Checking in with Team Canada

Development Squad members joined their Team Canada coaches this week in Houston and Coral Springs, FLA for the second training camps of the 2013 season.

In addition to the hard work and conditioning all the members put in at camp, some of them had the chance to tee it up on the notable Deerwood Golf Course, home of the famous golfing film ‘Tin Cup’ with Assistant Men’s Coach, Robert Ratcliffe.

That hole Tin Cup made a 12 on.. Put me down for 3 today. #clutch

— Matt Williams (@MWilliamsGolf) February 15, 2013

Throughout the week, men’s squad members also played at the Redstone Golf Club, home of the PGA Tour’s Shell Houston Open.

nice shot at redstone, next time there will be a crowd and ill be playing with the pros #PGAtour twitter.com/KevinKwon95/st¿

— Kevin(@KevinKwon95) February 19, 2013

Collegiate Accomplishments

The spring season started out strong for two Team Canada members last week.

Adam Svensson finished in a tie for 4th in his debut at Barry University, after firing a 6-under-par, 66 in the final round of the Matlock Invitational.

75, 69, 66 first NCAA college tournament T-4Great win with the Barry boys

— adam svensson (@svensson_adam) February 13, 2013

North Carolina State’s Augusta James also notched her first top-5 of the spring season, finishing in a tie for 5th after rounds of 75-72-71 at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic.

Current Golf Stat Rankings:

• 54 – Augusta James (NC State)
• 154 – Christine Wong (San Diego State)
• 176- Brittany Marchand (NC State)
  
• 5 – Corey Conners (Kent State)
• 70 – Taylor Pendrith (Kent State)

Alumni Watch

Former Team Canada member Rebecca-Lee Bentham of Toronto recently had her career best finish on the LPGA Tour.

Bentham shot a career low, 7-under-par 66, in the opening round of the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open last week. Her 7-under-par, 285 total left her in a tie for 18th after rounds of 66-74-76-69. Former Team Canada teammate, Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., finished in a tied for 55th after rounds of 74-71-75-69.

Meanwhile, Toronto native Albin Choi captured his seventh NCAA title at the Puerto Rico Classic after firing a final round 7-under-par, 65 to finish two strokes clear of his nearest competitor. Choi is currently only three tournaments shy of catching former Team Canada member, Matt Hill, who picked up 10 titles during his time at NC State.

Get to know Team Canada

This week we check in with one of Team Canada’s newest Development Squad members, 17-year-old, Matt Williams, of Calgary.

On Course Questions:

GC: Ever had hole in one? If so where and how did it happen?
MW: I hope I’m saving my first hole-in-one for a big moment.

GC: What golfers would make up your dream pairing?
MW: I would play with the current top three golfers in the world, just so I could sit back and watch the performance.

GC: How did you learn to play golf/who introduced you?
MW: My dad introduced me to the game when I was four. He taught me how to love golf, which I believe is my greatest asset.

GC: What is your most memorable golfing moment?
MW: Shooting 28 over 9 holes, en-route to winning the 2012 Alberta Junior.

GC: What’s in your golf bag aside from your golf clubs? Any lucky charms?
MW: I have to mark my ball with a Canadian quarter, and I have a pair of socks I always shoot under par in.

GC: If you could have an intro song or ‘theme song’ for every time you teed off what would it be and why?
MW: Listening to ‘Till I Collapse by Eminem gets me fired up every time.

Off Course Questions:

GC: What’s something a lot of people wouldn’t know about you?
MW: I play competitive Dodgeball.

GC: If you didn’t play golf what sport would you have wanted to be better at?
MW: I played a lot of hockey growing up, but I think becoming an Olympic Bobsledder would be really awesome.

GC: What’s on your iPod right now?
MW: Lately there’s been a lot of Eminem, J Cole and Macklemore on my playlists.

GC: Do you have any fears? If so, what are they?
MW: I’m always terrified of dropping my phone down a street drain and I don’t get along with bugs, they freak me out.

GC: When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?
MW: For the longest time I wanted to be a Zookeeper who played in the NHL¿ Times have changed.

GC: What food can’t you live without?
MW: Safe to say I eat way too many Honey Crullers from Tim Horton’s.

GC: What word describes you best?
MW: Assiduous.