WINDSOR JUNCTION, N.S. - In many ways, the Nova Scotia Open is just another Web.Com Tour event, another chance to move up the money list and get closer to a PGA Tour card for next year. But for the 20 Canadians in the field, it is a rare home game with some tangible benefits. "Its great," said Roger Sloan, who plays out of the Tobiano Golf Club in Kamloops, B.C. "I stopped at Tim Hortons before my round." Perhaps it was the power of that morning double-double that pushed Sloan to a score of four-under 67, the lowest among the Canadians who teed off in the morning wave. "I got off to a really good start," said Sloan. "Birdied my first hole and had a couple of really good birdie opportunities in my first few holes. It was just a solid ball-striking day." Sloan had it to four under through his first nine with birdies on the third, fifth and ninth holes. He pushed that to five under with another one at the 12th before giving that back at the 17th. The New Course at Ashburn isnt long by Web.Com Tour standards but the greens here are providing a suitable defence. The putting surfaces have strong (a polite word) slopes that make getting the ball close on approaches tough and the putting even more difficult. "The greens are tricky," Sloan stated, "so you really have to be in control of the ball to get it close." By the time 36 holes are in the bag, "tricky" might be a nice description for how the players view these greens. They will most certainly be the deciding factor in who wins. Sloan, of course, is hoping that will be him. Hes in his second season on the Triple-A circuit and has been playing some more consistent golf this season, making the cut in seven of 12 starts. However, hes only missed once in his last seven events, showing steady improvement. A year ago, he was anything but consistent, making just five cuts in 19 starts. However there was a slight off-course distraction as he got married. This year, however, his goal was to avoid the highs and lows, and even out his play. "Ive been playing solid all year," he stated, "putting together some solid rounds of golf. Thats what I really wanted to do this year. You never know when those really good rounds are going to come. You just have to keep plugging away and stay focused on one shot at a time." Talking to Sloan its easy to see hes mature and keeps a good perspective on life, something that isnt always found in younger players. He sees the world beyond golf and is obviously well-grounded. He is in the middle of a seven-week run of tournaments but doesnt seem frustrated or burned out or home-sick, despite the fact his wife rarely is able to join him on Tour. He understands his job and the career hes chosen. He prepared himself for this lengthy road trip and is focused on his game. "Theres no job security out here as you might have on the PGA Tour where I can take next week off," Sloan stated. "You have a lot of guys playing really well, lot of great players, too. Theres pressure to play well but at the same time, if youre out here, you have the ability so trust yourself." Unlike a number of the other Canadians such as Adam Hadwin or MacKenzie Hughes, Sloan is playing without much in the way of outside financial backing. He has no major sponsors and wasnt a beneficiary of Golf Canadas Young Pro program when it was announced earlier this year. In fact, hes never really been on the Golf Canada radar, when he was an amateur or now. Its somewhat hard to believe -- actually its shocking -- that with his talent and personality, a company wouldnt embrace him and get behind him. Still, the ever-optimistic Sloan doesnt see that as a problem, but rather a fact that will change only by his doing. "Ive been blessed to play this game professionally on my own accord," he stated. "Its taught me a lot of good values. Its been tough, Ive had to make a lot of sacrifices, my wife and I, in order to make that work. Its tough but at the same time I have to keep focused on playing well and ultimately achieving my goal of winning on the PGA Tour and the money kind of takes care of itself." Gustav Forsling Jersey . Viewers in the Canadiens region can watch the game on TSN Habs at 7:30pm et/8:30pm at. Tony Esposito Jersey . scored 18 of his career- high 28 points in the first half, as fifth-ranked Ohio State dominated No. http://www.authenticblackhawkspro.com/Br...ckhawks-jersey/. However, Therrien added that Galchenyuks status for next Wednesdays game against the Detroit Red Wings is questionable. Galchenyuk has been out since Jan. 6 with a broken right hand. Pierre Pilote Jersey . Algeria led 3-0 at halftime, but withstood a stronger South Korean second half performance to claim its first World Cup win since 1982 and move into second place in Group H with one match left to play. Defeat for South Korea means it must now beat already-qualified Belgium to stand a chance of progressing to the knockout stages. Stan Mikita Jersey . -- Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale searched more than three quarters for five guys who would play well together.Qatar sought to allay widespread concerns about conditions for migrant workers on World Cup building projects by detailing on Tuesday how their rights must be protected by contractors. Rights group Amnesty International called the charter a "positive, if partial" step, but the International Trade Union Confederation called it a "sham," and complained that 2022 World Cup leaders have not demanded changes in Qatars labour laws despite mounting criticism from rights groups. Qatari organizers released the charter after being ordered by FIFA to explain by this week how working and living conditions for workers building the venues for the Middle Easts first World Cup are improving. The 50-page document fleshes out the basic welfare obligations that were published last year. Within it are the requirements for employment contracts, payment, medical care and living conditions, including the meals and bedrooms that must be provided. Employers must also allow workers to retain their passports and cover the cost of their costs to return home at the end of their contract. "In our experience enforcement (of the standards) is almost always the stumbling block," Amnesty researcher James Lynch said in a statement. Lynch stressed that only a "relatively small proportion" of workers are covered by the charter. Only companies building World Cup venues must abide by it, rather than those with government contracts for the wider infrastructure projects that are required to handle aan influx of players, fans and media.dddddddddddd Just 38 construction workers are currently employed by World Cup organizers, building the Al Wakrah Stadium south of the capital Doha. The labour force will rapidly rise as a dozen stadiums and training camps for the 32 competing teams are built from scratch or renovated. The International Trade Union Confederation is troubled by the charters failure to address the sweltering summer working conditions when temperatures can hit 50 degrees (120F). "It promises health and safety but provides no credible enforcement," ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow said. "It promises employment standards but gives migrant workers no rights to collectively bargain or join a trade union. It promises equality but does not provide a guarantee of a minimum wage." The ITUC is urging the Qatari government to abolish the "kafala" employment system, which stops workers from leaving the country without written permission from employers. FIFA executive committee member Theo Zwanziger, who is working with the ITUC to resolve concerns about Qatar, will face questioning on their progress at the European Parliament in Brussels on Thursday. Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary general of the World Cup organizing committee, insisted that the tournament will be a catalyst for change in Qatar. "(It) will leave a legacy of enhanced, sustainable and meaningful progress in regards to worker welfare across the country," Al Thawadi said. ' ' '