Braxton Kuntz might not have a Manitoba Open title on his resume like Rob McMillan, who won the tournament as an amateur in 1996, but the three-time reigning Nott Autocorp Manitoba men’s amateur champion is looking to put the experience he gained in the 2022 CentrePort Canada Rail Car Manitoba Open to good use this week at Southwood Golf & Country Club.
The 19-year-old Breezy Bend club member shot 4-under 140 in his PGA Tour Canada debut last year — the best showing by any local amateur playing on a sponsor’s exemption at the Manitoba Open in at least the past decade.
“It’s an accomplishment that I’m really proud of. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make the cut, but I was really close,” Kuntz said during Tuesday’s annual pre-tournament news conference at Southwood.
“Being one shot off just makes me more hungry to come out this year and try to shave a couple more shots off and finish higher on the leaderboard.”
Following the tournament, the Linden Christian high school grad will head to Muncie, Ind., to play his junior season for Ball State University after transferring from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La., where he competed as a freshman and sophomore.
“Just being able to compete in college the past couple of years, playing a couple of Canadian National events, it showed me I have the ability to compete with a lot of top college players and top amateurs so I think that’s a big confidence builder,” said Kuntz, who will tee off in the last group on Thursday at 2:40 p.m. CT.
“If I can go out this weekend and make the cut, it’ll prove to me again that I do have the game to compete.”
There is no doubt Kuntz has more than enough game to compete in his home province after becoming the first golfer to win three consecutive Manitoba men’s amateur titles since Todd Fanning (1990-92) and only the third to pull off the trifecta, joining Fanning and R.J. Reith (1935-37) in accomplishing that feat.
But missing the opportunity to play weekend golf by such a slim margin last August also gave Kuntz a look into just how stiff the competition will be when, or if, he does eventually make the decision to turn pro.
“Everyone is so good at a level like this, just one or two shots can be the difference between coming fifth, coming 15th, or making the cut or missing the cut,” said Kuntz, who estimates he has played about a dozen rounds at Southwood and is very comfortable with the layout of the lengthy 7,311-yard track.
“It’s just being intentional with every single shot on the golf course, not making too many dumb mistakes.”
And of course, that would include getting distracted by what will be a loud and raucous crowd at the par-3 “Party Zone” 17th hole.
“Last year I bogeyed it both times,” said Kuntz, who feels it was more the hole that got into his head than it was the large crowd of spectators cheering — or even booing — good and bad shots.
“I love the atmosphere, kind of play off the positive energy that they’re giving off. You know, just have fun with it. It’s a great setup that not a lot of other PGA Canada events have so just enjoying the moment and, hey, it’s not something I’ve really experienced before so just take it all in.”
In addition to Kuntz, there will also be a couple of other local golfers to cheer for in Winnipegger Ryan McMillan (Elmhurst) and Selkirk’s Travis Fredborg (Pineridge), who “Monday Qualified” for the tournament — along with Winnipeg Jets forward Morgan Barron, who will play on a sponsor’s exemption.
The trio of McMillan, Freedborg and Barron will play the first 36 holes as a pairing at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday and 2:40 p.m. for Round 2 on Friday.
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