Backing it up

Backing it up

Brian McCann is excited about getting back to the business of making birdies and earning merit points.

You can hear the anxiousness in his voice as he takes time to chat between lessons at a busy indoor BraeBen Academy on a cold, sunny February day. He sounds like someone who knows what he wants, and is confident enough to go and get it.

“I plan on playing even better this year and backing up my 2011 season,” McCann says. “I’ve always felt confident in my game and this year will be no different.”

McCann, who’s been playing golf the better part of his entire life, has excelled at every level of competition. He’s won numerous provincial amateur titles, represented Canada at the World Amateur Team Championships and the Four Nations Cup, attended Arkansas State University on a golf scholarship, played full seasons on the Canadian and Nationwide Tours and is the all team money leader on the Great Lakes Tour.

With all this past successes, the Mississauga, Ont., native’s 2011 season was an eye-opener.

Consider these finishes that attributed to his No. 1 spot atop the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC and his Mike Weir Player of the Year Award honour: he won the Titleist & FootJoy Ontario PGA Championship, finished runner-up at the PGA Championship of Canada sponsored by Mr. Lube and presented by TaylorMade/adidas Golf, and placed sixth at the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Titleist & FootJoy.

It also shouldn’t be overlook that he had second place finishes at the Rogers Canada Cup and Trimark Sportswear Ontario PGA Spring Championship Presented by SkyCaddie, or his third at Merit Golf Vacations Match Play Championship.

When the dust settled, McCann says he had one heck of a year. But he also reflects on the (big) one that got away.

“All the banners lining the driveway last year (at the PGA Championship of Canada) were really something. I saw that and I thought, ‘wow, this would be a huge tournament to win,’” he says. “So, it was a tough one to swallow, losing in a playoff.”

PGA of Canada legends Stan Leonard, George Knudson, Moe Norman, Al Balding and Wilf Homenuik, as well as Major Championship winners Lee Trevino, Lanny Wadkins, Raymond Floyd and Arnold Palmer are just a few of the names etched on the historic P.D. Ross Trophy.

In last June’s final match at Cottonwood Golf & Country Club just outside Calgary, McCann fought back from 3-down with four to play to square the match with Vincent Dumouchel. On the first playoff hole, McCann’s wayward drive paved way for Dumouchel’s eventual victory.

Talking about the loss now, nearly eight months later, McCann can admit, “Everyone loses more than they win, so I guess I’m a pretty good loser.”

Despite the loss, McCann, who came in ranked No. 21 at last year’s championship, takes great pride in the matches he won on the way to the finals. He beat Daniel Garagan in the opening round, squeezed out a victory in 20-holes over Mike Belbin in the second round, narrowly edged Mark Corrigan in the third round and won his quarter and semi finals matches against Billy Walsh and Dean Brown, respectively.

“I fought really hard in every match I played,” McCann concedes. “I really learned a lot about the different strategies when playing match play.”

When McCann tees it up at this year’s championship at Country Hills’ Talons Course, he’ll have two things on his mind: win one more match than he did in 2011 and the RBC Canadian Open.

The player who leads the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC will earn an exemption into the RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Ancaster, Ont., July 23-29.

“Listen, I’d be lying if I said that I haven’t thought about playing in the Canadian Open again,” he says.

McCann’s last (and only) appearance at the RBC Canadian Open happened back in 2007 at Angus Glen when he Monday qualified.

He won’t have to tip it up in a stressful Monday qualifier this year with hopes of playing alongside the world’s best at Hamilton Golf & Country Club. Rather, all he has to do is maintain his No. 1 spot atop the PGA Player Rankings through the PGA Championship of Canada.

In true Brian McCann fashion, he’s both excited and confident about the possibilities.