC!