One of the great droughts in Canadian sporting history, spanning nearly seven decades and involving a former Island player, appears as if it will continue. It has only an outside chance of ending today but could if Nick Taylor or Corey Conners have monster days to close out the 2023 Canadian Open.
The last, and only Canadian player since 1914, to win the Canadian Open was Pat Fletcher of Victoria in 1954 at Point Grey. There is a chance the frustrating 69-year wait could finally end as Taylor, Conners and Adam Hadwin are still in the hunt heading into the final round today at Oakdale but everything would have to roll their way.
Fletcher began his golf journey as a caddy at Victoria Club as a way to make money during the Depression. He was a student at Oak Bay High School at the time. Caddying turned into a career as a pro player, club manager, club pro and three-term president of the Canadian Professional Golfers Association.
Fletcher represented Canada four times between 1952 and 1956 at the John Hopkins Trophy matches, now known as the World Cup. He is best remembered, however, for that one shining moment across the strait at Point Grey in an era when Gordie Howe and Rocket Richard were on the ice, Miracle Milers Roger Bannister and John Landy on the track, Hitchcock’s Rear Window on movie screens and when an an average house cost $8,650 and average income was $3,960.
Fletcher was not gifted as a power hitter off the tee but as a savvy and smart player who could avoid trouble and keep the ball in play. He was a member at Royal Colwood when he died in 1984 at age 70 and is on the Royal Colwood Wall of Honour. Fletcher was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1975 and the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.
