GATINEAU, Que. – Team Ontario overcame a three-stroke deficit on Tuesday to avenge their runner-up finish from last year’s event and claim their 33rd Willingdon Cup, capping off a busy second round at the 120th playing of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO.
Dawson Lew of Toronto, Ont. led the comeback to help Team Ontario reclaim their place atop the annual Inter-Provincial Team Championship, negating an early bogey on his round by playing his next 10 holes at 5-under par to disarm Team Quebec of their lead and give his side the momentum they needed to win the title.
“It’s awesome,” commented Lew on the feeling of winning the Willingdon Cup. “I know both of the guys on the team, so it feels nice to be able to get it done with them,” he added. “We just wanted to play good on our own and kind of let the results take care of itself.”
Team Ontario was represented by Andre Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont., Eric Zhao of North York, Ont. and Lew. The trio combined to shoot 10-under par over 36 holes as Team Quebec settled in a tie for second with Team Alberta at 3-under par despite leading the field by three strokes at the start of Tuesday’s round.
Team Canada NextGen member Jager Pain of Woodbridge, Ont. was able to capitalize on easier scoring during Tuesday’s morning wave to wrap up the day with a share of the lead despite trailing by two upon entering the clubhouse. His ability to work around an early bogey at the par-4 second highlighted the 18-year-old’s ascension up the leaderboard on Tuesday, playing the following four holes at 3-under par with his dad on his bag.
All week, the focus between the two has been situated on consistently finding new ways to follow dropped shots with pars and birdies, with Jager going as far as drawing a blue goldfish on his golf ball to remind himself of the short memory needed to do so.
“It’s been a birdie mindset, trying to get as many birdies as I can and eliminating bogeys with strategy,” commented Jager, backing up his claims with 12 pars on Tuesday including eight-straight to close out his second round. He enters Wednesday’s third round in a deadlock with Zhu and Ryan Vest of Vernon, B.C. atop the leaderboard at 6-under par, crediting his play off the tee as the difference maker at The Royal Ottawa Golf Club.
“I just tried to play simple golf and not do anything crazy. There’s a lot of places you can’t miss out here, so I just tried to avoid those. I think playing steady golf all week is the way to go,” added Pain.
Vest – who teed off in the afternoon five shots off the pace – fired a bogey-free 67 to give himself a look at hoisting the Earl Grey Cup on Thursday as tougher conditions brought much of the field back into contention.
Thirteen players will start their third round within three shots of the lead after 18-hole leader Thomas Grenier of Thetford Mines, Que. laboured to a 3-over 73 finish just a day removed from setting a tournament scoring record. Grenier was unable to shake off consecutive dropped shots at Nos. 6 and 7, compounding his efforts with a double-bogey at 17 to start Wednesday’s third round a shot behind the leaders at 6-under par.
Team Canada NextGen members Ethan Wilson of St. Albert, Alta. and Isaiah Ibit of Orleans, Ont. sit two strokes off the lead and will begin their third rounds in a tie for fifth. Declan O’Donovan of Sydney, Australia shot a 3-under 67 on Wednesday to rise 23 places and join the duo. He’s ranked no. 348 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR).
The winner of the Earl Grey Cup will receive a direct exemption into several marquee events, including a spot in the field at the 2026 RBC Canadian Open. Additionally, the Canadian Men’s Amateur champion will lock up a place in the 125th U.S. Amateur Championship, set for August 11-17 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif. and will be fully exempt from local qualifying for the 2026 U.S. Amateur and 2026 U.S. Open. The winner will also be exempt into next year’s Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and will be able to defend their title, if eligible.
For the individual and inter-provincial team leaderboards following the second round of the 120th Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, presented by BDO, please click here.
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