The 1966 Canadian Amateur Championship
Summerlea Golf Club was the setting for the 1966 Canadian Amateur Golf Championship and the Willingdon Cup from August 8 to 13.
Although only four years old, the courses were in excellent shape. The championship layout consisted of the front nine of Dorion and the back nine of Cascades. Competitors were playing Cascades old rotation, but the holes were renumbered for this event. The participants expected a tough competition, particularly on the greens. The general consensus was that putting could be an important factor in the tournament, especially on the 18th, with its sloped green. If a putt did not drop, it could run a long way past the hole. This proved to be very true with many players recording three putts or more.
The grueling schedule saw 150 golfers trying to qualify for 64 places. Eighteen holes were played on Monday and Tuesday simultaneously with the Willingdon Cup matches. After the cut the tournament format changed to match play: 36 holes a day from Wednesday to Saturday with the semi-finalists playing 36 holes Friday and the finalists playing another 36 holes on Saturday.
Entrants included: Bobby Cole from South Africa, the current British Amateur title holder and a favorite in this tournament; John Johnston from British Columbia, 1959 Canadian Amateur champion; Nick Weslock of Ontario, three-time winner of the event; Peter Hope, Nova Scotia’s top golfer; defending champion Bunky Henry of Georgia; and a large contingent of Americans, all of whom had qualified for the United States Amateur in 1959.
Summerlea players entered in the tournament included Ed MacLaine, Ted Fletcher, Brian McGuigan, Dave Hardie (who was also a member of the Quebec Willingdon Cup team and Gordon LeRiche. LeRiche and Duke Doucet of Windsor Mills were considered two of Quebec’s finest players. Also competing was Graham Cooke, then from Toronto and now a member and outstanding player at Summerlea.
In the first two rounds, teams from nine provinces vied for the 36-hole Willingdon Cup. The Alberta team was heavily favoured, consisting of Keith Alexander, Bob Wylie, Doug Silverburg and John Kilburn, who had won three times in the past five years. At the end of play on Tuesday they were again the winners, four strokes ahead of British Columbia. Ontario came third and Quebec fourth.
Competition was much stronger than anticipated and defending champion Henry and other favourites had to play “the best golf ever” to survive. After the first day, Nick Weslock and Ron Smith of Connecticut tied as low qualifiers with two round totals of 144. An unprecedented playoff began on the first hole. After six deadlocked holes the game was cancelled due to rain and lightning, so both players went into the second round tied as low qualifiers.
Duke Doucet, the young Quebec whiz defeated Bob Bouchier of California to go on to the second round where he was paired against Bobby Cole. Doucet had putting troubles in that round and was defeated. On Thursday, 18-year-old Cole had a four-hole lead at the 14th hole but was down to a one-up lead facing the devilish 18th green, the nemesis of many a player. He managed to halve the hole and advance to the quarter finals. He was one of eight survivors in Friday’s double rounds.
Five Quebec players – Gordon LeRiche, Glen Seely, Frank Kay, Andre Gagne and Louis Michaud – won their initial matches but by Friday there was only one Quebec player left, Dr. Hugh Paterson of Hull.
Playing in the 18-hole matches Friday morning were:
Nick Weslock, Ontario defeated Peter Hope, Nova Scotia
Gary Cowan, Ontario defeated Doug Silverburg, Alberta
Bobby Cole, South Africa defeated Dr. Hugh Paterson, Quebec
Bunky Henry, Georgia, U.S.A. defeated Bill Brew, Connecticut.
In an 18-hole match Friday afternoon, Weslock defeated Cowan and Brew defeated Cole. Weslock, who played brilliantly on the day, won his matches after only 27 holes of play including a chip-in and a 75-foot putt.
Saturday morning, Brew faced the biggest challenge of his career when he met Weslock for the final 36 holes. Despite tournament nerves Brew provided strong competition for his calmer, more experienced opponent. After halving the 35th hole with a par, they were tied going to the 36th. Both were on the green in two shots but Brew missed a 12-foot putt giving Weslock the victory. The title of Canadian Amateur golf champion was awarded to Nick Weslock for the fourth time.
Highlights
One contestant at the 1966 Canadian Amateur Championship held at Summerlea, Wally Armstrong of Oakdale, Indiana, stayed with his father and brother in a tent behind the 16th green on Cascades. He hit practice balls at dawn and went fishing with his family between rounds. “I love every minute up here” said Wally.
In the same competition, some players were not very happy with the early 7 AM starting time. However, this proved to be a bonus for Tommy Hunter of Whitlock. Someone in the first foursome had sunk a 30-foot putt and the line to the hole was still visible in the early morning dew. Hunter’s ball landed in the same place and he was able to repeat the achievement, putting along the line and watching his ball drop in the cup.
Marion Dunn