D2 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, September 1, 1999 Same old Abbey but new owners This year's championship kicks off this coming Labour Day Monday (Sept. 6) and wraps up on Sunday, Sept. 12. As usual the practice rounds and pro-ams are held on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday followed by the four competitive rounds from Thursday through to the Sunday. Lack of change is actually the by-world for the national Open, itself. There's been no change to the sprawling, fan-friendly 18-hole course from last year and Bell Canada is back again as the major sponsor, in fact they've signed on for another half a decade (this year through to 2003). Where the huge change has come is at the top where there are new owners. Toronto-area based ClubLink, Canada's growing golf conglomerate, sealed the deal this past February, buying the jewel of Canadian public courses from the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA), which still maintains its head offices at Glen Abbey -- for the time being. Joe Romagnolo, the RCGA's manager of communica tions, reiterated that the sale of Glen Abbey will not have any affect on the Bell Canadian Open. "It's our course for the week. For the general public, they won't know the difference." ClubLink is a growing player in the golf world in North America, particularly in the Toronto area, and Oakville is no exception. This year it opened the nearby posh 45-hole RattleSnake Point just outside Oakville's border in Milton and last year it purchased the SportDomes on the North Service Road in Oakville, which now includes a nine-hole academy course. Naturally, ClubLink is pleased to have in its fold, the renowned Jack Nicklaus-designed Abbey, which is consis tently ranked as the top public course in Canada. "We're really pleased with the way it has gone in the first year of owning Glen Abbey," said Tim O'Connor, ClubLink's director of communication. The fee increase to $225 from $155 raised some eye brows, but O'Connor defended the move. By Norm Nelson BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR There's been a huge change at the old Abbey thisyear, but it won't make any difference, whatsoever, to the tens of thousands of golf fans who make their annual pilgrimage to Oakville to watch some of the world's best golfers compete in the Bell Canadian Open. SNOWBLOWERS Single Stage from $ 5 9 9 Two Stage from $ 1 , 4 5 9 NOW IN STOCK! NO PAYMENT • NO INTEREST UNTIL APRIL 2 0 0 0 o .a .c When you want K done right. CURRENT POWER MACHINERY INC. 1661 Lakeshore Rd. W. M ississauga 822-4211 REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPISTS/CERTIFIED SHIATSU THERAPISTS The Official Therapist fo r the Canadian Open Championship Therapies Offered Include: • Traditional Swedish • Connective Tissue Massage Massage • Sports Massage • Shiatsu Therapy • Cranio-Sacral Therapy Effective In The Treatment Of: • Musculo-Skeletal Pain • Headaches • Stress/Tension • W hiplash/Neck Pain Release • Muscle Rehabilitation 125 Lakeshore Rd. E. Suite 304 ( N a v y & L a k e s h o re ) 8 4 5 - 3 1 3 7 OAKVILLE 1 3 B a a ™ CENTRE LTD. In the first place, he said the RCGA had planned their own increase to $175. "Certainly some people had issue with the price increase," said O'Connor. " I think we weathered that very well. People have realized that it's a heck of a good value." With the price hike, he said, also comes an improvement on what was already a memorable experience for golfers. For one, he said, "we improved the pace of play. "The pace of play in May and June was around four hours and forty min utes which is a big improvement over last season and certainly a lot better than the other premium public courses around the city in prime time ... "What we did, is it used to be seven minute tee-time intervals and we increased that to eight minutes. It doesn't sound like much but what it does is take twenty golfers off the course, so that's five foursomes, and that has allowed the pace of play to move along really well." The marshals, he said, are very well trained to help keep things mov ing out there, while at the same time recognizing that guests have paid big bucks for a big league experience. "If someone has put the ball in one of the environmental zones, more often than not the marshall will help them find the ball or, heck, just give him a ball." The golf course, he said, has also never been in better shape, quickly adding that he wasn't knocking the previous owners, in fact the head greens keeper, Dean Baker, still remains at his post. Glen Abbey's green fee, he said, also compares very well with other (See 'Abbey' page D3) Photos by Peter C. McCusker THE DEFENDING CHAMPION: Billy Andrade won last year's Bell Canadian Open championship in a playoff against unheralded Bob Friend. It marked his third PGA-Tour win. He'll be back to defend this year along with the previous three winners -- Steve Jones (1997/89), Dudley Hart (1996) and Mark O'Meara (1995). Less flower. More power. \ Order today! Enjoy tomorrow! Immediate Delivery! Drivers wanted*1 m Oakville Volkswagen 557 Kerr Street, Oakville (905) 844-3285 N ext yean sam e tim e, sam e place T ournam en t d ire c to r B ill P a u l a n n o u n ced the B e ll C anadian O pen w ill re tu rn to G len A b b ey in 2000, m a rk in g the th ird co n secu tive tim e th e ch a m p io n sh ip w ill b e co n tes t e d in O akville , sin ce S teve J o n es w on the even t a t R o ya l M o n tre a l G o lf C lu b in 1997. W eir-y Canuck Mike Weir is having his best year this year, and he'll hope that will translate into bet ter luck at the Bell Canadian Open where he's never made the cut in eight pre vious appear ances. Of course, he's also never had a year like this year where he stands 47th with $670,914. Same old Abbey but new owners SNOWBLOWERS NOW IN STOCK! NO PAYMENT • NO INTEREST UNTIL APRIL 2000o.a.c 822-4211 REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPISTS/CERTIFIED SHIATSU THERAPISTS 125 Lakeshore Rd. E. 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