Evan Nachtigall of Brandon, Manitoba, moved into the solo lead after the second round of the 2026 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, firing a 5-under 67 at Brantford Golf & Country Club in Brantford, Ontario.
Nachtigall, the 2025 Manitoba Golfer of the Year, followed his opening 8-under 64 with six birdies Wednesday to reach 13-under through 36 holes. Five of those birdies came over his first six holes as he quickly separated himself from the group that had shared the opening-round lead.
Three-time Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion Garrett Rank of Waterloo, Ontario, remains his closest challenger. Rank added a 4-under 68, featuring an eagle and five birdies, to sit one shot behind Nachtigall heading into the third round.
"It was just a lot of the same thing I did yesterday, being aggressive off tees and attacking pins," Nachtigall said. "I felt like I kind of figured something else out on the practice green last night and was rolling them a little better."
Nachtigall's round also helped deliver a long-awaited team title for Manitoba.
Alongside Jordy Lutz of Winnipeg and David Spurr of Oakbank, Nachtigall led Team Manitoba to its first Inter-Provincial Team Championship since 2005.
Manitoba finished the 36-hole competition at 15-under, winning the R. Bruce Forbes Trophy by four shots. Nachtigall's 67 and Lutz's 73 counted toward Wednesday's team total, while Spurr posted a 75.
In the Mid-Master Division, Alex Large of Dead Man's Flats, Alberta, and Haymes Snedeker of Point Clear, Alabama, share the lead at 9-under.
The original field of 156 players was reduced following the second round to the low 70 and ties for the final two rounds.
Along with the Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur title, the champion will earn an exemption into the 2026 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Sand Valley Resort, as well as spots in the 2027 Canadian Men's Amateur and 2027 Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur.
