Canadian Contenders Catch Up with Hayden Springer

Winnipeg, Manitoba – Southwood Golf & Country Club saw a thrilling showdown today as Canadians Joey Savoie and Johnny Travale both fired spectacular 67s to join 36-hole leader Hayden Springer at 15-under, setting the stage for a nail-biting final round at the CentrePort Canada Rail Park Manitoba Open.

Springer’s Test of Grit

Hayden Springer of Trophy Club, Texas, began the third round with a three-shot lead but faced some challenges. Springer hung in there, managing a 70, which included a remarkable three-consecutive birdies on the back nine.

Springer’s View

“It’s kind of an even race starting tomorrow,” Springer remarked. “There are going to be a ton of birdies. Somebody is going to go super-low and hopefully it can be me.”

Canadian Duo Rises to the Occasion

Both Travale from Hamilton, Ontario, and Savoie from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, showcased their prowess with six birdies each. Their 67s were instrumental in tying up the leaderboard.

Travale’s Confidence

“The key was just staying confident. I’ve been hitting it really well this week, putting it really well. I knew the wind would be down, so I kind of just let it come to me and I made some good birdies on the front to get me rolling,” noted Travale.

Savoie’s Mental Fortitude

Savoie emphasized the mental game, stating, “I think the key was not getting ahead of myself. I think mentally I was trying to take it one shot all the time and I think I stuck to my process. And I really committed to my shot very well today. I think the key was more mental than technical.”

Choi’s Spectacular Surge

Sam Choi displayed pure grit, overcoming food poisoning to shoot an astonishing 9-under 63, propelling himself to solo fourth place at 14-under.

Papineau and Wang Shine

Tied for fifth at 13-under were Canadian Etienne Papineau and China’s Charles Wang, who shot 67 and 66 respectively. First-round leader Devon Bling sits alone in seventh place at 12-under after shooting a 68.

Choi’s Journey

Choi, who recently won the Windsor Championship, had to wrestle with food poisoning, but his resilience paid off. After a bogey on the third hole, Choi went birdie-eagle to set his round in motion, ending the day with eight birdies.

Wang’s Second Chance

Wang, having missed the Monday qualifier by a stroke, made the most of his second chance. He continued his strong play, shooting 6-under to stay firmly in the top 10.

A Tight Top 10

The top 10 is rounded out with a three-way tie for eighth place at 11-under, featuring Canadian Chris Crisologo who posted a 65, and Americans Derek Oland and Brian Carlson.

Final Round Expectations

With 17 players within six shots of the lead, the final round promises a gripping battle. Savoie summed it up perfectly, “There’s plenty of golf left to play. There’s plenty of guys in the battle.”

Key Information

• Leaderboard: Hayden Springer, Joey Savoie, and Johnny Travale are tied at 15-under.
• Weather: Mostly cloudy and mild with a high of 22°C. Wind from the southwest at 4-7 kph.

Fortinet Cup Standings

Points leader Davis Lamb missed the cut, opening the door for second-placed Sam Choi to potentially take the lead. Choi is currently in fourth place, one shot off the lead, and only 97 points behind Lamb. This could be a pivotal week for the Fortinet Cup standings.

Notable Performances

• Derek Oland shot an impressive 64, the second-lowest round of the day, moving up 31 spots into a tie for ninth place.

Quotable

• Hayden Springer: “If the weather is going to be nice like this, I’m sure it’s going to take another really good round and I guess just take one shot at a time and focus on the shot at hand and maybe I can get it done. I shot 9-under on Thursday, so I know it’s in the tank. I know I have a good chance tomorrow.”
• Johnny Travale: “Playing with (Jared du Toit) helped a lot. We’re friends and just kept it loose out there, chatting down the fairway. I like playing with friends in tournaments. It loosens things up a bit for sure.”

Third-Round Weather: Mostly cloudy and mild with a high of 22°C. Wind from the southwest at 4-7 kph.