Funkerstation » for a layup or dunk in the opening minute of the fo

OAKVILLE, ONT. -- Brendan Steeles spot at the top of the leaderboard at the RBC Canadian Open came thanks to some superb play. His silky 65 was a result of driving the ball well, hitting irons close and dropping lots of putts, some from a great distance. Not bad for a guy playing his first competitive round on the course that Jack Nicklaus built. But he also might have had a bit of help from some local flavour -- a little dose of the Toronto Maple Leafs. On Wednesday, while the pro-am was being played at Glen Abbey, Steele was up at The National GC in Woodbridge, Ont., teeing it up with current Leaf Joffrey Lupul and former Bud Bryan Berard. "Im a big hockey fan," said Steele, who lists about a half-dozen NHL players as good pals. "I just love the sport." On his website, Steele says his dream foursome would include Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, along with his brother. It also lists the LA Kings as his favourite team and says one of his favourite things to do is watch Alex Ovechkin. Steele and Lupul became friends due to location. Both live in the Newport Beach, Calif., area and met while playing golf. When both are home and not off at their jobs, they play regularly with a gang that includes Scottie Upshall of the Florida Panthers and the Calgary Flames Shane OBrien. The foursome for the game on Wednesday at The National was rounded out by Kevin Klein from the Nashville Predators. Steele said there were no money games between the group, it was just a day of fun on the No. 1-ranked course in the country. He praised Lupuls golf game, pegging the forward at about a seven handicap. "Hes a pretty good player," Steele stated. "I know he loves the game." A passion for hockey isnt Steeles only connection to the Great White North. He played the Canadian Tour in 2006 and 07, saying it provided him with lots of much-needed experience. "[It] really got me ready to play the Nationwide Tour, which I played in 08, 09 and 10. It was a great progression in my life. I had a great time up here. Made a lot of friends and spent two summers traveling the country and really enjoyed my time." Steele, who grew up in tiny Hemet, Calif., a town without a golf course or driving range, said his round at the Abbey was one where everything was working. "Ya, its very rare," he stated. "It seems like a lot of the time when youre flushing it, you cant make a putt and when youre holing it, its out of necessity. So its nice to have a round where everything comes together."It was Steeles lowest round since February. "I hit a lot of good iron shots," he added. "I hit them really close. Hit some good tee shots as well – I had to put it in position. You cant really hit the ball close out of the rough." Steele hopes he can continue playing well at the Abbey and perhaps notch a second PGA Tour victory. Now that would probably give him some bragging points for the next game with his hockey buddies. 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Vokoun departed practice on Saturday morning after discovering swelling in his thigh. He was taken to a local hospital where the clot was revealed. The club announced the surgery following a 5-3 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. CHICAGO -- Whether he had the Chicago Bulls on his shoulders or not, Jimmy Butler couldnt deny this. He sure gave them the lift they needed.Butler scored 37 points, and Chicago beat the short-handed Washington Wizards 106-95 on Saturday night.He took charge when the Bulls needed it, helping them pull away on a night when the Wizards were missing star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal.Butler finished two points shy of a season high he set against Atlanta on Wednesday. He hit all 14 free throws, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out a season-high nine assists.I dont consider that carrying, Butler said. I consider that making some shots and doing what they need me to do. Thats being aggressive.Butler showed it early on and helped the Bulls put away the Wizards in the second half, though he did have some help.Nikola Mirotic came on strong to finish with 17 points. Dwyane Wade scored 14. Taj Gibson chipped in with 13 points, and Robin Lopez added 10 points and 13 rebounds.The Bulls won back-to-back games for the first time since a 3-0 start, but forward Doug McDermott exited with a concussion early in the fourth quarter.Markieff Morris had a season-high 24 points after scoring 20 the previous night. Marcin Gortat added 18 points and 14 rebounds.Sheldon McClellan scored 15 with Beal missing his second straight game because of a sore right hamstring. Tomas Satoransky chipped in with 12 points and nine assists filling in at point guard for Wall, who scored 28 in Fridays loss to Cleveland, and the Wizards fell to 0-4 on the road.We got to play better, Gortat said. We got to compete. We need energy. We need effort. We got to make shots Theres a lot of things that we can do better. I mean right now, as far as I know I think we have one of the worst benches in the league right now.Washingtons reserves got outscored 32-18, though McClellan and Satoransky were in the lineup with Beal and Wall out.BUTLERS LIFTButler got off to a scorching start with 21 points in the first half and kept it going with 11 more in the third to help the Bulls turn a 56-553 deficit into an 81-70 lead.ddddddddddddWhen youve got a guy who is obviously an All-Star in this league but hes right in the prime of his career, my job and (Rajon) Rondos job and everybodys job is to get the best out of him, Wade said. Right now, were seeing it -- and he sees it, too -- how great he can be.Leading 70-68 with about three minutes left in the third, Butler hit two free throws, a layup and a step-back jumper with 1:19 left.In the closing minute, Wizards coach Scott Brooks jumped off the bench and got called for a technical when Jason Smith fouled a dunking Gibson. McDermott made the technical free throw. Gibson missed his foul shot, but hit a layup to make it an 11-point game.FOUL PLAYMcDermott was in the air going for a layup or dunk in the opening minute of the fourth when a rotating Morris hit his left arm and sent him crashing to the floor. McDermott banged his head in a hard fall that quieted the crowd.He walked off the court and headed back into the concussion protocol after missing a game 10 days earlier.Morris got called for a flagrant foul 1, and Mirotic hit two free throws.That was a regular old-school foul, Gibson said. But the way Doug took off, he left himself out in the open. ... I dont think nobody really tries to hurt anybody. Its one of those plays.TIP-INSWizards: Wall, coming off surgery on both knees, isnt playing in both halves of back-to-back sets. Coach Scott Brooks said that could change after the Wizards play Philadelphia and New York on Wednesday and Thursday. ... Beal is day to day.Bulls: Coach Fred Hoiberg said that Carter-Williams has not experienced any setbacks in his recovery from a bruised left knee and sprained left wrist. Carter-Williams was expected to miss four to six weeks after taking a hard fall at Brooklyn on Oct. 31.UP NEXTWizards: Visit Philadelphia on Wednesday.Bulls: The Bulls play six straight on the road, starting with Tuesdays game at Portland. ' ' '