Manuel Villegas and Richard Lee have received special sponsorship exemptions from organizers Landmark Sport Group to play in the Canadian Tour event, which runs Aug. 21-24 and boasts a $125,000 purse.
Fresh off his best year, Villegas, a native of Medellin, Colombia, is a member of the nationally ranked University of Florida Gators golf team and led the Gators to a fourth-place showing at the U.S. Collegiate Match Play Championship in 2007. He's the brother of PGA up-and-comer Camilo Villegas, and brings his own special sense of South American flair and verve to the tour.
Born in Toronto, raised in Vancouver and now living in Chandler, Arizona, Lee is a 17-year-old Canadian golf phenom and, in 2007, became the second-youngest player ever to compete in the prestigious U.S. Open.
At age 12, Lee was a Canadian Junior Golf Association National Champion for boys 13-under and, after moving with his family from Vancouver to Phoenix, won two state high school championships.
dwiner@mississauga.net
