Canadian Amateur: Defending Champ Bernard in three-way tie
8/8/2017 | by David McPherson of AmateurGolf.com
see also: View results for Canadian Amateur, Mickelson National Golf Club
Playing at Toronto Golf Club, Hugo Bernard fired 3 under to get the early clubhouse lead; two players matched him
TORONTO, Ontario, Canada (August 8, 2017) -- On moving day at the 113th Canadian Men's Amateur, a trio of players from three different countries charged to the top of the leaderboard, showing no matter the course, they could still go low.
Defending champion Hugo Bernard fired his second straight round in the 60s to grab a share of the lead. After opening with a 66 at Islington Golf Club, he followed this up with a 67 on Tuesday at Toronto Golf Club in a round that featured four birdies and a lone bogey.
The 22-year-old Bernard came into the event brimming with confidence after a couple of top showings last month: a T8 at the Mackenzie Investments Open and a first place finish at the US Amateur Qualifying in York, Maine. Despite liking his position heading into the third round, Tuesday's round never felt right for the Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., native.
“It was a grind from No. 1 to No. 18,” he told Golf Canada. “It wasn’t my best ball-striking, but my short game was there and my putting was there too which helped put together a good round.”
Colombian Camilo Aguado, 17, playing his second round at Islington Golf Club, fired a three under, bogey-free 67 (his second consecutive round without a bogey) to share the lead with Bernard and American Stratton Nolen. “I made some changes with my coach over the last two weeks,” he told Golf Canada at the 18th green of Islington Golf Club. “My swing has since felt easier and my misses more predictable. There’s just something that I like about these two Toronto courses.”
As for Nolen, he vaulted up the leaderboard thanks to his 6-under par 64 that tied the competitive course record at Islington Golf Club - the second player to accomplish this in as many days. Nolen got off to an incredible start - making birdie on each of his first six holes.
“Well, I blacked out and I woke up on seven, and I guess I was six under,” he joked. “No, but really. I was just feeling good going in – I’ve been swinging good all year – and the putts were really going in early. That’s key out here. I had six one putts in the first six holes, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Tying Nolen for the low round of the day was Patrick Cover of Huntersville, North Carolina. His 6 under rocketed him into a T6, only two shots back of the 36-hole leaders.
Only one shot back at 6 under are a pair of players: Texan C. Tanner Napier and 21-year-old Shintaro Ban from San Jose, California. An eagle on the par 5 fifth hole was the highlight of Napier's round; his only bogey came on the par 3, 10th hole.
First round leader A.J. Ewart, who tied the course record at Islington Golf Club on Monday to lead the tournament after day 1, was not so lucky in his second 18 holes. The 18-year-old, who finished T25 at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship last week, did not fare as well at Toronto Golf Club where he shot a 2 over 72, which leaves him T8.His biggest blemish was a triple-bogey on the par 5, 13th hole.
Team Quebec captured the Willingdon Cup after they won the inter-provincial competition by 11 strokes. The team consisting of Bernard, Marc-Olivier Plasse (Mercier, Que.) and Étienne Papineau (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.) shot a combined 7 under par to capture their first team championship in 20 years (1997) and seventh victory all-time.
Team Manitoba finished in second at 4 over par and Team Ontario stayed even par on Tuesday to slide into third place at 7 over par.
A total of 76 players who finished 4 over par or better have advanced to the final two rounds of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship to be contested at The Toronto Golf Club.
Results: Canadian Amateur
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forest, VA | 700 | 66-70-68-68=272 | |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | 500 | 67-67-73-66=273 | |
| 3 | , Canada | 400 | 67-69-70-69=275 | |
| T4 | , Colombia | 400 | 66-67-70-73=276 | |
| T4 | , Canada | 400 | 66-67-71-72=276 |
About the Canadian Amateur
This competition is open to male amateur golfers. Canadian players must be a member of a golf club in good standing with Golf Canada or who are Gold level members of Golf Canada’s membership program. Foreign players must be members in good standing w...
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