02 GOLF GUIDE 2025 M A N I T O B A
Summer 2025
PGA TOUR’S RISING STARS COMING TO BREEZY BEND IN AUGUST
2024 CHAMPION JOHN KEEFER.
W BY TODD LEWYS
PHOTO BY JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
hen the 2025 Manitoba Open tees off at Breezy Bend Country Club on August 21, the new venue will create a different experience for players and fans alike, says tournament director Brendan Baldwin. “With Southwood, the
“The course is going to be set up with sev- eral patron/hospitality areas right next to the action,” Baldwin says. “And ropes will also be set next to greens, with none in fairway areas. That will allow people to get up close and hear players and caddies talk over strategy for all kinds of different shots.” Drawing from the RBC Canadian Open, one of the par threes will be outfitted to produce a hockey rink-style atmosphere. “That will be the seventh hole,” he notes. “It’s going to make for a great viewing experience with the rink atmosphere and a green with more undulation that allows players to spin their tee shots back to the front from a corner of the green. It’s going to be an exciting hole.” He adds that the overall level of play is also going to generate plenty of excitement. “With the PGA Tour University creating a pathway to the PGA Tour, the caliber of play
on the PGA Tour Americas has gone up exponentially. Fans are going to get an up- close look at how all these talented young
into the fight because you won’t be able to overpower the golf course. That should make for some cool internal battles. Players to watch include Hunter Wolcott, Davis Lamb and J.M. Butler.” The Manitoba Open is not just about golf – it also has raised significant amounts for the True North Foundation, and it looks to continue that success in 2025. You can also volunteer and get inside the ropes while supporting the event and its efforts to raise money for the True North Foundation. Or, choose to play in the Official Pro-Am alongside one of the PGA Tour Americas’ talented players.
players play a golf course.” That talent is undeniable.
Last year’s winner, John Keefer (who has graduated to the Korn Ferry Tour), shot a second round 61 on his way to winning the tournament with a score of 26-under-par. In fact, the last three winners – Keefer, Hayden Springer and Parker Coody all beat the magical 20-under mark, Springer recording a score of 21-under, while Coody blistered Southwood with an aggregate score of 27-under. Both Springer and Coody are currently playing on the PGA Tour. “The tournament should be super exciting with the way Breezy will be laid out,” says Baldwin. “More players should be brought
course was more open and out in front of the players, which probably favoured longer hitters,” he says. “Breezy Bend is more mature and tree-lined with small, fast greens, so it’s going to be a more strategic course.” That should make for an extremely exciting event, with a wider range of players – even shorter hitters – in contention for the top prize on Sunday. Best of all, spectators will be in for a more intimate, interactive viewing experience.
To get more information or buy tickets for the event – it will run from August 21-24 – visit www.manitobaopen.com
Powered by FlippingBook