The 2001 Telus Open champion is now a regular on the PGA Tour. You may have seen Aaron Barber in the group with Annika Sorenstam at last year's Colonial, or finishing ninth at last month's Booz Allen Classic (formerly the Kemper Open).

When 2002 champ Matt Daniel came to Edmonton to defend his title last season, he was mired in a slump and struggling to rediscover a game that all but abandoned him after his playoff triumph at Glendale. He made one cut all year.

And then there's 2003 champ Rob Johnson, who went 69-64-71-69 at Windermere last year to win the tournament by two strokes.

If you're handicapping his future, he's much more likely to be following in Barber's footsteps than Daniel's skid marks.

The defending champion, who's back to try and make it a double, has won three times in the last 15 months, including a win this season when the Canadian Tour dipped down into Mexico. He finished second on the money list last season and was fourth in earnings this season (through the June 28 stop in Vancouver).

He's on a roll, and says winning here played a big role in that.

"My first (Canadian Tour) win was rained out after three rounds so the win in Edmonton was a lot more gratifying because there was no asterisk or anything beside it," he said, adding things just kind of turned around for him on that blistering-hot weekend.

"I was really struggling before I got there. But getting off to a really good start on the first two days helped my confidence."

And closing the deal with three back-nine birdies on Sunday made him a new man. Amazing what a win can do.

ROOMMATES

Ask Barber.

"We were roommates for four years when he was playing in Canada," said Johnson.

"We're still good friends and we talk all the time. Not long ago we were talking about how he had been struggling all year, how his confidence was down.

" He was talking about going to find a sports psychologist. Then he finishes tied for ninth in the Kemper Open.

"His attitude after the Kemper was like day and night. It's just remarkable what one week will do to your confidence."

Just like Johnson's after Edmonton.

"Any time you win on any tour it breeds confidence. I started this year feeling I can win and I already have."

The Indiana native won't have the luxury of defending his title on the track where he won it, the tournament moves to the Derrick this year, but that doesn't change the thrill one gets from returning to a city in which he's won.

"I go into every tournament trying to win, and some weeks it doesn't work out, but it would definitely be cool to repeat. You see guys on TV repeating and it's a cool thing. It's definitely one of my goals."

Joining his former roomie on the PGA Tour is another. Johnson has played enough golf with Barber to know he's close, he just has to keep working, wait for the right moment and seize the chance when it comes.

"I roomed with Aaron for four years out here and played golf with him every single day," said Johnson, 31.

"If you were to go out and play with both of us you wouldn't see much of a difference. There's such a fine line between where I'm at now and being up there. That's why you continue to work hard.

ABOUT TIMING

"It's about timing and taking advantage of your opportunities."

With three wins in 15 months he can see the brass ring in the distance, and it's getting closer.

"I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think that," he said, adding the Canadian Tour has been a wonderful learning ground. "But you get to the point where you start winning and you feel you're ready to move on to greener pastures.

"I feel my game is getting closer and closer to being able to stay out there and that's the key - my teacher always stresses that when we get there we get there, but we want to make sure that when we get there we're ready. That's something I'm striving for and I look forward to doing that in the next couple of years."

Maybe sooner.

Then again, maybe later.

"Golf is such a funny game, you can't really predict what you're going to do. You can't put a time frame on it; when it happens, it happens.

"You can beat everyone one week and for two weeks in a row not know what's going on.

"It can be pretty tough to tame but it's something you just try the best you can, work hard and hopefully things will fall into place."