The Start of the 2009 Cantour Season - CPGA Member Mike Mezei Blog

Sport Frances Open - The Start of the 2009 Cantour Season

Hello,

This week was the first ever co-sanctioned event between the Canadian Tour and the Tour Las Americas (TLA or the South American Tour). The event was the 50th playing of the Sport Frances Open at the Sport Frances Golf Club in Santiago, Chile.

For those of you (like me until a week ago) who have never been to Chile, if you can go it's a must see. Coming from Western Canada we are spoiled with Rocky Mountain scenery, but Chile is without a doubt the most beautiful place I've been in the world (that being said I still haven't even been to the south yet to see Patagonia and the Torres del Paines). Imagine the Okanagan Valley with The Andes right beside it along with the ocean. Literally you go from 20,000 foot peaks to the Pacific Ocean in less than 100 miles. Right now the weather in the summer here is perfect, 85F with zero humidity.

Santiago is also one of the best cities in the world I've ever had the fortune to visit; I was surprised how clean and safe it was. I felt no different going around the city and taking the subway here than let's say Vancouver or Montreal.

I played very well this week, but it wasn't my week with the bounces and breaks. The course was very tight and tree lined with small, sloping poa greens. The course became very firm and fast through the weekend and as a result the greens became very inconsistent. The tournament would have seen very low scores but it was so tough to get the ball close because you couldn't judge how the ball would react on the greens.

Nevertheless, Raphael Gomez won his 3rd TLA event of the year at 7 under par, clipping Daniel Im of the Canadian Tour by one stroke. I fired rounds of 70-70-72-72 (par 71) to finish at 2 over par for the event and T13th. I had it going under par every round, 4 under through 9 the first round and 3 under through 8 the third round, but didn't score my best on the tougher closing stretch of the course.

Overall I was happy with the week. I had it to 5 under par for the tournament halfway through the 3rd round, so I was a little disappointed to finish over par for the event. The course played tougher on the weekend though and with the greens it was so easy to put the ball in the wrong spot and then struggle for par. Still, it's a solid start to the 2009 season as this is the first event on the 2009 Canadian Tour schedule. 2008 was a tough year for me on the course so I'm excited to put it to rest and start fresh.

More importantly, this week was a great life experience just to be here. I've never been so impressed by a country; I hope I'll be back here regardless whether golf brings me back a couple more times in my life.

I've attached some pictures of the course and as well from my tour of the Concho y Toro winery. You might recognize the name from their flagship Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon which is a perennial top 100 Wine Spectator pick. The other guy in the picture is my friend Kenny Piecharka from Lethbridge; he was in Santiago on Tuesday laying over before his flight down south to Temuco where he works!

Next week is the Argentine Masters at Olivos (Olives) Golf Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Olivos is the number one rated course in Argentina and some say South America, so I'm looking forward to seeing it. Some of you may also remember me playing the Juan Carlos Tailhade Copa and the Argentine Open back in 2004. I'll be staying with my good friend Gustavo Montone and his family, the same people I stayed with 4 years ago. I've always wanted to get back to Argentina and it will be great to see some familiar faces and friends again!

I'll send another update following next week.

All the best,

Mike