Canucks pocket book: J.T. Miller took sobering shot at qualifying for subsequent step in U.S. Open quest

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Who’s the perfect golfer on the Vancouver Canucks?

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That’s simple.

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On the annual Jake Milford Charity Invitational Golf Match final September, the consensus wasn’t stunning. The membership’s imposing ahead, who packs a reasonably good wrist shot, can also be adept at launching bombs off the tee field, hitting greens with short-iron precision, and sinking birdie putts.

“It’s received to be J.T. Miller,” mentioned defenceman Kyle Burroughs.

“I hate to say this, however J.T. Miller,” added winger Brock Boeser.

“Most likely Miller,” mentioned blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

“Miller,” confirmed defenceman Quinn Hughes.

The response occurs when your teammate has tried to qualify for the celebrated U.S. Open. He was at it once more Monday in an 18-hole take a look at of will and talent in native qualifying on the demanding course at The Membership at Nevillewood within the hills of western Pennsylvania.

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Solely 4 in a subject of 78 would advance to the subsequent qualifier. Whereas Miller held his personal at even par after 9 holes and was tied for sixth, the again 9 was powerful. He was two-over-par after 11 holes and tied for 14th. He then slipped to five-over after 14 holes to sit down tied for twenty fifth, and completed six-over with a spherical of 78.

At that time, Miller was tied for twenty seventh, however would slip to thirty third and thirty fifth as extra rivals accomplished rounds.

The truth that Miller wished to assault a troublesome monitor in a step to advance to the subsequent qualifier — and the last word reward of competing within the U.S. Open on the Los Angeles Nation Membership on June 15-18 — spoke to his aggressive edge as a result of the again 9 Monday was brutal.

That wasn’t going to cease him as a result of he has recreation. The entry bar is a handicap index higher than 1.4 strokes and a $200 US for the entry charge for native qualifying. Miller is a minus-1.2 handicap, which signifies that he’s higher than scratch (0.0).

“I’m nonetheless going to be nervous,” Miller instructed NHL.com final week. “I’m human. That’s a part of it. I believe that’s why quite a lot of hockey gamers are so fascinated with the game of golf is how laborious it’s personally and the way laborious it’s mentally.”

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Final yr at Butler Nation Membership in Butler, Pennsylvania, he tied for fortieth with a seven-over-par 77. Not unhealthy after an NHL common season that ran longer due to the Winter Olympics break.

“I had, like, at some point to observe,” added Miller. “I hadn’t performed in seven months exterior of 1 spherical with rental golf equipment, which is how it’s yearly.

“From October to April, we in all probability play three to 5 rounds of golf if we get fortunate on the street with leases. So I got here dwelling and it was mainly my first spherical, and I used to be humbled rapidly by how briskly the greens had been.

“I simply wasn’t prepared. I began to determine it out on the eighth gap, and I performed one-over from there on, so I performed fairly effectively.”

Monday was additionally a stiff take a look at.

The tenth gap at The Membership at Nevillewood is an extended par-4 laced with bunkers down the left aspect. The eleventh is an extended and slim par-4 that calls for accuracy, the twelfth is a humongous par-5 with a bunker in center of an extended fairway, and the thirteenth is a par-3 with an unforgiving, three-tiered and undulating inexperienced.

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The 14th is an uphill par-4 and hardest gap. The fifteenth is an extended par-5 that narrows for second-shot choice, and the sixteenth a rolling par-4 with deep bunkers in entrance and left of the inexperienced.

The ending holes are additionally powerful.

The par-3 seventeenth gap is misleading and requires a excessive and mushy tee shot to search out the inexperienced or find yourself within the deep, grassy hole. The 18th gap is one other treacherous par-4 that calls for driving between the green bunker and water to the correct to have the perfect second-shot method.

Jovanovski: For those who construct it, wins will come

Ed Jovanovski not solely performed with a sure swagger whereas with the Canucks, he stays an observer as a Florida Panthers broadcaster and fan of all issues Vancouver.

He noticed how important it was for the Panthers to permit first-round picks Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad to mature and never panic when manufacturing flat-lined. The identical has allowed Canucks’ first-rounder Elias Pettersson and Hughes to spherical into dynamic gamers.

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“It’s a must to perceive that they (Pettersson, Hughes) are younger gamers and expectations in Vancouver are all the time excessive to do effectively and win,” Jovanovski instructed Postmedia. “With success at an early age, folks simply need extra. It raises the bar, however star gamers garner further consideration and it’s powerful on the market.

“It’s a must to set up your core group and construct round them and let the method play out till they get to that man stage on the subsequent degree. They’re elite, and any group would die to have them due to how laborious they work.

“However being in that market, I don’t suppose gamers have a difficulty listening to criticism. I watch quite a lot of Canucks video games. You possibly can construct round these guys.”

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