BEN EION, Nova Scotia – C.T. Pan sank a 5-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to defeat Canadian Taylor Pendrith and win the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s Cape Breton Celtic Classic. The native of Taiwan and University of Washington product finished with a 72-hole total of 19-under-par 269 and the victory was his first on the Mackenzie Tour.

After each player made birdie on the first extra hole, both hit their second shots into a greenside bunker. Pan chipped out first to 5 feet and Pendrith followed, hitting his chip to 4 feet. Moments later, Pan sank his birdie putt and then watched as Pendrith’s birdie attempt slid by the right side, handing Pan the victory.

“I can’t find words to describe how I feel right now,” Pan said following his win. “It was amazing how I played my last five holes and then the two extra playoff holes. It’s been amazing.”

As the day unfolded, it appeared Pan would be in line for a nice finish, but would need something to happen for him to win the event. He was only 14 under after 13 holes and trailed by as much as four strokes. However, things changed at No. 14 when he hit a 3-iron to 3 feet and made the first of five birdies in a row.

“I told myself I really needed to start making some birdies when I got to No. 14. I knew I was about four shots back and told myself I needed some magic now,” Pan added. “After that birdie on 14, I felt really good about where my game was and I liked the pin position at No. 15 when I saw it. I made another birdie there.”

Pan added three more birdies to close out his round, including a chip-in on No. 18 from 30 feet to post the first 19-under-par score for the day.

Playing two groups behind, Pendrith’s downfall on Sunday would be his play in the par 5s. After making birdie or eagle on all the par 5s in the first three rounds, he started his day with bogeys on three of first five par 5s, including Nos. 1 and 3 early in his round. He was able to battle his way back into the mix with seven birdies later in his round, but missed a golden opportunity to close things out when he made par on the par-5 16th hole and then missed a short birdie putt at No. 17.

“I thought I hit a really good putt at No. 17 and it just went about a foot left and caught the edge and missed. I made a good putt on it. That’s the way it goes,” said Pendrith. “But I played the par 5s really bad today. If I played the par 5s like I had been, I probably would have won. I made three bogeys on them and you can’t make bogeys. I’m obviously disappointed losing in a playoff for the third time this year, but I was four-over-par through five holes early this week, and to shoot 19 under for the week is pretty good.”

This was the last week players could qualify for the Freedom 55 Financial Championship next week in London, Ontario. Among the players earning their spots in the 60-player field by their play this week were Max Gilbert, Dan McCarthy and Kyle Wilshire, while Jay Myers, Steve Carney and Daniel Bowden slipped out of the top 60. In the race for The Five, Pendrith moved into the top five, while Drew Weaver slipped from fifth to seventh.

NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW:

28: The total number of birdies by Taylor Pendrith during the week which led all players.

1: Number of bogeys for Adam Svensson over his final 39 holes.

4: The number of eagles in the event for Justin Bardgett.

15: The most difficult hole on the course for the week.

1,627: The number of birdies for the week on The Lakes GC.

QUOTABLES

“I set a couple of goals at the start of the year and I’m on the way there. I always have really high standards for myself and I’m still working hard and trying to have a really good year.” T.C. Pan on his 2015 season so far.

NOTES

• With a total score of 19-under, Taylor Pendrith claimed Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours on Sunday along with a $2,500 prize. Each week, the top Canadian on the leaderboard will earn the award, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end earning the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year and a $25,000 prize.
• Weather: 17 degrees Celsius. A mix of sun and clouds. Winds 10 km/NE.
• Preferred lies were utilized in the final round.
• C.T. Pan now has 13 consecutive sub-par rounds heading into next week’s event.

BEN EION, Nova Scotia – Canadian Taylor Pendrith saved the best for last. After a 3-putt bogey at No. 17 to fall out of a share of the lead, Pendrith hit an 8-iron from 175 yards to six inches for eagle to take sole possession of the lead at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s Cape Breton Celtic Classic. The former Kent State star finished with a third straight 5-under-par 67 and his 54-hole total of 15-under-par 201 leads four players by one, including Justin Bardgett, Kyle Wilshire, Canadian Max Gilbert and Dan McCarthy.

Just as he has done in his two previous rounds, Pendrith took full advantage of the par-5s, making four birdies and an eagle during his round. The eagle at 18 was the his third in the event. He also had eagles in the opening round on Nos. 16 and 18.

“It was a grind today but I managed to make some birdies late and then made that eagle on the last hole which was nice,” Pendrith said. “I had some three putts coming, but that eagle on No. 18 was big. I hit the driver well again today like I’ve been doing all week and I made some putts which was nice.”

Sunday could be important day for Pendrith, who is currently 10th on the Order of Merit. Should he win on Sunday he would receive $31,500 which would move him into The Five with one week remaining on the 2015 schedule. The Tour finishes its season next week at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship in London, Ontario.

“I just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing tomorrow,” Pendrith added. “If I can get it in play on the par-5s and make some birdies and some eagles then tomorrow should be fun.”

While Sunday will be important for Pendrith, it also looms large for the four players currently chasing him in second place. All four players are outside the top 60 with Bardgett, at 132nd on the Order of Merit, having the largest hill to climb. Gilbert (69th), Wilshire (67th) and McCarthy (88th) will also need a strong finish to move into the coveted top 60.

“Tomorrow is important for everybody,“ said Bardgett, who shot an 8-under-par 64 on Saturday. “You know I really don’t have any expectations. I came here knowing I had to play phenomenally to get into next week’s Tour championship and I still don’t have any expectations of playing. To be honest, I’m just going to go out tomorrow and walk around and hit some golf shots and try to be as loose as possible. If I play well, great; if I play horrible, life is still going to go on.”

NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW:

29: The back-nine score for Justin Bardgett, matching the low 9-hole score on the Mackenzie Tour this year.

18: Number of strokes under par by Taylor Pendrith on the 15 par 5s this week.

10: Number of players with three rounds in the 60s this week.

64: The day’s low round posted by Justin Bardgett.

QUOTABLES:

“I knew I had to play well this week. I finished 10th last week and that really bumped me up (Order of Merit), but I knew I had to play well to get into next week. It’s like, ‘this is my year’. All it takes out here is one week. I’ve seen that from a lot of guys who have missed more cuts than I have and gone out and won events. It’s out there. You have to be smart and stay patient.” – Kyle Wilshire on the importance of this week.

“It would be awesome to get a win late in the season. I’ve had a pretty solid season and a win would kind of cap it off. It would be pretty nice.” – Taylor Pendrith on what a win on Sunday would mean.

TOURNAMENT NOTES:

• Preferred lies were utilized in the third round.
• Justin Bardgett’s B-B-B-B-E finish matched the best birdie-eagle streak on Tour this year. Olin Browne was also 6-under-par at the ATB Financial Classic.
• David Pastore made the day’s biggest move, climbing 33 spots on the leaderboard to T21.

BEN EION, Nova Scotia – Canadian Taylor Pendrith, Nathan Tarter and Mike Van Sickle share the lead after two rounds at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial. The trio sits a 10-under-par 136 and they lead five players by one stroke after 36 holes at the 6,904-yard The Lakes Golf Club.

With a second consecutive 5-under-par 67, the long-hitting Pendrith is making a late push for a spot in The Five, the five players who will earn a card on next year’s Web.com Tour. He is currently 10th on the Order of Merit and trails the fifth spot by $10,146.

After his disastrous start on Thursday where he was 4-over-par after six holes, the Kent State product has played as well as anybody in the field over his last 30 holes, going 14-under-par during that span.

“I got off to a good start today and played the par-5s in 5-under which is handy,” said Pendrith, a resident of Richmond Hill, Ontario. “I made a couple of sloppy bogeys, but I hit my driver well and overall I’m pretty pleased with how I played. I made eight birdies today so I guess I am doing something right.”

Van Sickle posted the day’s low round, an 8-under 64 and credited some of his success on Friday to a missed opportunity at his opening hole.

“I got off to a bit of a rocky start on my first whole which was No. 10. I hit my second shot to 12 feet and then sent my eagle putt seven feet by,” Van Sickle recalled. “I then left my birdie putt hanging on the lip and had to settle for par. In retrospect it might have been a good thing because it got me seeing red and then I stuffed a couple of shots on the next couple of holes for birdies and then it was off to the races.”

Van Sickle went birdie-eagle on Nos. 6 & 7 to turn in 5-under-par 31 and had his lone bogey at No. 14 when he missed a five-footer. His 64 matched his low round of the year in the final round at the Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist.

The weekend looms large for Tarter, who came into the week ranked 149th on the Order of Merit. However, consecutive rounds of 67 have handed him a golden opportunity.

“I knew coming into this week I needed a pretty high finish to advance to next week’s tournament,” said Tarter, who has made just two cuts in nine starts this year, “so I came into this week with the attitude that I had nothing to lose. I’ve made it a point this week to eliminate stress. It was something I wasn’t doing earlier this year and after a week off, it’s the best I’ve felt in a while and I’m excited for the weekend.”

NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW

12: The number of strokes under par by Taylor Pendrith on the par-5 holes so far thru two rounds.

14: Number of strokes under par for Taylor Pendrith in his last 30 holes after starting out 4-over-par thru 6 in Rd. 1.

11: The number of consecutive cuts made this year by 2013 Cape Breton Celtic Classic champion Mackenzie Hughes. That is the best current streak on the MacKenzie Tour.

59: The number of places that Krister Eriksson moved up the leaderboard after improving his score by six strokes from Thursday (73 to 67). He is now T42.

QUOTABLES:

“Sometimes the best preparation for trying to reach the next level is to challenging yourself to the best of your ability. You can easily do that out here on this Tour. You can learn a lot from other players; see how they hit some of their shots, how they play as well as picking each other’s brains. You can learn a lot playing with other good players.” — Mike Van Sickle on competing on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada.

“I learned over the course of the year that my strengths my last couple of years in college became a weakness for me out here early in the year. I was comfortable with my style of golf coming out here but I let myself get away from that. I was able to reflect on that recently and it’s been a good feeling.” — Nathan Tarter on his early struggles this year.

NOTES:

• Weather: 16 degrees Celsius. Overcast with occasional light rain. Winds 10-15 km/NW.
• Preferred lies were utilized in the second round.
• After 36 holes, here is Taylor Pendrith’s scorecard totals: 12 pars, 15 birdies, 2 eagles, five bogeys and two double bogeys.
• After an opening-round 6-under-par 66 on Thursday, first-round leader Matt Marshall posted a 2-over-par 74 and slipped 28 places to T29.
• One of the 65 players making the cut was Canadian amateur Eric Banks from Truro, Nova Scotia.

BEN EION, Nova Scotia – Matt Marshall posted a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 to take the first-round lead at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial. He leads current Order of Merit leader J.J. Spaun and Ryan Brehm by one stroke, while nine players, including Canadians Adam Svensson, Taylor Pendrith, Ben Silverman and Stuart Anderson , trail by two strokes after the opening round at The Lakes Golf Club.

Marshall’s 7-under-par 65 was the third straight week he had opened with a round in the 60s and the fourth time in his last five starts. It was just one shy of his low round of the year, an 8-under-par 64 at the Staal Foundation Open in July in Thunder Bay.

“It was a nice way to finish with birdies on this last two par-5s (Nos. 16 and 18) because I didn’t play the par-5s particularly well before that,” said Marshall, currently in his third season on the Mackenzie Tour. “Everything went well today. I made a couple of putts and it was just one of those days where everything went accordingly.”

Marshall knows it will take a high finish this week if he has any chance to make it into the Tour’s final event of the year, the Freedom 55 Financial Classic next week in London, Ontario. The event is limited to the top 60 players on the money list following this event. He is currently 113th in the Order of Merit.

“To be honest, I’m far enough back where I can just let it go. I’m probably going to have to finish in the top five to get into next week’s event. It’s just one of those things where I can just go out and play and see what happens,” added Marshall.

Marshall is being chased by Spaun, the current Order of Merit leader with $88,534, and Brehm. Spaun posted his 10th consecutive round in the 60s to open play on the Mackenzie Tour this year. Other than a bogey on No. 17, the former San Diego State product played near-perfect golf and his round included seven birdies, including a pair on the par-5 16th and 18th..

“I just tried to avoid making any mistakes out there today,” said Spaun. “It was pretty windy out there and I hit a lot of greens and a lot of fairways and that’s kind of how my day went. I’ll take it. I think the wind actually helped the course because you have a couple of holes going downwind.”

This marked the first time in 2015 that Spaun has led or shared the lead after the opening round. In his previous nine starts, he has been among the top 10 just twice after round one. His best showing was a T4 at the Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist in June.

Brehm is hoping to continue the success he’s enjoyed in his last two starts this week. He finished T2 two weeks ago at The Great Waterway Classic and T25 last week at the Wildfire Invitational. With his 66 today, seven of his last eight rounds have been in the 60s.

“These next couple of weeks for a guy like me, they’re important,” Brehm said following his round. “I don’t think I can win the money title, but we’re still playing for a lot. If you could eliminate a stage of Q-School and obviously earn money, it’s a big deal. Plus, you want to know that you’re playing well going into the end of the year. I’ve been at this for a while and I think it’s important when you play well that matters.”

NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW

7: The number of holes-in-one on the Mackenzie Tour this year after Robert Karlsson aced No. 8 with a 6-iron from 188 yards.

2: Karlsson’s ace was the second in event history…Johnny Bloomfield had the other on No. 15 in the opening round in 2013.

10: The number of consecutive sub-par rounds current Order of Merit leader J.J. Spaun has posted in his opening round this year. He has yet to start an event with an over-par round. His first-round scoring average is now 67.9.

84: The number of players to better par in the opening round…A total of 46 players bettered par in 2014 and 53 did so in 2013.

QUOTABLES:

“This Tour is well run and well organized. It’s given me the opportunity to get used to the whole tournament routine with the travel and just competing. We’ve played great courses and it’s been enjoyable with the guys this year.” –C.T. Pan on his experience playing the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada this year.

“That’s by far the best 67 I’ve ever shot probably in my life especially after being 4-over-par after five. I really just had two bad swings which cost me four shots on 13 and 14.” – Taylor Pendrith after his 5-under-par 67. His card showed five pars, seven birdies, two eagles, two bogeys and two doubles.

“My mental approach has been the most frustrating thing for me this year. I’ve been playing well. I’ve missed a bunch of cuts by one or two shots and it’s been a frustrating year so maybe I can keep this going and get into next week’s event.” – Matt Marshall reflecting on his 2015 season.

NOTES:

• Weather: 25 degrees Celsius (34 with Humidity). Overcast with occasional light drizzle. Winds 10-20 km/W.
• With a 5-under-par 67 on Thursday, Adam Svensson has now finished below par in 17 of his 18 rounds this year. The lone exception was his 1-over-par 73 in the second round at last week’s Wildfire Invitational where finished T18.
• 2013 champion Mackenzie Hughes opened with a 1-under-par 71, while 2014 Mark Silvers is playing on the Web.com Tour this year.
• This marks the third straight year that this event has had a sole leader after the opening round.
• One of the competitors this week is Eric Hawerchuk, son of former NHL star Dale Hawerchuk. He opened with a 4-over-par 76.

Mackenzie Hughes knows a thing or two about what it takes to be the top Canadian on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada, and it’s not easy.

In 2013, Hughes turned a win and three other top-10s into the Order of Merit title and the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year award. At next week’s Freedom 55 Financial Championship, he’ll be one of the contenders for the honour once again, and with a beefed-up $25,000 prize on the line, even more is at stake.

“There were guys like Nick Taylor out here that year,” Hughes points out, “so that’s pretty cool to look back on and say I was the top Canadian for that year.”

Hughes sits 13th on the Order of Merit through 10 of 12 events, seventh among Canadians and within $18,362 of Albin Choi, the current top Canadian at No. 3.

“With the talent this year as far as Canadian players, it would be huge,” says Hughes.

There’s plenty on the line for every player next week in London, with the top five players on the Order of Merit earning status on the Web.com Tour and a $200,000 purse ($37,000 winner’s share). Only the top 60 players on the Order of Merit through this week’s Cape Breton Celtic Classic will earn a spot in the field at Highland Country Club, making the event a who’s-who of the Mackenzie Tour.

“It’s definitely going to have a little more importance to it, being that it’s only 60 guys,” says Hughes. “We know what we’re playing for, and it’s a nice reward to play for. It will be a fun week with a lot riding on it.”

For Canadian players, however, the stakes are even higher.

“Being the top Canadian with so many good Canadian players out here, I think it means a lot. It would be a big personal accomplishment,” says Choi, who notched a win earlier this year at the Bayview Place Island Savings Open and a co-runner-up finish at The Great Waterway Classic.

“It’s been a long and exciting year, and to cap it all off in London, I think we’re all looking forward to it. It’s going to be a big event for all 60 players,” Choi says.

The enhanced prize for top Canadian is part of Freedom 55 Financial’s commitment to Canadian golf this year, which includes the enhanced purse for the season-ending event, a $2,500 from the Canadian Player of the Week at each Mackenzie Tour event, and sponsorship of Team Freedom, a squad of Mackenzie Tour pros including Hughes, Choi, Taylor Pendrith, Matt Hill and Adam Svensson.

“What it’s allowed me to do is kind go after my goals and dreams with a little more freedom, so to speak,” says Hughes of the partnership. So far, the Team has been a squad of contenders this year, combining for 11 top-10s, including Choi’s win and two runners-up apiece for Svensson and Pendrith.

“Their support means a lot to me, and for the other guys that have the Freedom logo on their collar, hopefully the Freedom guys can play well and have a chance in London,” says Choi.

Including the five members of Team Freedom, 18 Canadians are inside the top 60 and in position to qualify for next week’s season-ending event. Each one of them still has a chance to become the top Canadian, and with so much on the line, you can expect a fight to the finish next week in London.

The Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) is the official charitable beneficiary of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Fifty-five per cent of ticket proceeds will go towards the wide range of services provided to more than 8000 children, youth and their families through the organization’s London Centre and its 15 regional office locations across Southwestern Ontario. Clients range in age from birth to 19 with services supporting a range of special needs including physical disabilities, communication disorders, developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders.

Children aged 17-and-under get in free all week at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship. Free junior tickets are available for download here. Additional details, including ticket information, can be found at www.freedom55financialchampionship.com.

Dundas, Ontario’s Christopher Ross shot an 8-under 64 on Sunday at Wildfire Golf Club to win The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial, earning his first Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada victory.

The 28-year old reached 25-under for the tournament with his second straight round of 64 to win by four over England’s David Skinns. Ross moves to eighth on the Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit with two events to go in the season.

“It’s an amazing feeling. I’ve been waiting a long time to win on a big tour like the Mackenzie Tour, and to be a winner on it right now is surreal,” said Ross, a graduate of Eastern Michigan University.

Ross began the week 61^st on the money list and trailed no. 60, the cutoff to get into the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship and retain exempt status on Tour for next year, by $1. With that goal accomplished, his focus turns to the season’s remaining two events and the opportunity to earn status on the Web.com Tour next season.

“I have two more big weeks to go, and to be inside the top five is obviously your big goal. To go from 61^st just to get into the season-ending event, honestly, I really think I set a mark, and maybe I can carry it over,” said Ross.

The win represents a family celebration for Ross, who had wife Stephanie caddying for him all week and counted his mother Janet and 4-year old daughter Sam among his biggest fans all week.

“Any win is special, but to have your family out there, it’s a really, really amazing feeling. The third round was big for me. To look over every time you make a putt and have your little girl give you a thumbs-up, it’s just something that’s bigger than golf. Make it or miss it, I’m still the same guy. That was a surreal feeling,” said Ross.

Ross’ father Stephen, a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and former Golf Canada Executive Director, recently underwent bypass surgery and was unable to attend, but was following closely online according to Chris.

“It means a lot. He’s the one that brought me to play golf,” said an emotional Ross after the win.

Ross began the day one shot off the 54-hole lead held by David Skinns and Chase Marinell, but quickly took control of the tournament with a 4-under 32 on the front nine, then birdies at the 10^th and 11^th holes to take the lead by two. While his pursers were unable to mount a charge, Ross blew open the tournament with birdies on 14 and 16 to build a five-shot lead.

“Definitely I could feel it. I saw the leaderboard on number six, and it was jam-packed. I just said ‘here we go, we just gotta go do our thing.’ To separate myself after 11 was huge,” said Ross.

A two-putt par at the last was all that remained, and when the final putt dropped, Ross was swarmed and embraced by family and friends as the celebration began.

Skinns notched career-best finish with his solo second effort, while Spaun and Pan sharing third place made waves on the race for The Five and status on the Web.com Tour next season. Spaun extended his lead with $88,534 in earnings, a new PGA TOUR-era record, while Pan vaulted into third place with $49,806.

SPAUN BOOSTS LEAD IN THE FIVE

With a T3 finish, J.J. Spaun extended his lead atop the Order of Merit on Sunday. Below are The Five through The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial (bold denotes Canadian):

1. J.J. Spaun – $88,534
2. Sam Ryder – $56,538
3. Albin Choi – $49,806
4. C.T. Pan – $46,948
5. Drew Weaver – $46,182

ROSS WINS FREEDOM 55 FINANCIAL TOP CANADIAN AWARD

With a total score of 25-under, Dundas, Ontario’s Christopher Ross claimed Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours on Sunday along with a $2,500 prize. Each week, the top Canadian on the leaderboard will earn the award, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end earning the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year and a $25,000 prize.

Notes:

• Weather: 28 degrees Celsius (36 degrees with Humidity). Sunny. Winds 8 km/h.
• Ross’ 25-under total is the lowest on the Mackenzie Tour this season and the second lowest of the PGA TOUR-era on the Mackenzie Tour.
• Ross is the fourth Canadian to win on the Mackenzie Tour this season, the largest number of Canadians to win in a season since 2012.
• Ross is the second straight player to win The Wildfire Invitational after entering the week 61^st on the Order of Merit. Last year, Nate McCoy vaulted from No. 61 to No. 8.
• J.J. Spaun’s $88,534 in earnings is the new highest single-season money total of the PGA TOUR-era.
• Spaun’s T3 finish was his fourth top-five finish of the season. Spaun has yet to finish outside the top-20 in nine starts on Tour this year.
• Spaun’s $31,996 lead atop the Order of Merit means even if No. 2 Sam Ryder wins next week, Spaun will retain the top spot.

England’s David Skinns and Florida’s Chase Marinell finished at 18-under through three rounds at Wildfire Golf Club on Saturday to share the 54-hole lead at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial.

Skinns, who entered the day with a one stroke lead, managed a 5-under 67, while Marinell birdied three of his first four holes and three of his last five to match Skinns at 18-under par, one ahead of Dundas, Ontario’s Chris Ross and New York’s Michael Miller.

“It was kind of a battle and I think it was good for both of us. It kind of pushed us to the top of the leaderboard,” said Marinell, who ranks 18^th on the Order of Merit with three top-10s this season. “I think we both kind of fed off each other a little bit. I got off to a hot start and kind of fizzled out, and when I fizzled out he started getting hot as well. We both kind of pushed each other a little.”

With 15 players within five shots – the same margin from which Iowa’s Nate McCoy came back to win at last year’s Wildfire Invitational –  heading into Sunday, Skinns said he was looking forward to one more day of dueling with Marinell and the rest of the field.

“That’s where we all want to be, and it’s a fun place to be with people watching. Chase is a lot of fun to play with, so hopefully we can have some fun tomorrow as well,” said Skinns, who finished T6 at Wildfire in 2013.

For Marinell, who confessed he had doubts about his ability to compete on the Mackenzie Tour at the start of the year, Sunday represents another chance to establish himself in his first full season as a pro. The 23-year old can move as high as no. 3 on the Order of Merit with a win Sunday.

“Coming out here and knowing I’m one of the best guys out here and being able to believe that is huge for me, and I just want to act like I’m one of the better players. I’m just going to come out here tomorrow and keep believing that and try to end up at the top,” said Marinell.

Ross, who recorded the best round of the day with an 8-under 64, posted the earlier clubhouse lead with a birdie at the last and was later matched by Miller with a two-putt birdie of his own.

One shot further behind were Peterborough native Ted Brown, The Players Cup champion C.T. Pan of Taiwan and Michigan’s Ryan Brehm.

NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW

5: The stroke deficit 2014 champion Nate McCoy made up before winning last season.

15: Players within five shots through three rounds.

-18: David Skinns and Chase Marinell’s total to par through 54 holes, the lowest such total on the Mackenzie Tour this season.

QUOTABLES:

“It’s strictly tee balls. If I get it in play, I’m going to have a lot of opportunities, especially out here. You have so many wedges in your hands. I’ll need to go as low as I possibly can. I’m probably going to show up tomorrow and have a bunch of guys in front of me before I even tee off.” – Ted Brown on the improvement in his game and his 2015 season on the Web.com Tour, where he made three of 13 cuts.

“This is the biggest tournament where I’ve put myself around the lead heading into the last day, so I don’t know how I’ll sleep tonight – I know it’s cliché – but we’ll just have to see.” – Michael Miller on being in contention heading to the final day.

“I had a good day. I got off to a good start yesterday and kind of fell off at the end. Today, my wife was there and that just let me focus on other things. Just having my wife and my mom and my daughter, and I know my dad’s watching closely back home, is very important to me. I’m definitely going to be nervous, but she’s a calming influence on me and knows what to tell me.” – Christopher Ross on his wife and caddie, Stephanie, helping him to an 8-under 64 on Saturday.

Notes:

• Weather: 29 degrees Celsius (36 with Humidity). Sunny. Winds 6 km/h.
• Skinns and Marinell’s 18-under total is the best 54-hole score to par for any three rounds on the Mackenzie Tour this season, matching Taylor Pendrith and Sam Ryder (second through fourth rounds) at the National Capital Open to Support Our Troops.
• Christopher Ross ranks 61^st on the Order of Merit and trails no. 60 Matt Hansen by $1. The top 60 through next week’s Cape Breton Celtic Classic will earn a spot in the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship and exempt status on the Mackenzie Tour for next season.
• Ted Brown finished T12 at The Wildfire Invitational last year, one of seven top-25 finishes.
• 16 players have shot in the 60s all three days at Wildfire.

Lincoln, England’s David Skinns shot a 7-under 65 on Friday at Wildfire Golf Club to take the 36-hole lead at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial.

The 33-year old reached 13-under through two rounds and led by one shot over Taiwan’s C.T. Pan, Florida’s Chase Marinell and Michigan’s Ryan Brehm heading into the weekend.

“It’s what we’re all looking for and where we want to be, so I’m looking forward to it,” said Skinns of the chance to compete over the weekend. “I’ve played the par-5s decent and hit a lot of greens, so it’s been nice.”

Skinns finished tied for sixth at Wildfire in 2013, one of four top-10s that season, and said competing on a familiar layout helped him after he only arrived on-site Wednesday, having spent the previous five days at home to visit his wife Kristin and 1-year old son, Brayden.

“It’s just such a pleasure to play this golf course. You stand there and look at it, and it’s just a really nice place to be,” said Skinns, who played on the Web.com Tour last season but finished 101^st on the Money List and returned to the Mackenzie Tour this season. “In 2013 I felt like I was in contention every other week, so I was able to get into the flow. This year I felt like it was a little more sporadic.”

Pan and Marinell, who shared the first round lead with four others after opening with a 8-under 64s, were tied with Brehm two shots heading back into the weekend. For Marinell, who owns three top-10 finishes on Tour this season, the weekend represents another chance to gain valuable experience in his first year on the Mackenzie Tour.

“It’s never easy being in contention, but you just know how to handle yourself and what to do and how to take your medicine. I know a lot more about that now, so I think I’m going to handle myself great this weekend,” said Marinell.

A shot further behind in a tie for fifth were Peterborough’s own Ted Brown and last week’s winner at The Great Waterway Classic, Brad Clapp and long with New York’s Michael Miller at 11-under.

Chilliwack, British Columbia’s Brad Clapp eagled the 72^nd hole to shoot a final round 5-under 67 Loyalist Golf and Country Club on Sunday and cap off a win at The Great Waterway Classic, earning his first Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada victory.

The 28-year old, who was born in nearby Trenton, Ontario and raised for the first 10 years of his life in southeastern Ontario won by four shots over Toronto’s Albin Choi, Indiana’s Seath Lauer, Michigan’s Ryan Brehm, England’s Charlie Bull, California’s Ben Geyer and Florida’s Chase Marinell.

“It still hasn’t sunk in yet. It’s a little surreal, knowing how good this tour is and knowing how good you have to play four days in a row. It’s a huge accomplishment,” said Clapp, who moves to seventh on the Order of Merit with three events to go.

Clapp began the day with a two stroke lead over Texas’ Tom Moore, and started out with eight straight pars to fall behind Lauer, who posted the clubhouse lead with an eagle at the last for a 19-under total. Clapp admitted that the pressure of the lead got to him starting out, but that a patient approach helped him through the toughest spots of the day.

“I think there was a little bit of nerves on the first few holes for sure. I just couldn’t make the putts that I was the first couple of days. I just tried to stay calm. I knew I had more holes to play than anyone else out there, even if they were ahead of me,” said the second year Mackenzie Tour member.

Clapp was spurred on by a large following of spectators including family and childhood friends, giving the British Columbian a surrogate home-field advantage at Loyalist.

“I didn’t realize I had that many people that knew me out here still. There was always someone saying ‘come on Brad, let’s do this!’ It was nice to have as much of a home crowd as you could. It was a little surreal,” said Clapp, who birdied the ninth and 10^th holes to get his round going. “I was hitting good shots. It just got to the point where I just had to focus on putting and get out of my own way and make my read and trust it. Those birdies were huge just to get myself in contention.”

Choi, who began the week at No. 5 on the Order of Merit, made the day’s biggest charge with six birdies in eight holes in the middle of his round to reach 20-under. Clapp, however, took the lead for good with a birdie at the 15^th to reach 21-under. Although Choi’s three-putt bogey at the last afforded Clapp a two-stroke advantage, the eventual champion said he didn’t know where he stood until he approached the green, making his 7-iron approach at the last to inside five feet for eagle all the more clutch.

“I knew I needed birdie. I saw Albin was charging and saw him at 20-under with the 18th to go. He made eagle there yesterday, so I knew that was possible. I just wanted to keep my foot on the gas pedal,” said Clapp.

Entering the week at 67^th on the Order of Merit, Clapp turned his season around and now puts himself in contention to finish in The Five and earn status on the Web.com Tour for next year.

“I’m not sure where this will put me with the top 20 or the top five by the end of the year, but that’s been my main goal since I got on this tour last year, to move on to the Web.com Tour and keep testing myself again better players. That puts me right in those spots, and we still have three events to go and hopefully I’ll move on up into that top five,” said Clapp.

Choi, who recorded his third top-10 of the season, moves to third on the Order of Merit with three events to go.

“Starting from the first round, I didn’t think I’d have a chance, so it was nice to be in the mix today. It didn’t really hit me until later on the back nine – I was in the zone pretty good and just trying to keep making birdies,” said Choi.

SPAUN CONTINUES TO LEAD THE FIVE

With a T19 finish, J.J. Spaun maintained his spot atop the Order of Merit on Sunday. Below are The Five through The Great Waterway Classic (bold denotes Canadian):

1. J.J. Spaun – $78,384
2. Sam Ryder – $56,538
3. Albin Choi – $49,806
4. Drew Weaver – $45,487
5. Kevin Spooner – $41,689

CLAPP WINS FREEDOM 55 FINANCIAL TOP CANADIAN AWARD

With a total score of 23-under, Chilliwack, British Columbia’s Brad Clapp claimed Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours on Sunday along with a $2,500 prize. Each week, the top Canadian on the leaderboard will earn the award, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end earning the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year and a $25,000 prize.

Notes:

• Weather: 24 degrees Celsius (30 degrees with Humidity). Cloudy. Winds 8 km/h.
• Brad Clapp is the third Canadian to win this season, joining Albin Choi (Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by Times Colonist) and Kevin Spooner (Syncrude Boreal Open presented by AECON).
• Clapp’s 4 stroke margin of victory is the largest on the Mackenzie Tour this season.
• Clapp’s previous professional victories include the 2012 PGA of B.C. Championship and the Vancouver Open on the Vancouver Golf Tour earlier this month.
• 18-year old Austin Connelly finished T30 in his professional debut.
• J.J. Spaun’s T19 finish was his worst of the season and broke a streak of six consecutive top-10 finishes.

Chilliwack, British Columbia’s Brad Clapp birdied the final two holes at Loyalist Golf and Country Club on Saturday to shoot a 4-under 68 and maintain his lead at The Great Waterway Classic, the ninth event of the 2015 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

Clapp, who was born in nearby Trenton, Ontario and raised for the first 10 years of his life in southeastern Ontario, maintained the two-shot lead he began the day with, capping his round with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18^th to sit at 18-under through 54 holes.

“It always feels good finishing birdie-birdie, especially to keep the lead. I didn’t really feel like I had my best today, so watching that leaderboard I knew I had some to work to do,” said Clapp, whose closing birdie came after another at the 17^th where he stuck a wedge inside 10 feet and rolled in the putt for birdie.

The 28-year old was two strokes ahead of San Antonio, Texas resident Tom Moore through three rounds and said he was surprised when he saw his name atop the leaderboard on the back nine with so many low scores posted earlier in the morning.

“I’m actually surprised that 18-under is still in the lead, knowing how good these guys are. I expected to start the day without the lead. This Tour’s so good, and watching the scores this week has been crazy. I kind of thought I’d be chasing guys when I get on the first tee,” said Clapp.

The 54-hole lead is Clapp’s first on the Mackenzie Tour, putting the second year Tour player in unfamiliar territory. Still, Clapp said he would draw on other successful competitive experiences, including wins at the 2012 PGA of BC Championship and the Vancouver Open on the Vancouver Golf Tour earlier this month.

“That [Vancouver Open win] was a come-from-behind victory, so this would be a little bit different, but having the taste of success is huge no matter what level you’re on,” said Clapp. “I’ve been struggling to keep my mental game in shape all year, so it’s nice that I can draw from this round not having my best but still staying calm and patient and just plugging along. It’s a huge confidence boost.”

One shot behind Moore at 14-under were Maryland’s Kyle Stough and Florida’s Chase Seiffert, each of whom secured two-putt birdies of their own at the 18^th. A group of seven players, including Order of Merit no. 5 Albin Choi and Oklahoma’s Talor Gooch, who shot matching 8-under 64s in the same pairing, were one shot further behind.

“I was a little disappointed I didn’t get in last week, but I came out here and wanted to prove something, so here I am,” said Moore, who did not get into last week’s National Capital Open to Support Our Troops as an alternate and spent the week caddying for Ohio’s Ross Beal, who finished fourth.