TORONTO — In 2012, Ben Silverman was a 23-year-old from suburban Toronto with a grand golfing dream — and a harsh reality.
The son of two Jewish musician parents, Silverman had decided as a teenager that he was going to be a professional golfer and one day win the PGA Tour – the sport’s biggest stage. This seemed unrealistic given that in his first tournament at the age of 16, he had scored 118, a woefully inadequate score facing elite-level teenagers.
And so it was a triumph for Silverman to return to his hometown last week to play in the Canada Open – the world’s third-oldest golf championship – held June 8-11 at the Jewish-founded Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto.
Although he failed to make it into the final round, missing the cutline by a heartbreaking single shot, the fact that Silverman was playing the Canadian Open was a victory in itself.
After that disappointing first tournament at age 16, Silverman persevered and eventually got good enough to play university golf in Florida. Shortly after graduation, he devoted himself to playing low-level professional tournaments while working part-time. With the small prize money and big expenses, the lifestyle didn’t seem sustainable—Silverman would either have to level up quickly or move on to other things. As his financial picture deteriorated, the time came to seriously consider putting golf aside for a more traditional life and career.
And then everything changed in the summer of 2012, thanks to a phone call from Maccabi Canada. The sports organization inquired whether Silverman would represent Canada at the 2013 Maccabiah Games. The competition, known as the Jewish Olympics, would be held in Jerusalem, and Silverman would join a team composed mostly of members of the Oakdale Golf & Country Club, a predominantly Jewish club in Toronto that won the tournament this year. hosted the Canadian Open.
A photo taken during the final round of the Canadian Open at Oakdale Golf & Country Club on June 11, 2023 in Toronto. (Bernard Brault / Golf Canada)
At first, Silverman thought his time playing a tournament in Florida was too valuable to spend a few weeks away, so he wanted to say no. But just before doing so, he talked to his parents about it.
“He convinced me that this would be a great opportunity, that I’d never know what kind of relationships I might make,” said the now-father of two young boys. “And I’d never been to Israel before, so I said I’d do it, as long as it didn’t take me any time to make an effort. Since I was the only one playing professionally in the team, they were happy about the deal.”
In preparation for the Games, the American and British teams held a challenge competition in Florida in the fall of 2012. A younger player, the UK team approached Silverman to join their side. Since it was near his base and only a few days’ commitment, he agreed.
Ben Silverman plays in the first round of the Canadian Open on June 8, 2023 in Toronto. (Bernard Brault / Golf Canada)
During the event, Silverman played a practice round with golf-loving bond trader Alan Appelbaum.
“He saw something in me. He wanted to invest in my career. He put together a small team – he paid for everything, he covered all my expenses. They basically backed me up on a handshake deal, no strings attached, Silverman said.
Living full-time in Florida, where he still lives today, Silverman made it from one level of pro golf to the next, eventually reaching PGA Tour status.
“When I finally made enough money to pay them back in 2019, it was a great feeling,” he said.
While the psychology graduate was only able to maintain his PGA Tour status for a few seasons, he managed to stay on its feeder circuit, the Korn Ferry Tour. This year, he is playing what he describes as the best golf of his life, winning a tournament in January, and sitting second in the season-long points race. With the PGA Tour moving into the top 30 next season, he is already guaranteed to be back in the big show in 2024, no matter what happens for the rest of the year, to realize his ultimate ambition of winning the PGA Tour. There is still a chance. events.
“I honestly feel like I’m just getting started,” he said. “I may be 35, but I feel 26 or 27. And I feel like I’m getting into the prime of things, and I’m looking forward to being out on the PGA Tour full-time and winning some tournaments.” Ready for.. That’s the goal.
Ben Silverman plays in the first round of the Canadian Open on June 8, 2023 in Toronto. (Bernard Brault / Golf Canada)
For the 2013 Maccabi Games, it was an Oakdale member of the team that covered Silverman’s travel expenses to Israel.
Silverman won the event at Caesarea Golf Club by 11 shots, a large margin of victory for a golf tournament.
Having recently been exempted from this year’s Canadian Open due to his lackluster results, it was a special treat to be able to compete as an accomplished professional in Oakdale, the venue that indirectly supported his career through the Maccabi Games. Career was made possible.
While Silverman’s results at the Canadian Open were disappointing—he missed the cutline to advance into the weekend’s play by just one shot—it was still a wonderful experience for him.
“It’s come full circle for me this week, which is really cool. I grew up 20 minutes from here, so I come a few days a week earlier and stay at my parents’ house,” Silverman said. Said. “I also met a volunteer who is a member of Oakdale and also a member of the course in Florida where my original sponsor Allen plays. The guy asked Allen to say hi to me. He was very nice.
