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34 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2008 Ames, Weir try again to end Canadian drought By Tina Depko course than in past years." Although the wet weather kept many fans from coming out to There are 19 Canadian golfers at Wednesday's Pro-Am, the largest crowd this year's RBC Canadian Open who'd was around Weir. "This is his year and he's going to like to bring back the title to where take it," said one longtime Weir fan. they feel it rightfully belongs. The last time a Canadian took the "He's been biding his time, and now title was in 1954, when Pat Fletcher he's ready to be crowned champion." Weir admits that indeed, he is feeling beat out the competition. It's time for that to change, accord- great. "In the last few weeks it's been good," ing to Mike Weir. While Weir plans to bring his `A' he said. "I've been playing well and seem game, when asked who he would want to be really swinging nicely this week." Weir said he likes being a favourite to win if it wasn't him, he responded that he would like to see a fellow among the crowd. "Whenever I get a Canuck take home the chance to play at home, $900,000 purse. In partic- "If I'm not doing this being closer to home ular, Stephen Ames. well this week, than maybe Montreal or "If I'm not doing well you'd love to see when I play out west, I've this week, you'd love to see got a lot of friends and another Canadian up there another Canadian family, I get a lot of supand (with) Stephen being up there." port from people," Weir the quality player he is, said. "To have that kind of he's going to have a good Mike Weir support is fantastic. I chance this week," Weir said after finishing his round in count my blessings for sure. It's great." Ames, although not as popular as Wednesday's Pengrowth Championship Pro-Am. "If it's not me, it would be great Weir, is the top-seeded Canadian enterto see him do it or Jon Mills or Bryon ing the tournament. The Albertan is ranked 25th in the PGA Tour and has DeCorso has played well this year." Weir, currently ranked 47th on the been named by some sports experts as PGA Tour after finishing a disappointing the Canadian favourite for the tourna39th at last week's British Open, said he ment. He made a good showing at the is optimistic about his chances this week. British Open, coming in 7th. Ames, who wasn't able to complete a Those chances were looking great after yesterday's (Thursday's) opening hole yesterday before play was suspendday of play, when he shot a six-under- ed, is also rooting for a Canadian champar 65. Play was interrupted in the pion. "We have 19 players playing this afternoon by inclement weather. The Ontario-based golfer has fought year and everybody has an opportunity his own demons at Glen Abbey. It was of winning," he said. "We're all good here at the Canadian Open in 2004 that enough to be out here, obviously, if he narrowly missed taking home the we're playing in the event. So I think title. After emerging as the leader in overall it just gives us more opportunirounds two and three, Weir fell to Vijay ty of one of us hopefully to win it." He said there is no rivalry between Singh on the third sudden death playhimself and Weir. off hole of the final round. "We're there, we're individuals, "I never played very well here at all and I finally figured out a way to score we're always willing our best for the around here (in 2004)," Weir said. "I do Canadian folks to play well to give back See Furyk page 35 feel more comfortable around this golf OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF CHRIS KORNACKI / OAKVILLE BEAVER TITLE HOPES: Mike Weir came close to winning the Canadian Open title in 2004, the last time it was contested at Glen Abbey, losing in a playoff to Vijay Singh. He and Calgary's Stephen Ames are once again Canada's main hopes at this year's championship. MOHA teams up with Blades By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR When Nancy Brooks and the Minor Oaks Hockey Association needed help with their upcoming summer hockey school, they didn't need to look very far. The Oakville Blades Junior A Hockey Club will assist the MOHA with next month's annual camp, the beginning of a new partnership between the two organizations that aims to assist the development of minor hockey players in Oakville. Brooks said the Blades were the logical choice to run the school after MOHA chose to cut its ties with the Mitron program recently. "We had a need," said Brooks, MOHA's vicepresident of town rep. "We were in a position where we had to plan and go forward very quickly. (MOHA president) Mark Bentley and myself and Tina (Field, vice-president of house league) were brainstorming, and then I (thought of the) Blades." Blades president, general manager and head coach Carlo Coccimiglio, who guided the Blades to an appearance at last season's RBC Royal Bank Cup national championship tournament, will lead the coaching and skill instruction at the hockey school. Current and former Blades players will also conduct on-ice instruction and sign autographs after sessions. "This is long overdue," Coccimiglio said of the partnership. "They're the biggest hockey organi See Blades page 36