Fanning takes aim at Canadian title on home course

Todd Fanning would love to make this a September to remember.

The decorated Manitoba golfer — who added a second straight provincial senior men’s championship to his impressive resumé earlier this summer — is now laser-focused on trying for a national title.

Fanning, 58, is one of the favourites as the Canadian senior men’s championship begins today at Niakwa Country Club, which just so happens to be his home course.

“Anyone who thinks they’re going to come out and see a bunch of old guys just whacking it around (is mistaken),” Fanning recently told the Free Press. “It’s going to be a heck of a week.”

One he hopes ends with him looking down at the other 155 competitors, which include players from across the country and even plenty of top amateurs from the United States. One of them is Bryan Hoops, a 57-year-old from Arizona who is the No. 1 ranked senior in his country and recently won the British amateur.

Fanning is one of 13 Manitobans in the field. He’s joined by fellow Niakwa clubmates Jay Doyle, Karl Loepp, Ken Warwick and David Kuik. The others are John Mackinnon (Pine Ridge), Blair Neal (Rossmere), Cornell Ruddock (Southwood), Mike Walker (St. Boniface), David White (St. Charles) and Ben Bandura, Dale Coulter, Dan Scanlon (no club affiliation).

There are seven former champions teeing it up at Niakwa this week: Don Martone of Ontario (2025), Doug Hanzel of Georgia (2023), Rusty Strawn of Georgia (2022), Darren Ritchie of New Brunswick (2021), Gene Elliott of Iowa (2019, 2017), Brad Exber of Las Vegas (2018) and David Schultz of Calgary (2013).

Fanning won the provincial senior at Breezy Bend by four shots in July, completing a second “Grand Slam” in the process. He now has two Manitoba Junior titles, two Mid-Amateur titles and a whopping five Manitoba Amateur wins to go along with a pair of Senior victories.

Doyle and White finished second and third behind Fanning and join him on Team Manitoba for the inter-provincial competition this week. Team Ontario captured the title a year ago.

Fanning has upped his training and practice routine in recent weeks while also becoming a first-time grandfather.

Niakwa — a parkland course designed by Stanley Thompson — bid for this event in large part due to Fanning’s window of contention being wide open.

“We are grateful for the tremendous support from the staff and volunteers at Niakwa, whose efforts have helped create a challenging championship experience along with a memorable week for everyone involved,” said Sam Brown, the tournament director of Golf Canada.

The Canadian Men’s Senior Championship was established in 1962 for golfers aged 55-and-over and includes a Super Senior division for golfers 65-and-over that was introduced in 1995.

The field will be cut down to the top 70 and ties after Wednesday’s second round.

The champion will receive exemptions into the 2027 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, 2027 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, 2027 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship (plus a 10-year exemption, if eligible) and the 2027 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

The public is welcome to attend the tournament and there is no charge for admission. Tee times begin Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. and continue until 2:30 p.m. Fanning’s group gets going at 9 a.m.

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