Nick Taylor's summer schedule is coming into focus, as the Abbotsford golfer has been granted six sponsors exemptions for the 2011 Canadian Tour season.
Taylor, the former No. 1-ranked amateur in the world, will begin his CanTour slate at the Times Colonist Open in Victoria, June 2-5. He'll also make stops at the Western Championship (Vancouver), the Syncrude Boreal Open (Fort McMurray, Alta.), the ATB Financial Classic (Calgary), the Dakota Dunes Open (Saskatoon) and the Player's Cup (Winnipeg).
"The Canadian Tour has been the proving ground for so many of the PGA Tour's top players and I'm excited to continue my journey to the PGA Tour on the Canadian Tour," Taylor said in a press release. "It's going to be special to start the season in British Columbia, my home province, and specifically the Times Colonist Open which is considered one of the best tournaments on the Canadian Tour."
Also upcoming for Taylor is the PGA Tour's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, May 19-22. His exemption for that event came on the heels of his 2010 Ben Hogan Award, which is handed out to the NCAA male collegiate golfer of the year.
HADWIN 26TH AT MEXICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford finished tied for 26th at the Canadian Tour's Mexican PGA Championship in Mazatlan last week.
Hadwin shot a three-over 75 in the opening round, before wrapping up the event with three under-par rounds of 69, 70 and 70. He earned $1,178.
LOCAL JUNIORS EXCEL AT LEDGEVIEW
Abbotsford golfers Ryan Grill and Michaela Abey turned in solid finishes at the Maple Leaf Junior Tour's Lindsay Kenney Classic at Ledgeview on the weekend.
Grill finished second in the boys 17-19 age class, carding rounds of 71 and 73. Abey was third in the girls open division, shooting 87-82.
Division winners included Harry Huang of Vancouver (boys 13 and under), Marcus Brown of Surrey (boys 14-16), Scott Robertson of Surrey (boys 17-19) and Muni He of Pitt Meadows (girls).
CASCADES WIN IN OREGON
The University of the Fraser Valley men's golf team defended its title at the Bandon Dunes Tournament in Oregon on the weekend.
The event, hosted by the Southwestern Oregon Community College Lakers, featured 11 teams from across the Pacific Northwest. The Cascades got off to a solid start, as Brett Stewart and Drew St. Cyr shot matching rounds of one-over 73 in the first round.
Finding themselves three shots down heading into the final day, UFV rallied to win behind a strong round from Mitch Lock. The reigning BCCAA player of the year finished third in the individual standings.
SIDHU ON A ROLL
Sher Sidhu, a young golfer from Abbotsford, posted a series of excellent results on the Optimist Junior Linkster Tour.
Playing in the age 7-8 division, Sidhu won the spring match play event and the Heather Hills Junior Open in Maple Ridge, to go with three other podium finishes.