Kevin Graf has played his way into the PGA Tour Canada ATB Financial Classic.
The Links of GlenEagles head pro shot even-par 72 against fellow club pros from Blue Devil and Heather Glen, and GlenEagles assistant pro Riley Boothby, to earn his spot in the ATB tournament field of 156 golfers. He won the four-man showdown at GlenEagles last weekend.
“We got one spot for the company here, so we did a playoff between the four pros,” Graf said of advancing into the July 30-Aug. 2 tournament.
GlenEagles will be playing par-70 for the ATB Financial Classic, with holes 2 and 10 going from par 5 to par 4 and the course playing just over 7,000 yards.
Regardless of the configuration, Graf knows his way around the unique, picturesque track perched above Cochrane in the GlenEagles neighbourhood.
“This is my eighth year so I know the course really well, I’ve played it enough times,” he related. “Obviously, the knowledge of knowing where you can hit it and can’t hit it, that obviously plays to my advantage.”
He’ll need every advantage available playing against the top touring golf pros in Canada.
“All these guys are such good golfers that a few practice rounds; they’ll get to know the course a bit and hit it around pretty well here. I’ll need my A game and then some, I think,” he cracked. “It’s pretty crazy. Playing a few practice rounds with some of these guys is actually pretty fun to watch. There are some good golfers in this field for sure.”
He’ll be up against the likes of Adam Svensson, Drew Weaver, Sam Ryder, Riley Fleming and Eugene Wong, all coming into Cochrane with bags full of experience and success.
Graf says the ATB Financial Classic is the perfect way to showcase the Links of GlenEagles.
“Not only to get these guys out here who haven’t played the course,” he said. “But the public who come out here to watch or play right before or right after the tournament.
“We have quite a few who haven’t seen the course before because of the drive out from Calgary. It’s a good opportunity with how good the course is right now.”
And how good is it?
“In my eight years I’ve never seen the course look this good. It is incredible how well our maintenance staff has done this year to get it prepared for this,” he enthused. “The speed of the greens; it’s rolling really well right now. They’re fast. So it’s going to be a challenge for the guys, for sure.”
He’ll be there with PGA Tour Canada’s best, trying to make the cut.
“I’m just going out there. I’m excited to represent the course,” Graf said. “Hopefully, I play well and have some fun.”
