Warren Sye victorious at rain-shortened Senior Men's Amateur

Midland, ON (August 10, 2012) - Five-time Ontario Amateur champion Warren Sye of Mississauga earned his first provincial title in the senior ranks on Friday, capturing the Investors Group Ontario Senior Men's Amateur championship at Midland Golf and Country Club.

Sye, a member of the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame with two Canadian Amateur Championship titles under his belt, came out on top at the rain-shortened event after the third round was cancelled due to inclement weather. Despite an attempt to get the full field through the final 18 holes on Friday, the event had to be called and the second round results became final.

Weston Golf and Country Club member Sye was happy to be playing on the senior competitive circuit with some familiar faces this week.

"It's been a lot of fun, and really nice to see a lot of guys that I used to play with years ago that I haven't played with or against in a really long time," said Sye, who hasn't teed it up in a major Ontario provincial championship in 12 years.

"I've got to get used to playing the shorter golf courses now, but it's a lot of fun to move up. It doesn't feel like senior but it is."

The 56-year old delivered a solid two-under par 68 in Wednesday's opening round, which he followed up with a two-over 72 on Thursday to finish at even par and earn the title by a four stroke margin. He managed to get through ten holes in the third round before the flooded greens ended the competition.

"I haven't been playing well all year and just over the last couple weeks I started playing a little better and got my short game tidied up," explained Sye. "In the first round I didn't hit it that well off the tee, but my short game saved me. The second day I hit the ball a little better, and today was kind of sloppy with the wet conditions."

"Fortunately for me it was cancelled, but not so fortunate for the other guys," he said with a laugh. "My short game was much better this week, I've really been struggling so we will see where we go from here."

Ridgeville resident Sandy Billyard improved on his eighth place finish in 2011 by earning runner-up honours, closing out the competition with a total score of 144 (74-70), four-over par. The Hunters Point Golf Course member picked up the silver medals and earned a berth on the Ontario inter-provincial team where he will represent the province alongside Sye at the Canadian Senior Men's championship set to take place at Le Griffon des Sources in Mirabel, QC on August 28-31.

Joining Sye and Billyard at the national championship is 2010 Ontario Senior runner-up Alisdair Cayley of Burlington, who finished in third place this week at six-over par with a two day total of 146 (75-71). Cayley also earned the trophy in the men's 60 and over division, while Reg Finlayson of Georgetown earned the men's super senior (age 70 and over) title.

Rick Dodds-Hebron of Brampton and Tom Hodgins of Newmarket tied for fourth at seven-over par, while 2010 champion Mike Jackson of Collingwood finished tied for seventh at nine-over par, and 2011 champ Jim Morton of London closed out the event in a tie for 24th place.

The Investors Group Ontario Senior Men's Championship is contested annually and features Ontario's best male amateur golfers age 55 and older. 2012 marks the 77th playing of the event, and notable past champions include Ontario Golf Hall of Fame members Stu Hamilton and Nick Weslock, Herb Carnegie, and Ed Ervasti.

FULL RESULTS

1 Warren Sye Mississauga, ON Weston G&CC 68 72 140 E
2 Sandy Billyard Ridgeville, ON Hunters Pointe GC 74 70 144 +4
3 Alasdair Cayley Burlington, ON Toronto GC 75 71 146 +6
T4 Rick Dodds-Hebron Brampton, ON Brampton GC 74 73 147 +7
T4 Tom Hodgins Newmarket, ON Cedar Brae G & CC 70 77 147 +7
6 Christopher Kertsos Pickering York Downs G&CC 74 74 148 +8
T7 Chester Graham Midland, ON Midland G & CC 75 74 149 +9
T7 Stu Hamilton Wasaga Beach, ON Brampton GC 75 74 149 +9
T7 Michael Jackson Collingwood, ON Georgian Bay Club 74 75 149 +9
T7 Carl Nanni Thornhill, ON Meadowbrook G&CC 73 76 149 +9
T11 Neil Boddington Shanty Bay, ON Barrie CC 75 75 150 +10
T11 John Sagi Kitchener, ON Deer Ridge Golf Club 76 74 150 +10
T13 Rick Fifield St.Marys, ON St. Marys G&CC 78 73 151 +11
T13 Don Smith Ajax, ON GAO Public Player 75 76 151 +11
T13 Ross Ballantyne Midland, ON Midland G & CC 74 77 151 +11
T13 Guy Kohlmeier Sarnia, ON Sarnia G&CC 68 83 151 +11
T17 Phil Charal Toronto, ON The Summit G&CC 75 77 152 +12
T17 Michael Kelly Ottawa, ON Pakenham Highlands GC 74 78 152 +12
T17 Wally Keating London, ON Sunningdale GC 76 76 152 +12
T17 Lars Melander Oakville, ON Hidden Lake GC - New 78 74 152 +12
T17 Sid Segsworth Sudbury, ON Idylwylde G&CC 77 75 152 +12
T17 Bill Hilton Newmarket, ON St. Andrew's East GC 76 76 152 +12
T17 Dominic Marchesano Hamilton, ON Wildfire GC 75 77 152 +12
T24 Michael Mealia Thornhill, ON Bayview G&CC 77 76 153 +13
T24 Jim Morton London, ON GAO Public Player 79 74 153 +13
T24 Don Reed Komoka, ON GAO Public Player 77 76 153 +13
T24 Robert Goss Welland, ON Peninsula Lakes GC 77 76 153 +13
T24 John Brown Midland, ON Midland G & CC 71 82 153 +13
T29 Reg Finlayson Georgetown, ON The Club at North Halton 77 77 154 +14
T29 Garry Spence London, ON St. Thomas G&CC 78 76 154 +14
T29 Peter Aharan London, ON Sunningdale GC 78 76 154 +14
T29 Dan Partland Bolton, ON The National GC 76 78 154 +14
T29 Hugh Fallon Blue Mountains, ON OslerBrook G&CC 77 77 154 +14
T29 Jim Briggs Fenwick, ON GAO Public Player 75 79 154 +14
T35 Jim Craigmile St. Marys, ON St. Marys G&CC 75 80 155 +15
T35 Brian Jeffery Collingwood, ON Batteaux Creek GC 77 78 155 +15
T35 Dick Lockwood London, ON London Hunt and CC 77 78 155 +15
T35 Brian Lofgren London, ON West Haven G & CC 80 75 155 +15
T35 Rollie Turrie Thunder Bay, ON Chapples Golf Club 76 79 155 +15
T35 William "Art" Trojan Etobicoke, ON St. George's G&CC 75 80 155 +15
T35 William King Sault Ste Marie, ON Sault Ste. Marie GC 74 81 155 +15
T35 Tom Bell Collingwood, ON Batteaux Creek GC 76 79 155 +15
T43 Terry MacGorman Toronto, ON Donalda Club 82 74 156 +16
T43 Tom Hyman London, ON Firerock GC 79 77 156 +16
T43 Rick Cody Mississauga, ON The Club at North Halton 80 76 156 +16
T43 Paul Stone Collingwood, ON Blue Mountain G & CC 77 79 156 +16
T47 Scot Cherry Oshawa, ON Lakeridge Links GC 77 80 157 +17
T47 Tim Lee Ancaster, ON GAO Public Player 79 78 157 +17
T47 Chris Ingram Burlington, ON Wyldewood G&CC 77 80 157 +17
T47 Sandy Hosie Barrie, ON Tangle Creek Golf Club 75 82 157 +17
T47 Richard Evoy Sault Ste Marie, ON Sault Ste. Marie GC 81 76 157 +17
T47 Desmond Brady Vineland Station, ON Lookout Point CC 73 84 157 +17
T53 John Thrasher Sarnia, ON Sarnia G&CC 77 81 158 +18
T53 Bob Turcotte Ajax, ON Royal Ashburn GC 78 80 158 +18
T53 Larry Cooper Oakville, ON Mississaugua 82 76 158 +18
T53 John Pate Guelph Cutten Fields 76 82 158 +18
T57 John Bracken London, ON GAO Public Player 80 79 159 +19
T57 Donald White London, ON London Hunt and CC 79 80 159 +19
T57 Scott MacKenzie Conestoga, ON Conestoga G&CC 80 79 159 +19
T57 John Mcbride Courtice, ON Lakeridge Links GC 78 81 159