Delaet delighted during dad days

Despite being “frustrated” with not currently playing on the PGA Tour, Weyburn’s Graham Delaet is using the time off to his and his family’s advantage.

Delaet hasn’t competed on the tour since last October but he said being home with wife Ruby and their twins, Roscoe and Lyla has been a blessing.

“The golf part is frustrating, but our kids mean more to me than anything in the world. That has been the one nice thing about being at home a lot is spending time with the kids and family,” Delaet told Darren Zary with the Star-Phoenix. The 36-year-old was in Saskatoon along with Ruby for their fifth annual fundraising event for their namesake Foundation. Delaet said the Graham Slam charity golf tournament has raised over $1.5 million and provided special memories for young golf fans.

“It is super neat for these kids to be able to play in something like this, Ryder Cup type format and meet a PGA Tour player. That would have meant a lot to me as a teenager,” he said.

Delaet has been dealing with a back issue that kept him from not being able to build on his over $11 million in career winnings. Delaet is seeking to play another three to four years at least, that will allow his children to experience a portion of his career, something “to make them proud of me,” he said.

For now, he said there is no timeline on his return to the tour.

“We’re basically in the stage to find out what the problem is and what the next step is. I’m going different places, seeing different doctors and trying to put it all together and see what the next step is,” he said.

The eight-year PGA Tour professional won the Saskatchewan Men’s Amateur Champion in 2005 and 2006. Golf Saskatchewan made a $1,500 towards the Graham and Ruby Delaet Foundation this past week in Saskatoon. Golf Saskatchewan executive director Brian Lee said the organization was happy to give back to the province’s youth.

“It was with great pleasure Golf Saskatchewan donated to the Graham Slam event with proceeds towards the Ronald McDonald House. We hope these funds will assist in making the lives of Saskatchewan people better,” Lee said.