THUNDER BAY – Chris Gardner’s been waiting 13 long years to win an individual title.
He really wanted to hoist this year’s Keg District Open trophy.
So too did Barry Caland, who had to be convinced to tee it up this weekend, less than three weeks after his 81-year-old father died unexpectedly.
With two holes to go on Sunday at Fort William Country Club, the two golfers were tied, the 49-year-old Caland having made up the two strokes by which he trailed after an opening round, four-over 76 shot Saturday at Whitewater Golf Club.
The 17th proved to be his downfall.
Caland fired his tee shot to the right, found trouble in the trees, hit what he thought was a miraculous recovery only to watch hit deflect off the bank in front of the green and keep rolling, up and over the back of the putting surface and into a thicket of trees and shrubs.
Gardner, 31, couldn’t have been more perfect with his first two shots, striping his tee shot down the middle and his approach about 20 feet left of the pin.
The Whitewater assistant pro two-putted for par, while Caland needed two shots to get out of the jungle, leading to a double-bogey six.
Gardner, who parred the final hole, went on to a two-shot victory, firing an identical two-over 74 to match his opening round total.
“It’s been a little too long,” Gardner said, his voice breaking ever so slightly. “This means the world to me. I haven’t won an individual tournament since I was 18 years old, a junior, and I’m in my early 30s now. That was a long time coming.”
Gardner, who works extensively with local junior golfers, held his two shot advantage through 13 holes, but a costly three-putt, combined with Caland birdying from the front fringe, erased the lead on the 14th, setting up a duel down the stretch.
“I didn’t let it rattle me. I just stuck to myself, stuck to my game and just stayed patient for two days – mostly today as well,” Gardner said. “I was extra patient.”
Gardner needed to hit a clutch seven-footer on the 15th to maintain a share of the lead, saving par after leaving his approach in the right rough.
Caland, seeking his first District Open title since 2008, his third overall and his 14th local major, said he tried to play it safe on the 17th. He teed off with a five-wood that normally would find the fairway, but instead went astray.
“I really hit what I thought was a fantastic shot for my second and it just never stopped running,” Caland said.
“When I saw it release through the green and go over the hill, I just couldn’t believe it. That’s just a bad break with the game ... It happens.”
Needing birdie on 18 for any shot at a playoff, his second fell short of the ridge and rolled back, leaving him a two-putt par for a two-day, six-over 150 total.
Jeremy Kirk, last year’s winner, started the day eight back, but a scintillating three-under 69 earned him third place, three off Gardner’s lead.
