Kanada's bunny-hop celebrates leap to PGA TOUR

Nov. 12, 2006 By Melanie Hauser PGATOUR.com Correspondent

RICHMOND, Texas -- It was supposed to be a 4-foot leap. At least in theory.

Something sleek. Up-in-the-air smooth. No split-legged Phil Mickelson windmill here. An elegant exclamation point, perhaps. Or a Tom Watson. After all, it was the 17th hole.

But it wasn’t.

When the ball took one final turn into the cup for par at the 71st hole Sunday afternoon, Craig Kanada re-thought the moment and ... well, did a little bunny hop.

"I really wanted to jump four feet high,’’ he laughed. “But I can’t do that for one thing. I wanted to let it all out, but I knew I had one more hole so at the last minute I restrained myself.’’

Kanada took a little grief, but he also let out a deep sigh. That took the pressure off. He was home free. He could feel the PGA TOUR card in his hand.

So how does this one end? With another chip-in. This one, a 48-footer for birdie at the 72nd hole that gave him a one-shot victory at the Nationwide Tour Championship at The Houstonian.

How’s that for a fabulous finish? A fairytale ending? He started the day six shots behind leader Matt Kuchar and ended it with the biggest comeback in Nationwide Tour Championship history. For the record, he shot 66 -- the perfect compliment to his second-round 64. And, he did it just 50 miles from his home at The Woodlands.

“I can’t even imagine doing this,’’ Kanada said. “I was more focused on getting my PGA TOUR card.’’

He had to move up a minimum of 12 spots on the money list this week and he jumped up 21 -- to No. 11 -- ending a four-year odyssey back to the TOUR that looped from the Canadian Tour through the Gateway Tour, Tight Lies Tour and Northern Texas PGA Tour. And the Idaho and Utah Opens.

“Just about anything I could play in,’’ he smiled. “...And not very well either.’’

He and the family -- wife Brooke and boys David, Oscar and Caleb -- traveled around in an 1998 Town and Country. Brooke, with help from grandma Shirley Kanada, home-schooled the boys.

And they made it through some lean times with each other and little help from his father Bob. A former CPA, Bob got his son on a financial plan way back when -- “In the good times when he was on the PGA TOUR, I told him to save for a rainy day,’’ he said -- and then helped him out with a “gift” to help him along.

And no, he doesn’t have to pay it back.

“I was definitely depleting my bank account,’’ Kanada said, ‘’and this last year has been a real blessing.’’

Financially, it hasn’t been a windfall. Kanada played in 26 events, won twice and earned $297,744. To put it in perspective, Darren Clarke finished 125th on the PGA TOUR money list and made $660,898.

Is it any wonder his feet were barely touching the ground?

Craig Kanada celebrates one of his two dramatic birdie chip-ins Sunday. (Greenwood/WireImage)

To put this into even better perspective, Kanada, who played on the PGA TOUR in 1997 and 2001, started the season with conditional Nationwide Tour status. But he had status -- something he didn’t have the three previous seasons..

“We were keeping the dream alive,’’ Brooke said. “He had enough good signs, good feedback in the lean years. He had enough good to keep going, enough inspiration with his golf, even on the smaller tours, which we are grateful for, to broaden the game.’’

And, no, they never came close to giving up.

“It was possible to go there mentally,’’ Brooke said, “however, there was hope. Hope lived and we went with it.’’

Then little things started to happen. Like finishing tied for 18th at the Movistar Panama Open. And tied for ninth at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by Dynamic Industries. Finding a driver that felt comfortable in his hand.

“Little things like that had been going on for four years to keep the hope alive,’’ Brooke said.

Kanada won the Utah Energy Solutions Championship. Then he made this event.

After a so-so opening 73, a sleepless Thursday night and a little inspiration from Rutgers’ upset win over third-ranked Louisville, he threw out the 64. And.. well… gave himself a chance.

Then came Sunday and those final two holes. Just for the record, he used his 58-degree wedge at No. 17 and his 9-iron for a chip-and-run at the 18th. And, yes, he called them both.

“He kept telling himself he could do it,’’ said Alan Hodde, a Houston-area pro and friend who caddied for Kanada this week.

When the ball took a right-to-left turn and curled into the cup at the 18th, Kanada did pump his fist and jog a little. Then, he tried to get the ball out of the cup. And, no, he had never chipped in twice in one round before.

“It was too much to handle,’’ he said. “I had to pause to collect myself. Then I could barely get the ball out of the hole, I was shaking. It was quite a rush to see that.’’

Fantastic. A dream come true. Another shot at the TOUR.

“It’s absolutely amazing,’’ Kanada said. “I’m truly blessed. This is the ultimate other than winning the Masters or a major. It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever done.’’

And, yes, they’re ready to spend a little money -- on a new car. A big one because the boys are growing. “A good one,’’ said Bob, the frugal one. He’s still watching over his son.

As for the leap? He’s got a few months to let it all sink in. To work a little more on his driver. And to watch that clip of Watson and practice for the next time he finds himself with a shot like that at the 17th hole.

“All I could think was Tom Watson,’’ he said. “And it took forever to trickle in.’’

But like Watson’s it went in. And that’s all that matters.