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If in 1995 and 1996 Canonica
was able to avoid a return to the Qualifying School, in both years
finishing 117th on the final ranking, in 1997 he did not, finishing
121st after making the cut 13 times in 24 tournaments. The "re-sit
exam" in Spain does not go well, either, and for all 1998 he
had to be content with a return to the Challenge Tour. Nevertheless,
it was a healthy year for his game and for his temper - not so much
"genius and intemperate", impulsive and immoderate, but
much more mature and careful. His best result was a 2nd place at the
San Paolo Vita Open played in Magara
and thanks to the 10 tournaments on the European Tour in which he
was able to participate, once more impressing by winning the driving
distance statistics.
Since
then it has been a continuous improvement in results that has
led him to be the Italian No 1 player.
In 1999 he played in 22 tournaments on the European Tour, making
the cut 16 times and three top-ten finishes: 5th at the Sarazen
World Open in Barcelona and 8th at both the Novotel Perrier
Open in France and at the Estoril Open.
In February he started the year in fine form breaking the Lost
City course record at the Dimension Data Pro-Am in South Africa.
On that occasion Nick Price did
not hesitate to compare him to Tiger
Woods, remembering a round played the year before in
Germany: "He left me speechless at the first hole, a par-4
dog-leg.
I had hit a good drive and was at about 90 meters from the flag,
but he hit a bomb ending up very close to the green. Incredible."
He also paid a short visit in Argentina
where he finished 4th at the National
Open played in Cordoba,
the native city of "El Gato",
Eduardo Romero. |
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Peppo again participated in the Dunhill Cup,
when, with Rocca and Scarpa,
Italy inflicted a 3-0 defeated on the Unites States on the second
day (Canonica beating Tom Lehman
72-74), even though they did not reach the semi-finals, and at the
World Cup together with Rocca they
finish a disappointing 26th place. But 70th place on the order of
merit assures him, by a large margin, of keeping his card for the
year 2000.
It's actually in the year that concludes
the second millennium that Peppo Canonica achieves a big step quality
wise: already known and admired all over Europe for his extraordinary
power, in the year 2000 he obtains important results in the Tour,
with his consistency not leaving any doubts about the maturity gained
by a player that has become number 1 in Italy.
Much is due to the serenity from his marriage to Antonella on March
27, a positive influence helping him gain ever more confidence in
his own possibilities, and after the results made in Portugal,
Germany, England,
to try the great American Adventure. Success was achieved at the
first attempt.
It was a great satisfaction considering the number of participants
- around 1,100 players in the first of three phases of qualification
- the quality of the adversaries - many of them had many years of
experience on the American circuit: only 36 were "promoted",
in other words, gained the card for the PGA Tour, and among them
was Peppo Canonica.
The year 2001 is the year of the much-sought,
since he was a child, "American adventure".
At the fifth race, Nissan Open, at hole 18 Peppo is close to the
knock, but an iron goes where it should not have to, so the race
ends only with one top ten (7° place, to be precise).
The difficulties of adaptation are many, and so, after that acuto,
unfortunately, everything seems to go better.
At the end of August, Peppo returns to Europe resigned, where, having
played till then only 3 races (Deutsche Bank, Volvo Pga and Loch
Lomond), all "sullyed" by a fourth tour that cost several
positions, he made all the last 8 races of the European circuit,
both to reach the minimum quorum of the 11 races and to try to keep
the "card".
The effort almost succeeds, mainly thanks to a good result at the
Dunhill Links Camp’ship, but a too tense Atlanet Italian Open
ad Is Molas makes him end the season 132°.
Also the Qualifying School goes badly, therefore the season 2002
opens in cat. 12 and with "invitations" of his manager
Sergio Gomez.
The year 2002 signs an excellent starting with the head to head
with Garcia at the Canarias Open. He plays a completely dim Volvo
Pga and a lot of beautiful races obscured only by a fourth tour.
In Crans “la nebbia agli irti colli” costs him a 6°
place, rather than an almost nearly “nearest to the pin”
considered as a flagpole and not as a flag.
Excellent performance at the Telecom Italian Open (3°), that
makes him return to Volvo Masters. For order of merit at the end
of the season he is 52°!
In the year 2003 the card of his results reminds too much of the
Gruyère: too many holes consequent upon the mc.
Yet he excellently defends the Italian colours at the Telecom Italian
Open (9°) and gets his breath, also for his many fans at the
Omega European Master (4°) putting in his wallet “the
card” for the year 2004 that is the only one, among the many
credit cards, on sale only meritocratically!
As the season was drawing to a close, a cut at the Dunhill Links
Champ’ship was still missing, though he was showing off maybe
the best play in his career, accompanied yet by a putting that arouse….
tenderness also in his adversaries.
At the end of the season he is placed 101°, but it has been
only to forerun this leap year.
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