THUNDER BAY – Over the decades, the Ryder Cup has created plenty of memorable moments, from the Miracle at Medinah in 2012 to the Battle at Brookline when the U.S. stormed back from a 10-6 deficit to capture the coveted trophy.
On Sept. 26 and Sept. 27, 20 local golfers hope to create some memorable magic of their own, staging the Kam Cup, a two-day event pitting the top golfers from Fort William Country Club against the best Whitewater Golf Club has to offer.
Day 1 will feature a nine-hole scramble and nine more holes of better-ball golf, while Day 2 will feature the traditional singles matches.
FWCC’s Robbie Untinen said the goal of The Kam Cup is to create a season-ending golf event that in years to come helps grow the game, especially at the junior level.
“I kicked around the idea with a lot of good players here in Thunder Bay and they’re all excited about creating a match that will go as an exhibition to start that,” Untinen said.
“Next year we’re going to create an event for Thunder Bay, Ryder Cup-style. We’re going to create a clubhouse feel and then have a points system going forward.”
This year’s teams were chosen based on performance.
Led by Untinen, the FWCC club includes Kevin Ariano, Kevin Jackson, Fletcher Anderson, Mike Throm, Jeremy Kirk, Jackie Palmer, Don Zatti and Mark Backor.
The Whitewater team is comprised of Jeff Hunter, Barry Caland, Chris Gardner, Walter Keating, Jr., Connor Carr, Nathan Mercier, Evan Littlefield, Albert Drake, Mark Colosimo and Trevor Lafreniere.
Gardner, an assistant pro at Whitewater and co-owner of On the Links, said it’s great for both golf clubs and even better for the players.
“It’s 10 of Fort William’s best players versus 10 of Whitewater’s best players. We’re just going to duel and have a great couple days with each other. It’s mainly in the spirit of golf,” Gardner said. “It’s important to do this, obviously to build relationships, but also to inspire.”
Untinen said the Thunder Bay District Golf Association events will still be the marquee events in the city, but The Kam Cup is a great addition to the schedule and a chance to maybe highlight some of the history from other local tournaments, including the District Open, District Amateur and Strathcona Invitational.
This year’s event, for example, will honour Bill Gordon, who won the 1962 Strathcona Invitational, three District Open championships and one District Amateur title.
“We’re going to try to bring the history of Thunder Bay golf back to life and we’re going to have a good exhibition with two good teams and two great clubs,” Untinen said.
Gardner said he’s played in several team events over the years, and they’re a great way to showcase the best the local game has to offer.
“I’ve been a part of the Manitoba Interclub Stroke Play Championship, which was an awesome experience, and I think we need a little more of (that). Kind of getting the ball rolling between Whitewater and Fort William is a nice feather in the cap.”
Going forward, Untinen said they hope be able to raise money for local junior golfers. This year’s beneficiaries will be Jack Moro and Dallas Burgess. The goal is to have a little more hoopla too, once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.
The Kam Cup is open to the public. Day 1 will be held at Fort William Country Club and Day 2 will be staged at Whitewater.
