July 2015
2015 Staal Open Presented by Tbaytel Bigger & Better!
Raising Awareness Together Golf Tournament 2015 KBMX Motocross Race Exciting 2015 Honda Indy Toronto Won by Josef Newgarden
Golf Trick Show Artist Wows The Crowd!
F1 Red Bull Car in Thunder Bay
Raising Awareness Together Golf Tournament 2015 long way to help people according to Wab Kinew.
BY SCOTT A. SUMNER
NW Ontario Golfing News “ This is the Raising Awareness Together Golf Tournament 2015, the fifth, to raise awareness of the problems of prescription drug abuse and to raise some funds to support the programs to help people get off prescription drugs and to a more healthy lifestyle. It is a big problem for many First Nations communities. It is also a problem that affects people in all walks of life.” said Wab Kinew who works at the University of Winnipeg in Indigenous Affairs and hosts some shows for CBC Television. “ It is something everything needs to pay attention to and to help with programs to prevent the problem.” “ The drugs are physically addictive, and social problems can aggravate it, say problems in the home or with friends and bullying. There are many factors at work here. Today we want to show a positive space,
Michael McKay, Wab Kinew and Travis Boissoneau have a good time together and have successful people come together.” The organizers of this event feel the need
to provide support to people. They have raised $17,000 to date and will be closer to $20,000 after this years event. It goes a
Michael McKay is originally from Bearskin Lake and now lives in Thunder Bay. He is co founder of the event with Travis Boissoneau. “ I am from a remote northern community and saw a change in the communities and people struggling. Before we started this event it seemed like not much was being done about prescription drug abuse. I wanted to do something about it and approached Travis Boissoneau to help. We want to create awareness of the problem. The funds we raise go right to the Denis Franklin Cromarty High School Drug Treatment and After care program. It can be a real struggle with prescription drug abuse and can lead to other issues. The small communities don’t often have the resources and funds to help with these problems so we can help.” This golf event was held June 19th at the Whitewater Golf Club in Thunder Bay.
Launch Of Free iPhone App "Global Golf Guide & Logbook" Zurich, Switzerland - Artigo Solutions has released its new and free "Global Golf Guide & Logbook" app on the iTunes App Store. Developed by award-winning author Yves C. Ton-That, who wrote the best-selling golf book "Golf Rules Quick Reference" and created the popular "iGolfrules" app that's officially recommended by Apple, this app was two years
in the making. Golfers can easily and quickly find the best courses in their area. They can also rate courses and save course information within the app. The "Golf Guide & Logbook" app for the iPhone covers two key requirements of golfers: it documents the rounds played and helps with choosing courses for future rounds. Instead of collecting logo balls or
other club souvenirs, users always have their personal logbook with them on their iPhone. They can also rate courses they've played and, thanks to the pool of ratings, they know which courses are worth playing. All of this can be shared with friends. The "Golf Guide" portion of the app contains every golf course in the world and gives users all the information they need, such as contact data, route planner, ratings and more. They can therefore plan their rounds and make tee time bookings quick-
ly and easily. The guide is based on a specially developed global database that's maintained and expanded on a daily basis. With the Logbook portion of the app, users can enter their rounds in their personal logbook. They can add a wide variety of additional information to the entries, such as playing partners, event, results, rating, photos, scorecard and more. How much information is stored is decided by each individual user who can then display their golfing history chronologically or on a map, and sort entries by rating, frequency, countries, playing partners, etc. They can also share rounds they've played with friends via email, Twitter or Facebook.
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All rounds are stored in a well-organized structure in one place, and can be accessed at any time. That way, all of the great moments you've enjoyed on-course are never forgotten. And it's all free of charge. "It's very convenient to see so many great rounds of golf saved in one spot," says Ton-That app developer. "Recently I had a friend ask me the name of a course we played near Naples, FL. He was quite impressed when I looked it up in my logbook and found the course name within
seconds. He was even more impressed when I tapped on his name in my logbook and five other rounds we'd played together that he had forgot about appeared on my screen". "Golf Guide & Logbook" is now available for download from the iTunes App Store free of charge.
July 2015
www.golfingnews.ca 2015 Staal Open Presented by Tbaytel Bigger & Better! BY SCOTT A. SUMNER
NW Ontario Golfing News Last season was the inaugural PGA Tour Canada Staal Open in Thunder Bay at the beautiful Whitewater Golf Club. It was a huge success and promised to be even better in the future. The organizers were right and the 2015 version made great strides in attracting more people to the event with a wide variety of activities for all ages, both golfer and non golfers alike! “ We were able to jump on board last year and thought this event was a great opportunity to kick off our foundation and let people know what our foundation is about. Our focus is to help children fighting cancer. For me on a personal level my wife’s sister passed away from cancer and it was a hard time for our family. We felt the need to help charities and to put our focus there.”said Eric Staal. “ We want to sustain this for many years to come. It is about being part of a great event and community. It was a lot of fun last year and should be even more so this year. It is nice to come back to Thunder Bay in the summer to relax and see people
you knew growing up. The summer goes by quickly.” The Staal Foundation has grown and is looking to raise money for some good charities. “ There are some players here this week that will play the PGA Tour RBC Canadian Open next week and it is nice to see them here,” said Eric Staal. “ I am better as a golfer this year than last but still mediocre. It is something I enjoy doing in the summer. It is relaxing and competitive at the same time. The hockey season is long and can be stressful so the summer is a great chance to exhale and regroup and golf is great game for that.” Remi and Alex are Ambassadors for Total Company an oil producer. “ We go across Canada with the Red Bull F1 car to promote the Total brand and expand the market. This is the 2014 Formula 1 car which won the Montreal F1 race last year with driver Daniel Riccardo. This is the second fastest car in the world behind the 2015 model. We are here to show Total exists and is the fifth biggest producer in the world.” The car weighs 1100 pounds with out the
Above: Eric Staal Tries a Trick Shot Below: The Staal’s open the 2015 event with putts and Team Robbie Untinen shot 66 on Saturday with 7 birdies and 1 After the round today I will relax for the bogie. rest of the day and get ready for tomorrow. “ The course played great today. I really Tomorrow I will come out 1 hour before, enjoy this course and think it is a great hit my balls, roll some putts and get on the track and a lot of fun especially with all first tee.” these people out. The other events this year haven’t had this many people out. Continued Next Page
2015 Chevrolet Colorado engine and with engine, gas and driver goes to 1500 pounds. It is 1.6 V6 eco boast liter. The connectic energy from the brakes is used to make electricity to make the turbo from the exhaust work. It is a very complex race car. The drivers can be up to 6 feet tall but average 5 feet 2 inch to
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The 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Has Landed! 5 feet 6inch and weigh 120 to 140 pounds. Cameron Peck, from Olympia Washington
July 2015
399 Memorial Avenue Thunder Bay, On P7B 3Y4
Tel: (807) 683-4900 Fax: (807) 345-8005 Toll Free: 1-800-465-3915 Page 3
2015 Staal Open Presented by Tbaytel Bigger & Better! BY SCOTT A. SUMNER
NW Ontario Golfing News Continued From Previous Page Drew Weaver is from Atlanta Georgia and a graduate of Virginia Tech a Division 1 golf school in the USA and played in the Staal Open. Currently Drew is No 1 on the season long money list. He starting golf at age 5. “ I went to the PGA Tour Canada Q school in Florida, qualified and won my first start in Vancouver.” smiled Drew Weaver. “ I have been to WEB.com Q school several times and just haven’t got through yet but there are other places to play.The competition is stiff on the PGA Tour Canada, deep with consistent good
players each week” Drew has also played in 6 PGA Tour events and on the E Golf Tour on the east coast of the US. The Vancouver win was a 5 person playoff at Pointe Grey. “ Thunder Bay is a great place. Whitewater is a big golf course, very
American style with great sight lines and a very pretty site the golf course was built on. It should be a nice week, the golf course is in great condition. It is a nice design that is very modern and good from the start to finish.” said Weaver.
Above: Lots of smiles at the opening ceremonies Side: Jeff Hunter and his father
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July 2015
Exciting 2015 Honda Indy Toronto Won by Josef Newgarden NW Ontario Golfing News
largest trade show space in Canada and the addition of this hotel will be a boon for participants providing a very close place to stay while at an event.
After a one year absence it was fun to be back at the Honda Indy Toronto event this year held in June. The upcoming Pan American Games in Toronto and sur-
After having attending the Honda Indy Toronto for many years the excitement and degree of spectacle still amazes
BY SCOTT A. SUMNER
relief to all his Canadian fans. It was nice talking to Hinch and I was sure to let him know I was from Thunder Bay.
rounding cities made that date change for Indy this year to a cooler June time with
me. Indycar really is a moving town in some respects with large haulers, motorhomes etc, and the sights and sounds are always great to take in.
There really is something about seeing these sleek open wheel race cars motor down the track at up to 200 mph speeds.
Also the sound of the engines and the smell of the fuel just make for an exciting environment in which to be. The Honda Indy Toronto is one of Canada’s largest events each year and one you should make plans to attend next year.
My favourite place to see this event is trackside adjacent to the pit area of the 23 cars that make up Indycar. There are super teams like Penske and Ganassi as well as more independent teams like Sarah Fisher Hartman racing whose young American driver Joseph Newgarden proved skilled enough to win the event this year. I spend quite a bit of time one session watching the working of the Team Penske and driver Juan Pablo Montoyo who earlier this season won the famed Indy 500 race. It was fun to actually talk to Roger Penske aka "The Captain" who oversees the entire four car operation.
was quite refreshing to me. After arriving at the media centre it was off to the track which had also changed this year. The construction of an attractive tower hotel right on the Exhibition Place property made for a placement of pit areas and grand stands more westerly. The Exhibition Place is the
July 2015
Further down the pit lane it was great to see James Hinchcliff at the race and looking in good health and spirits. Canadian Hinch, as he is known, experienced a horrific accident at the INDY 500 this year in practice when a suspension part pierced his drivers tub entering his abdomen causing him to lose a lot of blood. The safety crew at each Indycar race was able to perform life saving procedures and get James to the hospital for emergency surgery which was amazing and a great
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J.J. SPAUN WINS STAAL FOUNDATION OPEN PRESENTED BY TBAYTEL Newport Beach, California’s J.J. Spaun broke through for his first Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada win on Sunday, shooting a final round 5-under 67 to win the Staal Foundation Open presented by Tbaytel. The 24-year old moves into the top spot on the season-long Order of Merit with $70,263, earning an exemption into the RBC Canadian Open to make his PGA TOUR debut next week at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.
hole to post 17-under par as the clubhouse lead, Spaun responded with four birdies in five holes, including three in a row on holes 12-14 to take control of the lead. “I've been playing well enough where I don't make many mistakes, and fortunately making a lot of birdies as well. I've been playing solid, and eliminating the mistakes has been key for how I've been playing lately,” said Spaun, who has seen a remarkable turnaround from a dismal 2014 season that saw him miss six of seven cuts and return to Q-School this Spring. Since a
Above: JJ Spaun of California wins with his local caddie Mark Colosimo on the bag. Side: Lots of charity money raised at this event Below: My Pro Am partner Cameron Peck
“It’s a huge relief. I knew if I at least made pars on my way in I'd have some sort of chance at winning,” said Spaun, who finished at 18-under par, one shot ahead of Moscow, Pennsylvania’s Nicholas Reach. “I've put in a lot of hard work. I had to change a few things with my regimen and putting my career in the top priority spot, and it shows that the hard work has been paying off.” The win gives Spaun a $25,813 lead atop the Order of Merit over Drew Weaver, who will join Spaun next week at Glen Abbey along with Albin Choi as the top three players on the season-long money list. The San Diego State University grad has been the most consistent player on the Mackenzie Tour this season, never finishing outside the top-16 and posting five straight 10 finishes capped off by the win. “I'm in a good position. I've got to keep
playing solid and keep that top spot under my belt and see how it goes,” said Spaun of the season-long quest to earn status on the Web.com Tour. Starting the day one shot off the lead held by Corey Conners, Clayton Rask, David McKenzie and Chase Marinell, Spaun came out of the gate quickly with birdies on his first two holes to grab the early lead. After Reach made eagle on the 72nd
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With a total score of 16-under, Listowel, Ont.’s Corey Conners claimed Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours on Sunday along with a $2,500 prize. Each week, the top Canadian on the
Tour event will receive a free car for a week at any point during the summer as part of their win. • Spaun is the first player of the PGA TOUR era to record five top-
leaderboard will earn the award, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end earning the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year and a $25,000 prize.
10s and three top-3 finishes in a row on the Mackenzie Tour. • Spaun is the fifth winner in his 20s in six events this year on the Mackenzie Tour. • Spaun is the fourth player to win on the Mackenzie Tour this season after earning status at the 2015 Qualifying Tournament, joining Drew Weaver, Albin Choi and C.T. Pan.
T8 finish there, Spaun has been on a tear to build his Order of Merit lead and put himself in excellent position to earn status on the Web.com Tour for next season. “Now it's just kind of stress-free golf and going out and having fun. The hard work has kind of been taken care of and it's time to go out and cruise,” said Spaun. Reach, a University of Georgia graduate and a rookie on the Mackenzie Tour, notched his best finish as a pro along with Conners, who will play at the RBC Canadian Open on a sponsor’s exemption alongside fellow Golf Canada Young Pro Squad and Mackenzie Tour members Taylor Pendrith and Adam Svensson. NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
As one of the top three non-members on the Order of Merit through six events, Conners also earns conditional status for the remainder of the season on the
5: J.J. Spaun’s consecutive top-10 finishes on the Mackenzie Tour (T10-T8-P2-3rd1st).
$25,813: J.J. Spaun’s lead atop the Order of Merit. $825: J.J. Spaun’s earnings on the Mackenzie Tour in 2014. CONNERS WINS FREEDOM 55 FINANCIAL TOP CANADIAN AWARD, EARNS STATUS
Mackenzie Tour. Conners moves to the 16th spot with $16,450 in earnings, joining Adam Svensson (8th/$24,617) and Christopher Trunzer (44th/$7,438) as players to earn status. Notes: • Weather: 27 degrees (30 degrees with Humidex). Partly cloudy. Winds 27 km/h. • As part of his victory, J.J. Spaun received a free AVIS car rental for a week. The winner of each Mackenzie
• Drew Weaver will make his 11th PGA TOUR start and first since the 2011 Greenbrier Classic next week. • Albin Choi will make his first PGA TOUR start since the 2013 RBC Canadian Open. Overall Choi has made three starts at the RBC Canadian Open, with his best finish a tie for 73rd in 2012.
July 2015
KBMX Motocross Race BY SCOTT A. SUMNER
NW Ontario Golfing News The Northern Ontario Superior Dirt Riders held their 3rd race of the 2015 season at the Kakabeka KBMX track. On a sunny and thunder storm threatening day a large
July 2015
group of all ages from 4 to over 40 gathered to race motorcycles on a track developed by the late Brian Vanlenthe. Kenny Mandryk had his 18th birthday that day and was rewarded with a great series of race wins in several classes. “ I started riding motorcycles at age 3 and it is definitely what I live my life for.” During the weekdays Kenny works at Ideal Kitchen Cabinets and builds and install cabinets. He races on the weekends. “ We are going to a few national races this year including Milleville near Minneapolis and Walton, Ontario for the Canadian Nationals. Today I did three motos so far and got all three wins.”said Kenny. “ Motocross is all about cardio . You have to run. Many of the guys workout in the morning and then just ride all day. The best thing to do is just ride.” This year Kenny raced in his first snocross race at Spirit Mountain. “ My first heat race I won and then third in the next to get to the main and got 7th overall in Amateur.” said Kenny. “ Excalibur Motorcyle helps me out a lot.
Above: Kenny Mandryk and Dad, young motocross racers and Below: Lucas Giardino My dad Kevin helps out the most.He is a mechanic and works at Car Start. Walton is the Canadian National where all amateurs can go to prove themselves. I would
like a top 10. Last year I got 9th.” Kenny rides a 2015 Kawasaki 250 class and will be getting a 450 machine shortly.
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THE FOUR OUTDOOR SEASONS By Sherry Aalto/for Get Outdoors Summer LET’S GO FISHING! Yes! It is true! There really is an Outdoors! It is just beyond that thing you call a door…It’s o.k….Open it! And get inspired to an endless presentation of absolutely wonderful! With all the advancements in technology, you can now bring visions and sounds of the great outdoors inside your homes at the click of a mouse…but…that is only a virtually simulated reality. How about trying the REAL thing for a change!? Presently, we are in the season of summer. Yes! I’m sure you’ve heard of it! The warm sunshine, cool breeze, refreshing rain? And know this…It is no secret that Northern Ontario has some of the best fishing in the world and many people come from literally thousands of miles just to experience the bliss of fishing and to challenge their ability at catching the elusive one. We all want to tell the story of how the big one got away…but …one has to get out there first! So what do you say! Let’s go fishing!!
there is virtually no stress. And don’t forget the camera. Yes! You will definitely want to post on your FB Page! In Northern Ontario you can be catching walleye one day and catch record size pike the next. There is also small mouth bass, perch, brook trout and splake, (half brook /half lake trout). There are several fishing companies that offer guided adventures, just check out www.fishingnorthernontario.com . or check out http://www.northwestontariolakes.ca . Northwestern Ontario, Canada: Lakes and Rivers Ontario, Canada is known for its vast number of freshwater lakes, rivers and streams. These waterways are set within huge expanses of boreal forest and together, they provide for some of the finest outdoor adventure opportunities in North America. The Sunset Country travel region, located in the Northwestern section of Ontario has more lakes than any other part of the Province. Fishing is excellent this is a multi-species area with walleye, bass, northern pike, muskie and trout truly an angler's paradise. For wilderness
canoeists, famous parks such as Quetico, Woodland Caribou and Wabakimi provide you with some of Ontario's best flat-water and white-water paddling experiences. Wildlife is everywhere as Mother Nature has provided a bounty of food and shelter in the rich forest ecosystem. Scuba diving, hiking, biking and climbing are just a few of the adventure sports one can enjoy. In fact, there are more lakes than people in Sunset Country! If getting away for a while sounds like a good thing to do this summer, we recommend you check out
some lake and river systems in Northwestern Ontario. Look! We can’t bring the fishing / outdoor experience to you…not even through virtual reality! You will just have to go out and try it for yourself…and don’t forget…this can be a family adventure, even if no one else wants to fish, the beaches and the resorts offer something for everyone! So! Let’s go fishing!
First three things you need are ambition, a fishing pole and a fishing license! You can pick up bait on the way…and don’t forget the bug spray…you will be in the north you know! Also, you have to plan for what you would like to have for lunch on the boat and bring a small waste container so there is no added pollution and you are being kind to your environment. Oh yes! Bring the binoculars to see wild life on your trip and extra clothing in case you get wet or chilly. Next you will need a boat. No problem! You can rent one or you can charter a fishing trip. There are many places that you can call to make plan your trip for a day or for a week or however long you want. While a large number of people book trips to the Caribbean, there is something everyone should experience once in a life time and you don’t even have to leave the continent to discover the your ‘wild’ and free side in the great outdoors! Anyone can fish and it is truly a great way to have the family involved and get them OFF THE COMPUTERS AND OUT OF THE HOUSE! A word about bait! Just for starters, the kids will probably like to play with the minnows! But don’t let them start naming them because they won’t want to use them for bait then! This could pose a real problem! LOL! Did I just say…LOL?...(Laugh out loud), can’t get way from text messaging completely…but that is good…shows that we can still be with the times! Make your plans ahead so the experience is totally enjoyable and
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July 2015