Winnipeg’s Braxton Kuntz was left with a sour taste in his mouth following the second round of the PGA Tour Americas Manitoba Open on Friday at the Elmhurst Golf and Country Club.
Kuntz took a double bogey on his 18th hole to card a 72 to sit at minus-3, five shots back of the leaders. It was seven shots higher than his opening round 65 that had him tied for second place, just one stroke off the lead a day earlier.
The 22-year-old had two bogeys and a birdie on his front nine to be at one-over-par at the turn. He had two birdies on his next five holes but finished with a bogey, a par, and a double bogey as he slipped 38 places to sit in a tie for the 40th position heading into the weekend.
“I barely made it into the clubhouse the last few holes,” said Kuntz. “I made it really hard on myself, but yeah, I was proud of the way that I fought back after a rough start and got it going. And for whatever reason on my 14th hole of the day, I kinda lost it and was just grinding coming in. And I did a pretty good job of it until 18. That was a bit of a head-scratcher but that’s golf, it happens.”
Kuntz took a penalty stroke on his final hole after hitting his second shot over the green onto the driving range.
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“Obviously it was a bit of a sour taste in my mouth,” he said. “But at the same time, we’re only halfway through the tournament, fingers crossed. So, I got lots of time to get it back.”
The four-time provincial amateur champion was the only Manitoban to make the cut. Ryan McMillan shot a 74 to end his tournament at plus-9. And Manitoba men’s amateur champ Rory Neill fired a 78 to finish at plus-11.
There’s a five-way tie atop the leaderboard heading into round three with Austin Greaser (USA), Daniel Svärd (Sweden), Garrison Smith (USA), Adam Duncan (USA), and Chuan-Tai Lin (Chinese Taipei) all at minus-8. First round leader Drew Doyle (USA) dropped to 16th after shooting a 71.
Play had to be suspended briefly in the afternoon due to inclement weather. The cut line was minus-2. American Thomas Longbella had the best round of the day with a 63.
No Canadian has won the event since Graham DeLaet in 2009, and Rob McMillan was the last Manitoban to win the annual tour stop in 1996.
The Manitoba Open is the 11th of 15 stops on the tour this season. The winner of the tournament will pocket $40,500.
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