Tiger Xie also ties course record 7-under 65 on Thursday
REGINA, Sask. – Michael Vivone of Ottawa, Ont. holds the solo lead at 16-under through three rounds at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO at Wascana Country Club, in Regina, Sask. following play on Thursday.
Vivone entered the third round with a one-shot lead and shot a bogey free 7-under 65 carding one eagle and five birdies to tie the course record. Along with tying the course record, Vivone increased his lead to two strokes heading into the final round on Friday.
“It feels great, I played really well today and did not make a lot of mistakes,” said Vivone. “I felt really calm, composed, just sticking to my plan that I had for this course, and I ended up executing it really well.”
Vivone was unaware that he tied the course record until being asked, “I did not know that, that’s pretty cool, I wish I could have gotten one more to beat the course record, but I’ll take the tie.”
Vivone plans to continue to execute his game plan he had coming into this tournament, which is staying calm, hitting to the large parts of the green and being aggressive with his putts heading into the final round of the national championship.
“I am also going to go figure out my driver on the range, my driver was a little all over the place today, but my putting ended up saving me,” he added.
Along with Vivone, Tiger Xie of Surrey, B.C. also tied the course record on Thursday. Xie shot a bogey free 7-under 65 carding one eagle and five birdies to sit at 14-under currently in second place. Xie is also the solo leader in the Juvenile Boys division, which he leads by six strokes.
“I think overall I just hit it really well, I hit it good off the tee and hit a lot of greens, I think I hit 16 greens,” said Xie. “I left a couple putts out there but obviously you can’t make everything.
“I’m just going to try and do the same thing I’ve been doing all week and try to stay out my own way on the mental side,” said Xie on how he plans to approach the final round of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship.
Heading into the final 18 holes of the national championship on Friday, both Vivone and Xie are looking forward to what potentially is ahead of them.
“It would mean a lot, that’s definitely a really cool title, and to be able to be up there with some really insane names would mean a lot if I could get it done tomorrow,” said Vivone.
“It would mean a lot obviously, it would be a huge achievement and accomplishment for me, just to see my hard work finally pay off,” said Xie.
Team Canada NextGen members Alexis Rouleau of Montreal, Que. and Chase Jerome of Ottawa, Ont. both are T4 at 8-under through three rounds. Rouleau entered the third round at 2-under and shot a 6-under 66 carding seven birdies to improve his position. Jerome shot a 1-under 71 with five birdies. Rouleau and Jerome’s Team Canada NextGen teammate Eddie Gu of Aurora, Ont. shot even par 72 and sits T12 at 5-under through three rounds.
The 16-and-under Juvenile Championship runs concurrently with the Junior Championship and has featured in the tournament since 1970, with the winner receiving the Jack Bailey Trophy.
The Canadian Junior Boys champion will receive an exemption into the 2027 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship if eligible, and the 2027 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. The winner will also be exempt into the 2027 Canadian Junior Boys Championship to defend their title, if eligible.
For the leaderboard following the third round of the Canadian Junior Boys Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.
