E-notes: Canadians flock home for Gretzky event

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Stewart Cink's victory last week at the Travelers Championship was the 228th by a former Nationwide Tour player on the PGA TOUR.

Gretzky

It might look like an Edmonton Oilers reunion when the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic presented by Samsung gets under way this week. Not only is The Great One on hand, but so are former Oiler Stanley Cup winners Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Marty McSorley and Grant Fuhr.

There have been eight previous Nationwide Tour events conducted in Canada, and native sons have won three of them. Richard Zokol claimed the 2001 CPGA Championship, David Hearn won the 2004 Alberta Classic and Jon Mills claimed the 2005 CPGA Championship. Hearn, by the way, will be in the field, and his amateur partner will be Wayne Gretzky. Hearn grew up five blocks from Gretzky's childhood home in Brantford, Ontario.

Bryan DeCorso's victory at the South Georgia Classic earlier this year made him the 11th Canadian to win in the 19-year history of the Nationwide Tour. His victory was the 17th overall by a Canadian -- second only to Australia among international winners on Tour.

Hearn

Hearn is one of a strong cast of Canadians who will be playing in their home country this week. The list includes Lee Curry (Ottawa, Ontario), Bryan DeCorso (Guelph, Ontario), Brad Fritsch (Edmonton, Alberta), Ian Leggatt (Cambridge, Ontario), David Morland IV (North Bay, Ontario) and Jim Rutledge (Victoria, British Columbia).

During Rocco Mediate's recent duel with Tiger Woods, the name Bob May came up on several occasions. Well, after years of fighting injuries, May appears to have found his old form. He has finished second and tied for ninth in his last two Nationwide Tour starts to climb from 133rd on the money list all the way to 23rd.

The best of the Nationwide Tour will be on display this week in Canada. With the exception of Chitimacha Louisiana Open winner Gavin Coles, every Tour winner this season will be competing. Of of the top 60 on the money list, 56 are entered.

The primary beneficiary of the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic presented by Samsung will be the Wayne Gretzky Foundation, helping in its efforts to provide less-fortunate youth the opportunity to experience playing hockey.