WINNIPEG – As one of Canada’s top amateur golfers, Garrett Rank rarely misses his mark.
But a few years ago, he found himself in deep trouble far from the fairway.
“I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in January 2011,” said Rank.
The Ontario-born golfer was just 22 years old when his world was turned upside down. Young and athletic, Rank never thought it was possible that he could be diagnosed with cancer.
“It’s a lot more common than you think,” said Rank. “Especially among young adults between 15 and 29. It was really surprising and quite the eye-opener.”
But cancer never stopped him.
Rank was back on the range within six months and made the national amateur team the following year.
“He made a pretty good, quick recovery,” said Team Canada head coach Derek Ingram. “He was just so thankful to be alive, to be able to play and just had a great year.”
“I’m so competitive and sport driven that I just obviously wanted to play,” said Rank. “Being able to focus on golf helped in me coming back.”
While his fight against cancer helped strengthen his grip on what matters the most.
“It was tough but at the same time it gave me a better approach on life,” said Rank. “A bogey on the golf course is now different than it was in the past.”
Rank is among the more than 240 golfers playing this week in the Canadian Men’s Amateur Golf Championship being hosted by the Elmhurst and Southwood Golf & Country Clubs in Winnipeg.
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