CALGARY — One year ago, Ken Duke won the 2023 Shaw Charity Classic at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club for his first PGA Tour Champions title in his 100th career start.
Back to defend his title at the rebranded Rogers Charity Classic, Duke will have to fend off challenges from the likes of Ernie Els and Stephen Ames, who both have three victories this season and are sitting in first and second, respectively, in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.
“It’s great to be back,” said Duke, who enjoys the challenge that the par-70, 7,093-yard layout at Canyon Meadows presents. “I played the golf course the last couple days, it’s great.”
After sinking a clutch four-foot putt on the 18th green for a birdie on the par-5 finishing hole last year, Duke pumped his fist in celebration while photographers clicked away to capture the moment.
“My picture is on a bunch of billboards and windows,” said 55-year-old golfer from Stuart, Fla., who commended tournament director Sean Van Kesteren for making his inaugural victory on the senior circuit special. “That’s pretty cool as well. Thanks to Sean and his crew with Rogers and the tournament. All the exposure is really nice. It’s always exciting to come back after you’ve won a tournament to see everyone and see the volunteers.”
Duke will play Friday’s first round in a grouping with New Zealand’s Steve Alker, who’s currently third in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, and charismatic Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.
“Don’t get too far ahead of yourself and don’t think about what you did last year, just try to see what you can do this year and just keep it in front of you,” said Duke when asked what it will take to have another strong performance in Calgary. “That’s the key to playing good golf is having fun and being relaxed.”
Ames, who won last weekend’s Boeing Classic in Seattle, will head out on the course in the group right behind Duke with Ireland’s Padraig Harrington and Fiji’s Vijay Singh.
“Stephen’s a good player,” said Duke of the former Calgary resident who was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2014. “I played with him once earlier this year. He’s playing great. He putts it really well. He’s a great ball striker as well.
“That’s how it goes out here, when you get on a little roll, you just kind of run it out. When you’ve got a lot of confidence like he has — like Ernie Els has, like Steven Alker has — it goes a long way.”
Making his 10th appearance at the tournament he helped start, Ames has a chance to win back-to-back tournaments this season to match what Els accomplished in June at the Principal Charity Classic and the American Family Insurance Championship.
“There’s not a lot of negatives in my life right now,” Ames said. “There are only positives. It’s passing on and coming onto the golf course right now. I’m just enjoying the moment and having fun and putting (on) a big smile obviously, which you see when I’m on television. I’m enjoying golf and enjoying life. What else could be better? Playing golf for a living and having fun doing it, it’s awesome.”
What would make it even better for Ames would be improving upon his best showing in Calgary from nine years ago when he finished in a tie for fifth.
“It would be kind of more and more icing on the cake more than anything else,” said Ames, who also finished in a tie for sixth in 2021. “The conditions of the golf course this year again are fabulous. I think overall it’s just a matter of being a little more patient than I have been in the past and go from there.”
Playing for the fourth straight year in Calgary, Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., would also like to improve upon his best showing from 2021 when he finished in a tie for ninth. He is also rooting on the other four Canadians in the field.
“It would be great,” said Weir. “Stephen has been playing unbelievable the last couple years and continues his roll. He’s up there as one of the favourites for sure. Yeah, it would be great for one of the Canadians (to win). Always cheering for the other Canadian guys to play well. Hopefully we can get one here.”
Joining Ames and Weir at the three-day, 54-hole tournament will be Calgary’s Steve Blake, Alan McLean of London, Ont., and Gordon Burns of Ajax, Ont., who qualified to play in his first PGA Tour Champions event after carding a 6-under 66 during Tuesday’s final qualifier at Elbow Springs Golf Club.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2024.
Laurence Heinen, The Canadian Press
