NextGen Championships

Wallin jumps to top, Baek holds lead at Future Links, driven by Acura Prairie Championship

(Golf Canada)

Estevan, Sask. – Tayden Wallin shot to the top of the leaderboard in the boys division with a 2-under-par 70 while Chaewon Baek held on to her lead at the Future Links, driven by Acura Prairie Championship at TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club on Wednesday.

Wallin started the day two back off the leader and, after a bogey free front nine, the 18-year-old from Humbolt, Sask., made the turn at 1 under par before he carded two birdies and an eagle to offset his three bogeys. His back-to-back opening round 70’s give him a three-shot cushion at the top of the leaderboard.

“I didn’t realize that today was going to turn out as well as it did,” he said, after the low-round of the day. “I was making quite a few pars and my putts were going in, but I guess the eagle on the back nine really jump-start the round and put me in a good position at the end of the day.”

Kade Johnson, from Yorkton, Sask., and Ryan McMillian, from Winnipeg, Man., shot matching even-par 72’s to enter the final round within striking distance of the lead. The pair are 1 under par for the tournament.

Jacob Kydd entered round two with a two-shot lead after his opening round 68, but got off to a rough start with a bogey on the first hole that lead to a 9-over-par 81 on Wednesday.

In the girls division, Baek carded a 6-over-par 78, a score seven shots higher than her opening round, but was still able to hold on to her lead after all the golfers struggled on Wednesday. The 13-year-old recorded four bogeys on the front nine and managed to only card a single birdie but still entered the clubhouse with a 10-shot lead.

Vaijayanti Bharkhada, from Brampton, Ont., is the closest to Baek after her 10-over-par 82, and Samantha Copeland rounds out the top three in the girls division, two shots back of Bharkhada.

The top six finishers in the Boys Division will earn exemptions into the 2017 Canadian Junior Boys Championship on July 31-Aug. 3 at Cataraqui Golf and Country Club in Kingston, Ont. The top six in the Girls Division will earn exemptions into the 2017 Canadian Junior Girls Championship on Aug. 1-4 at Camelot Golf & Country Club in Cumberland, Ont.

Full results can be found here.