Jacobson eyeing second title

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This article was published 10/06/2016 (3534 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Defending champion Garth Collings is the favourite to collect his 11th title when play at the 56th annual Grey Owl golf tournament gets underway today at Clear Lake Golf Course.

However, Jared Jacobson might have something to say about that after the weekend is over.

The 2014 winner, who fended off fellow Brandonite Rob Hall to win by a shot that year, is also a four-time men’s division champion of the Tamarack match play event also held at Clear Lake.

“It’s the first one of the year, so I guess it’s exciting to get back into tournament mode,” Jacobson said. “I’ve only played the course a couple of times so far this year, but it’s in real good shape, so that always makes it for equal playing conditions … so I think it will be a good one.”

Although he hasn’t played a ton of golf to this point in the season, Jacobson believes his extensive knowledge of Clear Lake can’t hurt ahead of the 36-hole event, which allows golfers to play Friday or Saturday, as well as Sunday to compete for the title.

“I think course knowledge is always a thing. You’ve got to get two solid days, but it depends on how you’re playing at the time,” the 46-year-old said. “With putting it probably helps a bit on the greens. It’s usually the greens and putting that is probably more of an advantage for those that play it more.

“I hope to shoot good and I know that I can. I’m hoping to put a couple of good rounds together.”

Along with Collings and Jacobson, Travis Fifi, who plays out of Shilo Country Club, and was last year’s runner-up, is also expected to be in the mix for the Cactus Jack Wells Memorial trophy on Sunday.

Two-time champion Jarod Crane (2013 and 2010) is also in the 235-golfer field, but he’s opting to play today and Saturday and thus is not eligible to play for the title.

For Fifi, he enters this year’s Grey Owl with no expectations.

“The last couple of weeks I haven’t really had any confidence in my game at all,” he said, adding he’s hoping to qualify for the championship flight with his first-round score.

Fifi shot a bogey-free two-under-par 70 in last year’s final round, but he made his two birdies on holes 11 and 15, which aren’t among the easiest holes at Clear Lake.

“Last year was kind of surprising because I think I was in the first group of the championship flight,” he said. “I was something like eight back of Garth and on the leaderboard I was two back when I finished.”

If Fifi’s going to make a push and get into the heat of the battle late Sunday the key for him will be taking advantage of birdie holes, especially on the front nine.

“There are so many holes where you shouldn’t get into trouble and basically I’d like to get through those holes under par,” he said.

In the 60-plus senior division, Brandon’s Rod Lindenberg will be looking to capture the Glen Sinclair Memorial Trophy for a second straight year.

DIVOTS: The Rick Locke Memorial Trophy, in honour of the late Grey Owl treasurer, will be inserted into one of the senior divisions this year.

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