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However, because the United States Golf Association isn‘t crazy about having their premier Open sites blistered that way, the courses are set up tough with narrow fairways and Continued on page 31 We‘ve become accustomed to the tour hotshots shooting 15 to 20 under in other tournaments and for a lot of golf fans, birdies and eagles and really subâ€"par scores are what TV watching is all about. ied aoveni itc us hi When all was said and done, it proved to be one of the strangest and yet most entertaining Opens I‘ve watched in a long time. To his credit, TV analyst Johnny Millerâ€"an Open champiâ€" on himself more than 30 years earlierâ€"chided Mickelson from the TV tower early on the last hole for his club selection and it proved to be profound as Phil looked more like a weekâ€" end hacker than one of the world‘s best players. ic . F 10 1 But Sunday right around 7 e nremmmnennememand p.m., it was the old Phil who decided to pull out the driver on the tough and narrow 18th at Winged Foot, and this despite the fact that he had managed to land his tee shots on only two or three fairways all day. An errant drive, a hit tree, a plugged bunker shot, a skid across the green and before you knew it he had chalked up a double bogey six. Bye, bye, Miss American Pie. And there in the clubhouse, an incredulous Geoff Ogilvy, a native of Australia who now lives near Phoenix, sat in disbelief as the world‘s No. 2 ranked player served him up the 2006 Open title on a silver platter. For a long time the likeable Mickelson was known as Phil the Thrill because of his devilâ€"mayâ€" care attitude when it came to playing golf with the big boys of this era. For most of that time he was accused of not thinking his way around the courses, going for broke when a planned attack might have taken the driver out of his hands on crucial holes. However, when he started to win his majors including last year‘s PGA title and this year‘s Masters, the talking heads on TV started proclaiming him the new "thinking man" Mickelson. Like in, "I don‘t want to hit an iron 1n{oâ€"tli|e~rn:d)(.ile :;f .t.he fairâ€" way on my tee shot. Like I don‘t want to lay up to the middle of the faiM'q) after my errant drive." Surely that phraseâ€"I don‘t want toâ€"must have crossed his mind as he stood on the 18th tee needing just a bogey five to win his fourth major golf championship, and third in a row. nlvccoaenestogi ons Amiae 1 : E I‘m thinking seriously of finding the helmut and shipping it off to Phil Mickelson after his stirring finish Sunday in the final round of the 2006 U.S. Open mens pro golf championship at the famed Winged Foot Golf Club not that far from the Big Apple, New York, New York. In order to customize the hat, which he loved to wear around the house, I printed on the front one of his favourite expressions at the time. And that would be: I DON‘T WANT TO. : bout a year ago when my grandson Josh was into "the Alem'ble twos," he got one of those yellow plastic conâ€" struction helmuts that are all the rage on the Bob the Builder kids !V show. 166 Park St., Kitchener e1 Baleboard The disposal of white agricultural bale wrap and greenhouse coverage is a ‘major and growing environmental challenge. With its unique recycling process, Think Plastics Inc. has created Baleboard, an innovative and affordable high quality plastic lumber that‘s 100% polyethylene, nonâ€"toxic and cost effective. The Wood Alternative It‘s a jumper Eompetition featuring riders from 28 The 13â€"yearâ€"old Grade 8 student at Sir Edgar Bauer Catholic school has become such an accomplished rider at an early age that she has been invited to the prestiâ€" gious International EE.1. Competition in Bogota, Columbia starting June 27. "I was two when I got on, but I was actually three when I started to walk, trot and cantor and do it on my own," said Schnurr. "When I was two I just got led around, but that didn‘t last for long." And she‘s been riding ever since, gradually working her way up the show horse ranks and is now considered one of the brightest upâ€"andâ€" coming riders in Canada. "A horse can tell if you are scared," said Alphie. "She‘s pretty calm, she doesn‘t get nervous." But they weren‘t surprised because their strongâ€"willed granddaughter learned how to ride a horse at their Winâ€" damere Equestrian Centre before she ever learned how to ride a bike. That‘s not to say her grandparents Alphie and Glenice Demers didn‘t freak out when they found her out there. "We always had to look for her," said Almhie. Was she a horse whisperer as suggested by the famous novel? Probably not, because she was still learning how to talk at the time. But not all communication is verbal, and the horses must have sensed there was something special about her. They would curiously eyeball the determined little toddler, but never jostled her as they formed a protective little circle around her. The diaperâ€"clad daredevil had their complete attention. en Rachel Schnurr Was two she would wander out into the paddock of her grandparâ€" ent‘s horse farm before being quickly surrounded by some of their fourâ€"legged boarders. Schnurr show jumping for joy SPORTS By Bos VrBanac Chronicle Staff Rachel Schnurr grooms Wesley at her grandparents farm just west of St. Agatha. . _ 808 vrsanac rnoto Enpmmmmmmmnnnnnnmmmmmmmnmmneneee c 222 _ eaal Rachel Schnurr clears another obstacle with her horse Wesley at a recent competition off to her first international competition in Columbia this weekend. suemm countries around the world, competitions like the Royal _ ring while they walk, including equestrians from _ WinterFair. cantor through the as far away as New Zealand. In Canada, riders usually _ area. The jumper category is get their start in the Hunter The scoring is qu something that Schnurr herâ€" _ class which features ponies. . jective, which has self has fallen into the last The competition is more â€"ruminating about few years after strictly comâ€" _ about the appearance of the _ who once gave her | peting in the Hunter class _ rider and their mount, as well ferent sets of marks previously, and riding at â€" as how they "show" in the â€"same nerfarmanea L tOMCH In Canada, riders usually get their start in the Hunter class which features ponies. The competition is more about the appearance of the rider and their mount, as well as how they "show" in the www.vwwaterloo.com Schnurr said it takes the human factor out of the sport while also emphasizing the rider‘s ability with the horse and the natural athletiâ€" cism of the animal. Plus it‘s a cool thing to do when it‘s done right, and that what she‘s working on right now with her main horse named Wesley. "It‘s not based on looks," she said. Show jumping is a timed event that involves navigatâ€" ing around certain obstacles and clearing jumps laid out in the way. The goal is to race clean, with each fault leading to a deduction. Jumping horses is someâ€" thing a lot more people are familiar with because of its inclusion in the Olympics and the high profile the sport received with lan Millar and his horse Big Ben. Although Millar never won an Olympic medal, he was the first equestrian to win backâ€"toâ€" back World Cup titles in show jumping. The scoring is quite subâ€" jective, which has Schnurr ruminating about a judge who once gave her two difâ€" ferent sets of marks for the same performance less than a week apart. ring while they walk, trot and cantor through the judging area. CLICK HERE Yolkswagen New & Certified Preâ€"owned Cars Volkswagen Waterloo Conflnuedonpagezs ition. She is sugmiTTeD PHOTO