I began my morning on the computer as always opening up GNN on Monday to see what Hutch had to say, and there was no post. Nor was there one on Sunday..
We'd shared tweets on Friday, cheerful as ever, and this morning I sent him a DM and when there was no instant reply, I went to google and saw the devastating news he'd left us after a heart attack on Sunday while I was working.
I am so saddened here this morning, damn it, life is so fleeting, I miss my pal, never had a chance to say goodbye.
I first met Hutch when he was writing for the Sun in 1985 where I was a volunteer at the Canadian Open in Glen Abbey and as was the case with most everyone, he and I hit it off right away, and it has never changed.
We often sat out behind the Press Center where he would go to have a smoke, and talked about golf of course, but also a lot about life.
(TYLER COSTIGAN/ GOLF CANADA)
I was surprised to find out we lived right around the corner from each other growing up at East Gwillimbury, just adjacent to Newmarket and never crossed paths in the late 1950's and that was a great topic of conversation that bonded us forever.
As our lives took their own paths that meeting in 1985 proved again what a small world it can be at times.
In 1993 I began my career at the FAN590 with my golf show Fairways and would have Hutch on air as a semi regular, and of course we'd be in the Press Tent again every year covering the Canadian and sharing all of those events, Tiger's win in 2000 with the shot from the bunker on the 72nd, Nick Price after winning the Open and the PGA in 1994 was totally out of gas with red rimmed eyes, when he hit that 1 iron from behind the trees to 4 feet at the 16th to seal his 2nd Canadian Open, Hutch and I were standing outside the clubhouse adjacent high fiving each other in amazement.
After the Sun let him go, we talked a lot about his retirement and what he was going to do. I was writing this blog on the Fan590, amongst my other duties at the time and he decided he was going to try and get sponsorship to set up a Canadian golf/business digital column that became GNN in 2008, and that's what he was doing so successfully until Sunday.
Hutch,, I am being reminded yet again with your dear loss, that life is short, make the most of every day, make someone smile, help someone who needs help, love your family, don't sweat the small stuff so much because we never appreciate our health until we lose it.
As Garry McKay said "Golf around here will never be the same without Hutch"..... nor will my life..
RIP pal..
Bryan Angus
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