Picture Butte, Alta., Canada (July 7, 2006) -– Merv Dusyk of Red Deer, Alta. is the top Canadian still alive in match play while top seeded Steve Earsley of Stuart, FL., USA also advanced to the quarter-finals at the 2006 Canadian Senior Match-Play Championship conducted by the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA).
Dusyk, the third ranked seed defeated advancing defeating Alex Tarumianz of Lookout, TN., USA 2 and 1 in the morning draw then beat No. 19 seed Joseph Pavoni of Prospect, KY, USA, 2UP. Dusyk is one of four Canadians who are still in the hunt after the match-play round of 16 completed at the Picture Butte Golf Club.
“I just love this course,” said Dusyk. “It’s a course that has a lot of risk/reward shots and that really plays to my type of game. I did struggle a bit today once the wind came up on the back nine, it was kind of unpredictable. Regardless it worked for me today.”
The three other Canadians still competing are No. 4 seed, James Scissons, Saskatoon, Sask., No. 7 seed, Howard Broun of Calgary, and No. 9 seed, Bill Wilms, of Delta, B.C.
No. 1 seed, Earsley, continued his move through the match-play brackets, as he topped No. 32 seed Ray Henry of Victoria, B.C., 3 and 2 in his opening round and then followed suit in the round of 16 beating David Carroll of Napa, CA., 3 and 2. Earsley is currently ranked 41st on Golfweek’s US senior amateur standings.
John French of Bloomfield, MI., USA, pulled off two big upsets today needing 23 holes to defeat 11th seed Dwight Sandquist of Calgary, during his opening round, then went on to easily upset the sixth seed, Richard Stevens of Middlebury, CT., USA, 5 and 4 in the round of 16.
During this morning’s opening match-play rounds, three-time champion Billy Graham of Pensacola, FL., fell to the hands of Swenson 3 and 2. Graham, who earned the No. 31 in last night’s playoff and was looking to upset Swenson who carded an ace during the second round of medal play, has battled a back injury since 2005 which even forced him to with-draw from competition last season.
The three-day stroke-play qualifying rounds are proving to be the difference with the seven of the top-10 seeds still in the hunt. The five competitors who scored under-par during stroke play are all still alive.
As part of the RCGA’s Pathway to Champions, the Canadian Senior Match-Play Champion will earn an exemption into the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. The pathway could very well continue next month with two Canadian Open exemptions awarded to the Canadian Men’s Amateur champion and runner-up. Mississaugua Golf & Country Club will host the Canadian Men’s Amateur this year from August 11-18. This year’s Canadian Open will be played September 4-10 at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.
Additionally, the Senior Match-Play Champion will also receive an exemption into the 2006 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, held September 18-21 in Winnipeg, and a coveted exemption to compete 2006 USGA Senior Men’s Championship contested September 16-21 at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh Indiana.
Quarter-final matches get under way at 7:30 am (MDT) on Saturday with semi-final matches to follow in the afternoon beginning at 12:45 pm (MDT).
7:30 AM (1) Steve Earsley, Stuart, FL vs. (8) Kemp Richardson, Laguna Niguel, CA
7:39 AM (4) James Scissons, Saskatoon, SK vs. (5) Bob Lutz, Jerome, ID
7:48 AM (2) Norman Swenson, Linville, NC vs. (7) Howard Broun, Calgary, AB
7:57 AM (3) Merv Dusyk, Red Deer, AB vs. (22) John French, Bloomfield Hills, MI
The following are results for second-round matches for Friday, July 7, 2006.
(1) Steve Earsley, Stuart, FL def. (17) J. David Carroll, Napa, CA – 3 and 2
(9) Bill Wilms, Delta, BC def. (8) Kemp Richardson, Laguna Niguel, CA. – 19th
(4) James Scissons, Saskatoon, SK def. (13) Todd Lusk, Baton Rouge, LA – 4 and 2
(5) Bob Lutz, Jerome, ID def. (21) Dave Raabis, Calgary, AB – 19th
(2) Norman Swenson, Linville, NC def. (18) Joel Hirsch, Chicago, IL – 1UP
(7) Howard Broun, Calgary, AB def. (23) Earl Stewart, Fairfax, CA – 6 and 5
(3) Merv Dusyk, Red Deer, AB def. (19) Joseph Pavoni, Prospect, KY - 2UP
(22) John French, Bloomfield Hills, MI. def. (6) Richard Stevens, Middlebury, CT – 5 and 4
The following are results for opening match for Friday, July 7, 2006.
(1) Steve Earsley, Stuart, FL def. (32) Ray Henry, Victoria, BC - 3 and 2
(17) J. David Carroll, Napa, CA def. (16) Gus Kozina, Beach Park, IL. - 4 and 2
(8) Kemp Richardson, Laguna Niguel, CA def. (25) Frank Abbott, Napa, CA - 2 and 1
(9) Bill Wilms, Delta, BC def. (24) T. Craig Robertson, Chilliwack, BC - 1UP
(4) James Scissons, Saskatoon, SK def. (29) Terry Campbell, Victoria, BC 4 and 3
(13) Todd Lusk, Baton Rouge, LA def. (20) Real Gamache, Quesnel, BC 1UP
(5) Bob Lutz, Jerome, ID def. (28) Gerald White, Cranbrook, BC – 2 and 1
(21) Dave Raabis, Calgary, AB def. (12) Sid Segsworth, Sudbury, ON - 6 and 4
(2) Norman Swenson, Linville, NC def. (31) Billy Graham, Pensacola, FL - 3 and 2
(18) Joel Hirsch, Chicago, IL (15) def (15) Rick Weihe, Bellingham, WA. - 1UP
(7) Howard Broun, Calgary, AB def. (26) Peter Howe, Crawford Bay, BC – 5 and 4
(23) Earl Stewart, Fairfax, CA def. (10) Albert Dowdell, Calgary, AB – 1UP
(3) Merv Dusyk, Red Deer, AB def. (30) Alex Tarumianz, Lookout, TN - 2 and 1
(19) Joseph Pavoni, Prospect, KY def. (14) Pat Vincelli, Burnsville, MN - 5 and 4
(6) Richard Stevens, Middlebury, CT def. (27) Russ Berkoben, Perrysburg, OH 4 and 2
(22) John French, Bloomfield Hills, MI def. (11) Dwight Sandquist, Calgary, AB 23rd
Conducted by the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA), the Senior Match-Play Championship consists of both stroke and match-play. The stroke-play portion of the event will be played over 54 holes. The field will be reduced to 32 players after 54 holes qualifying for the match-play portion of the championship. A competitor’s qualifying score will determine his position in the match-play draw. The first two rounds of 18-hole matches will take place Friday, July 7th with the quarterfinal and semi-final matches on Saturday, July 8th and the championship final on Sunday, July 9th. The competition is open to male amateur golfers who have reached the age of 55 by July 4th, 2006.
A full listing of players, match-play pairings, seedings and start times for the 2006 Canadian Senior Match-Play Championship can be found online at www.rcga.org.
ABOUT THE ROYAL CANADIAN GOLF ASSOCIATION
The Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) is the governing body of golf in Canada, representing close to 400,000 members at over 1550 clubs across the country. Some of the RCGA’s core services include the Rules of Golf, handicapping and course rating, support of turfgrass and environmental research, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum and CN Future Links, Canada’s national junior golf program. In addition, the RCGA conducts Canada’s most prestigious golf championships. The Canadian Open and CN Canadian Women’s Open attract the best professional golfers in the world, while six regional junior championships, 10 national amateur championships and the CN Canadian Women’s Tour showcase the best of Canadian golf. For more information please visit www.rcga.org.
To view medal play qualifying results, click the name of the tournament at the top of this page, and follow the other story links (amateurgolf.com premium membership requested).