Ottawa Sun Scramble: News & Updates

McGee and Koski will be shooting for their sixth straight title in the Men’s Open division at the sixth annual Ottawa Sun Scramble next month.

In three of their five championships, the margin of victory has been by one shot. In the other two, it’s been two shots. As good as they are, they can’t outrun the field, or fate, forever.

“You have to wonder how many years in a row Koski and McGee can go before they miss a few putts,” said Ottawa pro Kevin Haime. “What they’ve done is unbelievable. Each year, they’ve been 10-or-11-under both days. It’s incredible.”

Indeed. A dream team of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson might not meet their kind of consistency in a two-man scramble.

Last year, McGee and Koskie finished the two-day tournament at 20-under, the same score they had in winning three years ago. In 2008, they were 19-under. And in the first two years, they won with 22-under totals.

You don’t go that low, year after year, without at least a little luck on your side. At the same time, what is it they say you have to be, to be lucky?

Executive Golf announces courses and dates for Ottawa-Gatineau’s largest golf tournament
Eight events at seven courses

March 24, 2010 – Ottawa, Ontario. The decision has been made: a new Open ‘C’ division has been added to the week-long schedule for Ottawa Sun Scramble City Championship Week. Now with eight divisions (Open, Open B, Open C, Ladies Open, Ladies B, Senior, Junior and the Media Challenge), tournament director Karl Parks expects 650 competitors for this year’s tournament.

Kyle Koski & Allen McGee are expected to return to shoot for their 6th straight title in the Open division. Also of note, Lise Jubinville & Brenda Pilon claimed their 3rd straight title in 2009 with an impressive 15-under par in the Ladies Open – but they only won by a hair as Julie Cashaback & Luci Leblanc finished just one stroke back at 14-under. According to Karl Parks, “we’ve seen the level of competition rise steadily, each year, and this is what keeps prompting us to add new divisions.”

The tournament was first launched in 2005 with an Open and Senior event at Eagle Creek Golf Club.

“With the new Open C division”, says Parks, “the Sun Scramble now accommodates every type of golfer, as long as they can break 100”.

The tournament is conducted by local golf promotion company, Executive Golf (executivegolf.ca), and is a scramble format where both players take a shot and the best one is used. “This is a highly-competitive event,” said Jamie Ryan, president of Executive Golf, “and not like your standard corporate or charity scramble where the emphasis is on fun. The best players in each division should in fact win their respective titles and we were thrilled to see Kyle and Allen complete their Drive for Five in 2009. These two golfers know each other’s game so well and ham and egg it like no other team.”

According to Parks, there are other teams who, after having competed together for a few years now, are more aware of the value of strategy in a competitive scramble, so Koski & McGee’s sixth victory is far from assured. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see new champions this year,” he said.

The tournament is a two-round event for each division (excluding the Media Challenge) with a cut after round one. Teams that make the cut play for their respective city title on either Championship Saturday at Club de Golf Outaouais (Open B, Open C and Ladies B), or Championship Sunday at Eagle Creek Golf Club (Open, Ladies Open, Senior and Junior). Executive Golf provides over $30,000 in EG Memberships, along with more than $15,000 in sponsor prizing for the top finishers and contest winners.

The famous “Coors Light Million Dollar Ace”, a contest where eight shooters have a chance to win a million dollars, takes place during Kick-Off Day at Falcon Ridge Golf Course on August 5th, 2010. This pre-tournament event includes a skills clinic, a Slammer Tour match-play event, the Sun Scramble Media Challenge, other contests and refreshments. Kick-Off Day is open to the public and free to attend.

For a complete schedule of events, qualifying information and other details, please visit the tournament website at ottawasunscramble.com.

Allen McGee & Kyle Koski complete their 'drive for five': five other city champions crowned

The fifth annual Ottawa Sun Scramble golf championship concluded Sunday, August 23, at Eagle Creek Golf Club and city champions have been crowned in six divisions. The tournament is the Ottawa-Gatineau region’s largest golf event and features competitors in six divisions, along with a media challenge which was played August 13th at Falcon Ridge. Players in all divisions (except for the Media Challenge) had to make the cut after round one in order to go on to play for their respective city titles.

Allen McGee & Kyle Koski take the Open City Championship for the fifth straight year, shooting 10-under in round one at Talon and another 10-under at Eagle Creek on Sunday.

Lise Jubinville & Brenda Pilon take their third straight Ladies Open City Championship, shooting 10-under in round one at Chateau Cartier and 5-under at Eagle Creek on Sunday.

Thom Panikorn & Robert Lefebvre win the Senior Open City Championship with a playoff birdie, after shooting 10-under in round one at Talon and 6-under at Eagle Creek on Sunday.

Mathieu Rochon & Grant Barr win the Junior Open City Championship, shooting 5-under in round one at Falcon Ridge and 7-under at Eagle Creek on Sunday.

Laurie Howland & Marie-Josée Bergeron win the inaugural Ladies B City Championship, shooting plus-two in round one at Chateau Cartier and plus-one at Eagle Creek on Sunday.

Nevin Shulist & Jonah Tremback win the Open B City Championship, shooting 4-under in round one at Le Sorcier and 5-under at Eagle Creek on Sunday.

Kenny Walls & Angry Al of the Team 1200 win the Media Challenge with a single-round score of 3-under at Falcon Ridge.

Six Senior teams made the cut and will play Eagle Creek on Championship Sunday for the title. Thom Panikorn & Robert Lefebvre, and Brian McDonald & Ron McAllister, posted first round scores of 10 under 62. All six teams remaining are within three strokes.

18 Open teams made the cut and will play Eagle Creek on Championship Sunday for the title. Daniel Lwow & Rene DeMontigny, and Kevin Mulvihill & Andrew Dickson, posted first round scores of 11 under 61. All eighteen teams remaining are within seven strokes.

Congratulations to Don Wallingford who won the Make-A-Wish closest-to-the-pin contest. $255 to Don and $255 to the Kids. THANK YOU ALL!

Six junior teams made the cut and will play Eagle Creek on Championship Sunday for the title. Matthew Peterson & Maththew Kreuk shot a spectacular 65 in round 1 to take a 2 stroke lead into round 2.

Greens were fast but the scores were great. See all the results at the link below. With Round 1 now complete, 18 teams go on to play for the title on Championship Sunday.

With Round 1 now complete, four teams from both divisions go on to play for the title on Championship Sunday.

Team 1200's Kenny Walls & Angry Al take the Régimbal Cup in the 2009 Media Challenge, shooting a three-under 69.

Congratulations to the 11 teams who qualfied for the Open and Open B divisions yesterday at Eagle Creek. Results are posted here.

A minimum of six events are set up each week. No membership fees. Just pay your event fee and give it a try. Match play format. Crack the top 30 to qualify for the Open and crack the top 60 to qualfiy for the Open B. Visit the Tour website here.

Little apprehensive but interested in competition? With the partner format, its a great way to get your feet wet with some good friendly competition. Have a look at the Ladies B, here.

Great way to test your game. If you are a long bomber, select a short game artist as a partner and give it a try. First round of the Junior Open is at Falcon Ridge. If you make the cut, you play Eagle Creek on Championhip Sunday for the title.

Mark Thursday August 13th down in your calendar. Just show up and your name will go in the hat to shoot for $1,000,000!!! The Coors Light Millions Dollar Ace contest is open to the general public and there are four different ways to get one of the shots. Details and RSVP here.

Sign up to receive Twitter updates on your phone to stay in touch with the latest championship week information and to reveice live scoring updates during play. Send us your email address via Twitter using 'Direct Messages' and your name will go in the draw to shoot for $1,000,000! Visit the Ottawa Sun Scramble on Twitter.

Grab a partner, pick a division and register online. Qualifier for the Open and Open B is August 1st at Eagle Creek. If you cannot make the qualifier then consider trying to qualify via The Slammer Tour.

Looking forward to seeing the scores after round 1. The 2008 cut was retro 67. Will it be higher or lower at Talon?

Little apprehensive but interested in competition? Try the Ladies B division designed for ladies with a scoring average of between 88 and 97 or a handicap factor between 16 and 25. With the partner format, its a great way to get your feet wet with some good friendly competition.

McGee and Koski driving for five in the Open, Pilon and Jubinville are going for three in a row in the Ladies Open, Blondin and Freda are also going for three in a row in the Senior Open.

Mark Thursday August 13th down in your calendar. We'll get Championship Week started at Falcon Ridge with the Media Challenge, the Coors Light Million Dollar Ace shots, a skills clinic and then a gathering in the beautiful new clubhouse for a few words from some special guests. Details here.

Now in it's fifth year, Ottawa Sun Scramble City Championship Week receives a significant amount of attention including numerous ads in the Ottawa Sun and over 5,000 monthly visits to the tournament website. Consider a hole sponsorship which includes having your logo on the website for one full year, two signs on your sponsored hole at all five courses and the opportunity to distribute a promotional item to 500 local golfers. Only $500 for a full year of involvement. Details here.

Registration for all six divisions opened up back in April. The Open and B divisions are filling up fast so register now unless you would like to play in the qualifier, Aug 1st, at Eagle Creek. If you have already registered, be sure to check the website to ensure your name is listed.

New Ladies B Division

We are pleased to announce that 2009 will be the inaugural year for the Ladies B division. We are hoping this will encourage more of the women golfers out there to particpate in a great week of golf and fun. See qualifying criteria here.

Twitter Updates

We have started providing tournament related updates via Twitter. Click here for past and current updates. We will also be making use of Twitter during live play to help communicate scores on the course.

Sponsor a Hole

Now in it's fifth year, Ottawa Sun Scramble City Championship Week receives a significant amount of attention including numerous ads in the Ottawa Sun and over 5,000 monthly visits to the tournament website. Consider a hole sponsorship which includes having your logo on the website for one full year, two signs on your sponsored hole and the opportunity to distribute a promotional item to 500 local golfers.

Photograph for all Competitors

We are pleased to announce that all competitors will once again receive a team photo courtesy of InAction Photography. Pictures will be taken on the first tee prior to round one and exchanged for your scorecard at the end of your round.