Jim Seki '02 Finishes T14th in Canadian Tour Event

Jim Seki, from the class of 2002, finishes T14th (shooting 75-67-71-70) in the Greater Vancouver Charity Classic. A former Pac-10 conference champion, Seki has been playing on several tours since graduating. This year's he's been competing on the Canadian golf tour -- http://www.cantour.com and in previous year's he's competed on the Japan Challenge Tour and several California mini-tours.

Jim recently writes "I'm playing on the Canadian Tour & the Japan Challenge Tours. I love Canada and the cities we go to. Japan has been a great and new experience. Everything is different--culture, golf, getting around. These experiences are making me a more well-rounded person as well as golfer. I've been fortunate to be to places like Hong Kong, Thailand, and Japan."

A highlight was his winning the 2005 Northern California Classic, a Canadian Tour event. A few facts about Jim Seki can be found below:

Current Tour memberships: Canadian, Asian, Japan Challenge, Pepsi
Achievements: 2005 Northern California Classic champion, 2003 Pepsi Tour Tournament of Champions champion, 2002 Pac-10 Conference Individual Champion
Academics: Punahou High School '99, Stanford University (BA Economics '03)
Family: Parents James & Audrey, sister Jenna (Stanford '07), brother Scott (Stanford '10)

Phil Rowe (2002 All-American) updates on his touring pro activities

Phil Rowe (2002 All-American now a pro on European Tours) gives a recent update:

First of all, I wish you the very best of everything for Pac 10s and your run up to the NCAA title.

Here are some details of what I do now:



Residence: Poitiers, France living with fiance Claire (to be married 16/8/08!)
Attached Golf Courses: Trevose Golf & Country Club (England), Golf du Haut-Poitou (France).
Tours: Alps Tour (www.alpstourgolf.com), Challenge Tour (www.europeantour.com) and occasionally Europro Tour (www.europrotour.com). For these events I travel all over Europe with a focus on tournaments in Britain and in France.
Order of Merit standings: 2005 - 23rd on Europro Tour, 2006 - 10th on Europro Tour, 2007 - 8th on Alps Tour
Tournament victories: 2006 - Open de Pays Basque (France), Towergate Insurance Championship (England), Open de la Reunion (French Island in Indian Ocean)
Tournament low round: 64 in Open de la Reunion round 3 (course record)
Coaches: mental game - Dr Karl Morris (www.golf-brain.com), swing - Tony Moore (coach since 12 years of age!), putting - Dr Paul Hurrion (www.quintic.com)
Ambition: to gain European Tour status and compete for major golf championships (The Claret Jug!!!)

Great idea to include this on your site... I would be delighted to hear from anyone affiliated to Stanford Golf should they make a visit to Europe!

NOTE: a detailed May update can be found in Phil Rowe's bio on the expanded Stanford men's golf team website --- http://stanfordmensgolf.com/alumni_list_public.htm

Notah Begay on Tiger's US Open Win

Michael Fornabaio, Connecticutt Post Online

Notah Begay III walked quickly up the hill from the 18th green Monday at the TPC at River Highlands. He was done with his practice round and had one thing on his mind.

"I want to watch the tournament," he told reporters. He quickly perched himself in the players' dining room and watched the end of the U.S. Open playoff, with some nerves and some body english and some smiles, as his old buddy Tiger Woods did what Tiger Woods usually does.

"My wife was giving me updates all day" by text message, Begay said after his Stanford teammate won out in San Diego, Calif., about 3,000 miles away. "She was on the computer. She kept telling me what was going on."

He grabbed a seat with a good view of the television as Woods and Rocco Mediate — who withdrew from the Travelers Championship later in the afternoon — came up the 17th fairway. So, he saw two complete holes, including Woods' victory on the 19th; he planned a Monday-night call to congratulate the champion.

See complete article: http://www.connpost.com/sports/ci_9607218

Christian Cevaer gives an update on his European Tour career

Editor's Note about Christian great career: Letter winner 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992. Honorable mention All-American 1990, 3rd team All-American 1992. 1st team all conference 1989 & 1990. Individual conference champion in 1989 & 1992. Member of European PGA Tour. christian-cevaer.com. | Wikipedia biography.



Hello Cardinal,
First of all, congrats on another successful season. To almost defend the NCAA title and finish second is an amazing accomplishment for all of you guys.

Second of all, I am on a 2 weeks break from Tour so here's a wrap up of my professional play for your website (thx for including the link of my website. For a little french practice ?!!) :

After graduation, I couldn't turn pro right away as I had to do my french military service but did it within a national athletes' section so ended up golfing most of the time for the french golf federation.
I turned pro in september 1993 and won my first pro tournament on an invitation, the 1993 French Professional Championship.

Played first season on European Challenge Tour (secondary tour like Nationwide tour) in 1994.
Got my card for European PGA Tour 1995 season by finishing 2nd at Tour School.
Nice rookie season finishing 72nd on order of merit.

Lost card in 97 but gained it back on Challenge Tour winning the Finish Open (Finland, which got me an invitation to play in the Gene Sarazen World Open in Atlanta the following year).

Went for swing improvements for more distance in 98/99 winter which saw me struggle through an adjusment period, the 1999 season losing my card. But the dividends came in 2000 finishing 8th on final in order of merit, winning in the process the Finish Masters (yes I know ! again in Finland ! I should buy a house and retire there !).



Other than missing the 2002 season due to the bright idea of trying snow boarding thereby breaking my right elbow, I have been solid on our Tour since 2001. My best year so far has been 2004 winning the Spanish Open (like Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo and others), finishing 5th at our year end Volvo Masters and 41st on final order of merit.
Played in the 2004 British Open at Royal Troon and 2007 US Open at Oakmont.

Best so far this year is a 7th place at the Qatar Masters. For total career results, click on "Palmares" on my french website www.christian-cevaer.com.

Met my lovely french wife Fabienne at the 1996 French Open, we married in 1999, have one son, Damien, born in oct. 2001. After having lived in France and my native country down the South Pacific, New Caledonia, we have been living in Switzerland near Geneva for the past 4 years. Nice view of the Mont Blanc !

Enjoyed hooking up again with Notah Begay III while he was over here on our Tour for a bit.
Also have been in touch (but haven't met him in person yet) with Phil Rowe.
Go cardinal !
Christian

Tiger Woods -- "I'd do anything for that guy"

Neil Sagebiel
MNV



Another side of Tiger Woods at today’s U.S. Open media conference at Torrey Pines.

Q. Your friend Notah Begay is trying to make it back to the TOUR and is struggling with depression. He said you helped him a lot during that time. How did you help him and how did you see or what did you see in terms of his struggles?

TIGER WOODS: Well, Notah, he’s been hurt for such a long time. It’s been, what, six, eight years he’s been hurt. He hasn’t played pain-free until this year. So this is the first time he can actually hit a ball. Notah was in the top-10 driving distance when he first came out. He lost that ability to hit the ball that far.

See complete article