Idylwylde Invitational returns to Sudbury
Some of the province's best golfers will put it all on the line this weekend as the oldest match play tournament of its kind kicks off at Sudbury's Idylwylde Golf and Country Club.
This weekend marks the 73rd annual 'Idylwylde Invitational' and everyone looked grateful to be back on the links.
"It's such a great format with the match play qualifier with a tight bracket of 16 for the championship flight, it's always contested," said Idylwylde golf professional David Bower.
"We have always a playoff, generally speaking, for those last spots in which is awesome. We have a few spectators out there."
The tradition of the tournament is a long and storied one and it's one many in the club are proud of.
"It's an incredible history at this event -- the list of champions is incredibly impressive and includes a lot of the great amateur players that have played in Canada throughout the years," Bower said. "It's really created a name for the Idylwylde in Ontario."
Golfers were eager to hit the greens and fairways for their shot at some pretty impressive hardware.
"I grew up ball spotting on the 12th hole and just watching all the people come through, so to be able to be a part of it -- much less a champion -- is pretty cool for me considering I was just a little runt just a handful of years ago," said past champion Tristan Renaud.
Renaud, who's originally from Sudbury and is now studying in Texas, said it's comforting to be hitting the links again.
"I would say, because it's a long event and you have to get through all the different pieces of it, you have to get through the Friday and then from then on make sure you have match after match," he said. "It's a marathon, not a sprint."
Berk Keaney sits on the tournament committee and will also be playing in the coming days. He said it's nice to see everyone back after the long pandemic.
"It's so cool to get back together with old friends, renew acquaintances who come up here every year for the tournament," said Keaney. "There's still competitive golfing -- some of the other flights with the other golfers -- and then as we go down and get to the higher scores, there's more of the beer cart, laughing and having fun -- it's a great combination, a hybrid event, for sure."
"It's so great to see it back, we're all excited to be part of it, from the staff to the members, it's an exciting thing to have," said Bower. "Everybody from past Ontario amateur champions, some of the best players that have played in Ontario to all the way down to guys who are 25, 30 handicappers who are just down to have some fun."
Half of the 176 participants are members here at Idylwylde; the other half are golfers who have come from across the province.
The threat of rain also isn't getting anyone down. The tournament will wrap up on Sunday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.