RBC PGA Scramble National Championship Competitors Play Iconic Cabot Cliffs in Gusty Conditions
More than a few players mentioned throughout the day on Monday that the conditions they were met with for the second round of the RBC PGA Scramble National Championship was exactly what Cabot Cliffs at Cabot Cape Breton was made for.
The sustained 35 km/h breeze gusted to 50 km/h as the twenty teams - comprised of four amateurs and one PGA of Canada professional – played the No.1 ranked golf course in Canada (as per the 2020 ScoreGolf Rankings) for the second round of the 54-hole championship.
Located in Inverness, N.S., Cabot Cape Breton is Canada’s first and only authentic links golf resort. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the picturesque town of Inverness, the Cabot Cliffs course offers immaculate views of the ocean as many of the holes are perched on cliffs overlooking the horizon. It truly looks like something out of a fiction novel.
For the full leaderboard from the second round, click here.
After firing a gross 56 on the first day of competition, the team who qualified from Langara Golf Course continued their stellar play – and continued having the time of their lives - during the second round of competition, making seven-straight birdies to start the day and eight in their opening nine holes.
“We were buzzing. Words can’t really explain it, it just felt pure today,” said Wolf Bethel. “We were moving, and we were grooving. It was just a beautiful time with so many beautiful things to look at.”
Though the team, consisting of Chris Eddy, William Eddy, Vittorio Coletta, Bethel and Apprentice Professional from Langara Mason Lafrance cooled off a little bit down the stretch (much like the temperature), they managed to make birdie on their final two holes of the day and head into the third and final round up by .1 of a stroke on the team from The Lake Joseph Club.
“On hole 17 we had to use my roommate Vito Coletta’s drive – and he pured it – so clutch,” said Bethel. “They broke the mold when they made this one. Our friendship is at an all-time high
“We are having such an amazing time – the staff, the experience is top shelf and we’ll be back for more. I’ve banked with RBC a long time, had a Leo Young Saver’s Account when I was like four-years old, and getting an Avion card because of this. It’s just been that lights out of a trip,” concluded Wolf.
Though the Langara teamed had a lights-out performance, wind was a factor for every team throughout the day, as Sebastian Rhodenizer’s team from Ken-Wo Golf Club battled the elements en-route to a quality round.
“I’m not going to lie, the wind played its part today,” said Rhodenizer, who’s team came in early with a gross 63. “At the end of the day, everybody had to play the same conditions and the same wind, we all got dented by the same elements.”
Rhodenizer’s team, consisting of Scott Roles and Nic and Dryden Schofield, was joined by Apprentice Professional at Ken-Wo Laura Reid, who nearly holed her shot on the short par-3 ninth en-route to an easy birdie for her team.
Though his teammates had played Cabot Cliffs in the past, it was Rhodenizer’s first time at the venue, which he says he was thrilled about after missing the regional final last year by just .2 strokes.
“Once you make it here, you’ve already won,” said Rhodenizer. “The course could never get old. It’s awesome. Every buddy I know has played these courses and they rave about them consistently, so it was great to finally play them.”
This year’s RBC PGA Scramble was bigger than ever. The 13,000 registrants was the most ever for the program, making the experience of qualifying for the Championship at Cabot Cape Breton even more special for the 80 amateurs.
Prior to the week, players were given a package from Titleist and Footjoy thanks to their support of the championship. In addition, each player who competed in the RBC PGA Scramble received GolfTV codes which gave them access to the service through to the end of 2021. Golf Avenue also supported the RBC PGA Scramble this year, offering club trade-ins at many local qualifiers.
Stay tuned the rest of this week on our social media channels as we bring you all of the action from the RBC PGA Scramble. Twitter/Instagram.
The final round of the 2021 RBC PGA Scramble National Championship begins at 8:30 AM tomorrow on Cabot Links.