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Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
New twists at Breezy Bend for Manitoba Open
Cory Johnson can't wait to reveal Breezy Bend Country Club to the top players on PGA Tour Americas. As Manitoba's professional tour stop gets set to return to Winnipeg next week, it will do so at Breezy Bend for the first time since 1993 — when Frank Edmonds of Thunder Bay, Ont., captured the event with a score of 18-under par. Much has changed since the last time Breezy Bend held the event. More than $9 million has been spent on improvements during the past 15 years, including eight new greens and six new tee boxes built on the course. Thomas Friesen / The Brandon Sun Files Four-time men's amateur champ Braxton Kuntz will start his pro career on his home golf course at the Manitoba Open. The tourney runs from Aug. 21-24. 'We think the club has come so far and now we can really showcase that,' said Johnson, who remembers serving as a caddie the last time Breezy Bend held the tournament. 'The course has never been in better condition. It's just pristine.' This is the first year of a five-course rotation for the Manitoba event, which is scheduled to move to Elmhurst Golf and Country Club in 2026, Glendale Golf and Country Club in 2027, Pine Ridge Golf Club in 2028 and Southwood Golf and Country Club in 2028. Johnson recognizes that the course record of 62 — shared by three players, including Garth Collings, Stuart Hendley and Kelly Gibson — could be in jeopardy next week with the track stretched to nearly 6,800 yards and playing as a par-71. 'People love to see birdies,' said Johnson. 'We'd love to keep (the winning score) under a certain number if we can. That would be best. But these guys are so good and hit it so far, so they're going to shoot between 20 and 30 under-par for a winning score to beat.' On Tuesday, tournament director Brendan Baldwin revealed that Winnipeg Jets goalie Eric Comrie has received a sponsor exemption to play in the tournament. Comrie, whose index is just above three right now, joins a list of Jets players that have participated in the event that includes Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Morgan Barron and Dylan Samberg. Last August, Samberg established the best two-round total for a Jets player, finishing 74-80-154 (10-over par). Known for his affable personality, Comrie is also competitive by nature — though he's planning to soak in the entire experience. 'It's a little nerve-racking. I'm not a pro golfer, so I'm just going to go out there and try to enjoy it and have as much fun as I can,' Comrie said in a telephone interview. 'I love the game of golf and it's one of my favourite things to do in the world. I'm excited to watch these guys play, to see how they prepare, see how they work and just be around that atmosphere. I'm looking forward to it.' Comrie only started playing golf around the age of 20, but he's been a quick study, noting that his driving accuracy is one of his greatest strengths. With the rough expected to grow between four and five inches by next Thursday, keeping the ball in the fairway will be integral for all players. 'The golf course is fantastic,' said Comrie. 'I'm excited to interact with the fans and to play with a little bit of pressure. I love club championships and all of that stuff.' Comrie is expected to draw a crowd and the same can be said for Breezy Bend member Braxton Kuntz, a four-time Manitoba men's amateur champion who is set to make his professional debut at his home course next week. The last time a Manitoban won this event was in 1994, when Rob McMillan of Pine Ridge ended up in the winner's circle at his home course when he was still an amateur. After narrowly missing out on making the cut in each of his two previous times playing in the Manitoba Open, Kuntz is hoping to make it to the weekend. 'We want him to have the ability to feel comfortable out here. He's going to be able to map out his whole round and be a little more relaxed as he plays his first professional event,' said Baldwin. 'You're also going to have kids that are 15 or 16 years old that play in the Manitoba amateur, knowing that he's won that tournament and then seeing him here playing professionally. That can be a driving force for them in pursuing their golf career and have their dreams moulded off of Braxton.' Supplied Winnipeg Jets goaltender Eric Comrie hits a tee shot at the Royal County Down in Northern Ireland. Comrie will make his Manitoba Open debut next Thursday. Kuntz, whose lowest score at Breezy Bend is 8-under 64 (when it's played as a Par 72), wrapped up the amateur portion of his career on Tuesday at the U.S. men's amateur championship at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. Evan Nachtigall of Brandon will also be in the field after capturing the men's amateur title last month. One of the new twists for the tournament is the creation of a rink hole — a set up that has gained notoriety during the RBC Canadian Open — on the 132-yard, par-3 seventh at Breezy Bend, complete with rink boards and an enthusiastic atmosphere that will accompany it. 'We'll do a Prairie version of it,' said Baldwin. 'We wanted to do something that was unique, since it's a new host facility.' The Monday qualifier will be held at Elmhurst next week, with eight additional spots available to round out the field of 154 players. The Manitoba Open starts next Thursday, Aug. 21, with the 72-hole event wrapping up on Sunday, Aug. 24, in the afternoon. The field in Winnipeg has been historically strong and will be bolstered since there is no Korn Ferry Tour event. With just four events remaining in the 2025 PGA Tour Americas season, there will be plenty on the line. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'You're getting to a point where the top-10 becomes a little more solidified,' said Baldwin, noting there hasn't been a repeat winner on the tour yet this season. Folks under the age of 18 receive free admission, while parking is available at the RBM Gardens lot — where patrons will be given a 90-second ride on a golf cart to gain access to the property. CHIP SHOTS: Rhonda Orr of Southwood carries a nine-stroke cushion going into the final round of the Golf Manitoba Hodgson Financial women's senior championship at Glendale Golf and Country Club. Orr followed up an opening round of 79 with an 80 to hold a decisive edge over Cathy Derewianchuk of Glendale Golf & Country Club. Shannon Taweel of Elmhurst sits third, 12 strokes off the pace. In the men's senior championship, Todd Fanning of Niakwa holds a three-stroke lead over Dan Scanlon. Fanning carded a 2-under 70 on Tuesday, finishing his round by going 4-under during the final five holes, including an eagle on the par-5 14th. X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld Ken WiebeReporter Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken. Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. 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Winnipeg Free Press
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Bats heating up at Provincial Championships
It's hard to describe a Manitoba summer without baseball. At least, that's definitely the case for the 203 teams across the province competing in the Baseball Manitoba Provincial Championships, running now through early August. The baseball scene has grown substantially in the various communities across the province over the years, according to Jason Miller, executive director of Baseball Manitoba, and that growth is reflected in the continued expansion of the annual provincial championships. Jules Xavier / The Brandon Sun Files Week 2 of the Baseball Manitoba Provincials Championships starts Friday with the 13U, 15U and 18U groups in play. 'We've expanded our provincial events to include what we call Tier 1, 2 and 3 in the rural communities, and what we call Zone 2,' said Miller. 'And that has allowed smaller communities to host events that couldn't have in the past. We lowered the number of teams that attend each event, but we expanded the events so more teams, more kids get to experience events, and it brings new hosts. It gets really exciting when smaller communities host events, and it brings people from around the province to different locations.' Of the 31 provincial championship events overall, the first ones started last weekend with the 11U Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 competitions. Week 2 of the provincial championships starts Friday with the 13U, 15U and 18U groups. Miller says that before the pandemic, Baseball Manitoba hosted around 20 provincial championships, but efforts to include smaller communities have resulted in recent growth, a development he says the organization is proud of. 'It just continues to make our game more available,' said Miller. 'It continues to make our game out there and easy for people to see, easy to access when that many people play and there's that many events, and the word spreads.' For young players, Miller says provincials are important for keeping them in the sport, as their biggest drop-off in numbers is at the youngest age group. 'It really is a great experience for the young players and something that we hope that they'll remember for a lifetime, and hopefully they will continue to be a part of baseball in the future and into their adult lives because of these positive experiences as kids,' said Miller. For the older age groups, provincials later this summer carry added importance, as winning in the 18U, 22U and senior categories secures a place at the 2025 National Championships set for the third week of August. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'From the participants' perspective, the players get to experience an event rather than just a regular tournament,' said Miller. 'Perhaps they've been to tournaments throughout the year, but our provincial championships are most like an event.' As more smaller communities participate this year, Miller says hosting can build a legacy and benefit local ball programs through canteen and gate sales. 'From a host perspective, I get really excited about the passion and the commitment from the volunteer base to run an event like this,' said Miller. 'It really does build a community of people within the host committee, and then it usually provides a legacy for that town or for that site.'
