Charley HoffmanNathan Denette
SARTORIALLY RESPLENDENT: Next to John Daly and his red diamond pattern pants, Charley Hoffman was hardest to miss on Thursday as he shot 65 while wearing bright green pants and surfer-blond long hair. Sponsored by the Waste Management corporation, Hoffman wears a green glove by contract and occasionally the green pants and green shoes to promote recycling.
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ALL DOWNHILL FROM THERE: Amateur Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. was two under after the first. He holed a 118-yard approach shot for an eagle and finished at 1-over 71.
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WHERE HAVE YOU GONE: David Duval, once Tiger Woods's main rival, shot 68 on Thursday. In 16 previous tournaments, he had recorded a total of 12 rounds under 70.
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NOT A ONE-TIME WONDER: When it comes to setting course records, this is not the first time for Vance Veazey, the self-described journeyman who coasted around St. George's Golf and Country Club with a six-under-par 64, tying the competitive course record set by Canadian golf legend George Knudson in the third round of the 1968 Canadian Open.
There was the time, for example, he tied the course record at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in the 100th playing of the Western Open, a mark he held for all of a couple of hours before some guy named Tiger Woods came out and blasted a 63. "I think he beat me 18 shots the next three rounds," said Veazy.
A little research confirms the gist of the story, if not the details. The year was 2003 and Woods went on to shoot 267 for 72 holes and cash a cheque for $810,000, while Veazey limped home 23 shots back and made just $9,720.
With the greens soft and likely to get softer with rain in the forecast for Friday at the RBC Canadian Open, Veazy wasn't convinced his latest brush with history will be any longer than the last one, though doubtless he's hoping to do better than the last time he tied a course record.
In any case Veazey does have one course mark he feels pretty good about. He grew up playing at Back Acres Country Club, a 6,300-yard layout in Senatobia, Mississippi. Veazey shot a 61 there. He thinks they have a scorecard framed in commemoration, but he's not sure.
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WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS: When it was announced that the Canadian Open would be held at St. George's, many questions were raised about how it would impact the community which is home to the venerable golf course. Oh the imposition of having a major thoroughfare closed for several weeks in the affluent neighbourhood had many grumbling.
Some, however, have decided to take those lemons and make lemonade - literally. Several enterprising homeowners have set up shop on the sidewalks and roadways which surround the golf course. One of those entrepreneurs is University of Toronto student Laura Babcock who, admittedly, was not a golf fan. But according to the Toronto Star, she had made $100 within hours of setting up shop selling cold drinks and driveway parking spots, which are going for $30 a day. Tournament officials have set up spectator parking at Woodbine Racetrack, which is 10 minutes away from the course by shuttle. They are charging $10 there.
Joe Iacolucci has taken it one step further. With his house backing onto the 15th green, the golf lover has erected a 12-foot high scaffold in his backyard to provide a clear view of the action.
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FINAL WORD:
"A little more Bruce Lietzke and less Ben Hogan. So that may be my new approach."
- Vance Veazey on the advice he received from his caddie after going through a difficult stretch.