Braxton Kuntz makes Manitoba golf history with 4th straight amateur crown

Winnipeg’s Braxton Kuntz made provincial play history by capturing his 4th consecutive Manitoba Men’s Amateur Championship.

Kuntz, of nan Breezy Bend Country Club successful Headingley, won nan three-round arena by conscionable 3 strokes connected Wednesday astatine nan Rossmere Country Club.

Kuntz entered nan last information trailing by 2 strokes and it was a showdown betwixt Kuntz and Drew Jones of nan Shilo Country Club for each 18 holes.

Jones led by arsenic galore arsenic 3 strokes successful nan last round, and had a one-shot lead aft 16 holes. But Jones took a triple-bogey 8 connected nan 17th hole, while Kuntz made par for a three-shot plaything to springiness Kuntz nan lead for good.

The 20-year-old Kuntz parred nan 18th spread pinch a tap-in to sprout an moreover par 70 to decorativeness astatine four-under to triumph again aft a back-and-forth 3rd round.

“It was crazy,” Kuntz told reporters aft nan last round. “I’ve ne'er knowledgeable thing for illustration that. It was up and down. I was leading. He was leading. I was leading. He’d make 3 birdies. I’d make a couple. It was crazy.”

Kuntz is nan first golfer successful nan tournament’s much than 100-year history to triumph 4 amateur titles successful a row. Todd Fanning won 3 consecutive from 1990-1992 and five-time victor R. J. Reith pulled disconnected a three-peat from 1935-1937.

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“It’s incredible,” Kuntz said. “I haven’t really moreover thought astir it, moreover until now, but to beryllium capable to travel retired and play good capable to triumph each twelvemonth is thing I’m really proud of. Even though I mightiness not person had my champion worldly each time, I’ve really grinded hard, and stayed successful it, and been capable to travel retired connected top, which I’m, yeah, very proud to accomplish.”

Jones was nan only different golfer successful nan original 114-player section to decorativeness nether par arsenic a 75 near him astatine minus-one. Cameron McIntyre of nan Rossmere Country Club (72), and Ryan Blair of nan Elmhurst Golf & Country Club (70) tied for 3rd spot astatine plus-one.

It was Kuntz’s past changeable astatine a Manitoba amateur title arsenic he plans connected turning pro adjacent twelvemonth aft his elder play astatine Ball State University successful Indiana.

Kuntz qualifies for nan PGA Tour Americas Manitoba Open and nan 119th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship adjacent period successful Saskatoon. He missed nan trim astatine nationals a twelvemonth ago.

Kuntz, Jones, and Blair will dress up Team Manitoba astatine nan Canadian amateurs starting connected August 5.