“I thought the course stood up fairly well. (Jim Furyk’s) winning score of 16-under was typical of the PGA tour.”
Conspicuous by his absence from the Canadian Open golf championship last week was its course designer.
Doug Carrick boycotted the event at Angus Glen North after taking what he considered a slap to the face from tournament organizers.
“I was disappointed with things that happened,” Carrick told Metro yesterday. “I stayed away.”
A course designer for 26 years, Carrick was hired to transform Angus Glen into a suitable venue for PGA golfers and felt he did. Organizers, though, decided it wasn’t challenging enough and asked PGA Tour player Davis Love III to make some adjustments aimed at toughening up Carrick’s re-design.
“Nobody called to tell me that,” Carrick said. “I made calls and was told they felt they needed Love to encourage other (high-profile golfers to play in the Open). I offered suggestions but they weren’t interested.”
Love, incidentally, decided not to show up to the Open himself. “Yeah,” Carrick said with a laugh, “that was a bit unusual.”
Carrick said he spent last week with family and watched part of the Open on television.
“I thought the course stood up fairly well,” he said. “(Jim Furyk’s) winning score of 16-under was typical of the PGA tour … But, sure, I was disappointed.”
• There’s an intriguing new website that not only provides up-to-the-minute sports information and commentary but also will endeavor to act as a source for “matching” like-minded sports enthusiasts. Check out www.loveofsports.com… Adrion Smith struggles on the airwaves. The ex-Argonaut and close friend of Toronto head coach Michael Clemons told radio listeners the Montreal Alouettes’ Jim Popp “is not a head coach.” And yet Popp’s team was beating Clemons’ team.
Truth is, Clemons is experiencing adversity and in-house turmoil for the first time in his CFL coaching career. Not that Smith would ever mention that … There’s trouble in Calgary, too, where Tom Higgins may be replaced by Jim Barker as the Stampeders’ head coach and where Henry Burris may be replaced by Akili Smith as quarterback.
• Trade talk: Wade Redden used his no-trade clause to prevent the Ottawa Senators from dealing him to the San Jose Sharks recently, but don’t be surprised if the star defenceman is moved by next season. With extra incentive — $$$ — Redden will waive his right, sources say … Baseball’s trade deadline is today and the Seattle Mariners are in on virtually every starting pitcher available, including Dontrelle Willis, Jon Garland, Livan Hernandez, Jason Jennings and Josh Towers… And, in the NBA, the Miami Heat want point guard Rafer Alston from the Houston Rockets.
