Whistles and Birdies: NHL Ref Garrett Rank Locks Up Fourth Canadian Mid-Am Title in Style

BRANTFORD, Ontario — There are refs who wear stripes, and then there’s Garrett Rank, who wears stripes on the ice and walks off the golf course with national trophies.

Rank added another chapter to his dual-sport legend on Friday, winning his fourth Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship in dramatic fashion at Brantford Golf & Country Club.

The 38-year-old from Waterloo, Ontario, closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 18-under 270 — one stroke clear of third-round leader Evan Nachtigall.

This wasn’t a cruise. Rank and Nachtigall were tied heading to the final hole. Nachtigall stumbled with a bogey, and then Rank stepped up and buried a 6-foot par putt to slam the door.

“As soon as I saw my ball was on the back of the green, I knew it was a good time for a lag putt and try to two-putt,” Rank said. “Luckily enough, I was able to make the 6-footer at the end to win.”

That’s called closing under pressure — the same kind of pressure he’s navigated all over the NHL, including his first Stanley Cup Final assignment earlier this year.

Rank is now a four-time Canadian Mid-Am champion, with a dominant three-peat from 2014-16. Toss in his 2012 Canadian College/University Individual Championship, and he’s sitting on five national titles total.

“Pretty Special”

“It’s a huge honor,” Rank said. “Winning a golf tournament is never easy. To do it four times is pretty special. I think it’s been 10 years since I last did it, so to do it close to home in a place like Brantford is something I will remember for the rest of my life.”

As a bonus, the win earns Rank a spot in the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Sand Valley Resort in Nekoosa, Wisconsin, in late September and early October.

So let’s get this straight: He officiates playoff hockey at the highest level, then goes out and grinds out national amateur golf titles. For most, balancing one sport is enough. For Garrett Rank, it’s just another Friday.