Reed On The Greens – Day One, RBC Canadian Open, July 26, 2012

Parr’s Story Much More Than Par For the Course
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

Growing up in London, Ontario, Andrew Parr honed his skills at Greenhills Golf Course and later London Hunt and Country Club – two heavily-treed, traditional courses requiring imagination from tee to green. Parr, 29, also grew up idolizing Mike Weir – a fellow Canadian in the field here at the RBC Canadian Open.

Much traveled and more confident than ever, working with swing guru Sean Foley, and surrounded by family and friends who made the trek up Highway 403 to Hamilton Golf and Country Club, Parr felt confident heading to the first tee. But it wasn’t his day, as he finished with a 75 (+5) in the opening round of this country’s biggest and most storied golf tournament.

With seven bogeys, and two birdies (at the par-4 7th and 9th as he finished his round at Hamilton’s front nine), Parr battled nerves for the entire round. He bogeyed three of his first four holes at 10, 12 and 13, and halfway through Thursday sits near the bottom of the leaderboard.

Yet Parr, competing on the European Tour and South African Tour and feeling good about his game, didn’t have an answer as to why he had more butterflies than birdies on a day when rain-softened greens have produced low scores.

“I have a lot of friends and family out here. But to be honest, it’s not that I felt very calm the first few holes. I haven’t felt that nervous or jittery in a long time – maybe since last time I played the Canadian Open,” said Parr. He missed the cut in his previous three Canadian Open appearances, in 2007, 2008 and at Glen Abbey GC in 2009.

Parr’s biggest downfall, other than feeling unsettled, was making three three-putts. Despite the early-morning rain, Parr said he couldn’t read the speed on most holes. “I don’t think the greens were harder to read because they were softer. I thought they were actually a little faster than they looked. They were a little soft, but for me, visually, they were a little faster and I just didn’t adapt that well,” said Parr.

“I just got off to a really bad start. Even when I hit good shots – I hit a couple of good long irons – I still missed putts. Number 11 (par-4, 481 yards), 10-11 feet, I missed that. A 5-iron into par-3 16th (188 yards) and missed that. When I did hit good shots, I just didn’t take advantage of them. Only two birdies today, when the greens are soft, is difficult to swallow,” Parr said.

Earlier this week, Parr tweeted about hitting balls on the range beside Weir. “Just some small talk. I see him a little bit this week. Mike has been my biggest inspiration. To see him as I was growing up, to see how he has changed the game, means so much to me. He’s a real inspiration. And to know it can be done – to have success on the PGA Tour, someone from southern Ontario – Mike Weir will always be one of my heroes,” Parr said.

Parr’s own amazing story is inspirational. When he was 24, he suffered a stroke as he stepped off an elevator. He learned that he was born with a hole in his heart – a blood clot traveled through the hole and to his brain. Amazingly, he recovered in just six months.

“I have a passion for golf and I love playing,” said Parr. That was all the inspiration he needed to get back on the golf course. On Friday, in front of family and friends, and in a field which includes his hero Weir, Parr hopes to dig deep – both with his putter and his inner peace.

“Visually this course sets up great for me. All of the drivers I hit set up great, and all the three-woods too, moving the ball. So visually off the tee things went well today. I hit one bad tee shot all day, and my misses were pretty small. When I did miss I was just off the fairway. Off the tee I was in position – just a few bad iron shots on the par-3s. And three three-putts,” said Parr.

He added, “It’s a very tough golf course. The par-3s are really strong. I just wasn’t comfortable out there.”

Friends, family and every Canadian golf fan will be rooting for this Londoner on Friday in Hamilton. A fourth missed cut is looming, but given what he has gone through early in his life, Parr’s story is anything but par for the course.

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