ANCASTER, ONT. (Golf Canada) – Drew Nesbitt of Shanty Bay, Ont., Riley Wheeldon of Comox, B.C., Lee McCoy of Tampa, Fla. and Jhared Hack of Homestead, Fla. have all earned entry into the 2017 RBC Canadian Open through today’s Final Qualifier at Heron Point Golf Links.
Nesbitt and Wheeldon carded matching rounds of 5-under-par 66 to share medallist honours.
Nesbitt, who will make his PGA TOUR debut at the 2017 RBC Canadian Open, is thankful Canada’s National Championship is truly an open event.
“That’s the nature of the game that they have these open qualifying events. It allows amateurs and pros that aren’t full status and mini tour players like myself, to get to the next level,” said Nesbitt. “It will be a good experience to test my game against the best players in the world.”
Wheeldon will be playing in his third PGA TOUR event. He played in the 2013 RBC Canadian Open and advanced through Monday Qualifying into the 2014 Farmers Insurance Open.
“I feel lucky as a Canadian that I get to play in our National Championship,” added Wheeldon. “It’s great to be one round away and know that you have that opportunity to get into that tournament.”
Six players shot 67, which forced a playoff that decided the last two spots. McCoy advanced on the second playoff hole while Hack outlasted Team Canada’s Stuart MacDonald from Vancouver on the sixth playoff hole.
Team Canada graduate Blair Hamilton (Burlington, Ont.), Nyasha Mauchaza (Port Saint Lucie, Fla.) and Hunter Stuart (Lexington, Ky.) were the other playoff participants who failed to qualify.
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