PGA TOUR Canada – 25-year old takes three-shot lead into weekend in Cape Breton

Second round Leaderboard – Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial
(Bold denotes Canadian)

1. Joel Dahmen – 69 (-13)
2. Stephen Gangluff – 68 (-10)
3. David Skinns – 68 (-9)
T-4. Mackenzie Hughes – 69 (-7)
T-4. Hugo Leon – 66 (-7)
T-4. Ryan Williams – 68 (-7)

(September 6, 2013 – Sydney, NS) – Clarkston, Washington’s Joel Dahmen shot a 3-under par 69 on Friday to take a three shot lead heading into the weekend at the Cape Breton Celtic Classic presented by PC Financial, leading by three shots over Marysville, Ohio’s Stephen Gangluff.

The 25-year old carded five birdies and an eagle Friday but made a double bogey at his last hole of the day to post a 13-under par total.

“Dinner’s going to have a little sour taste to it after a double on the last, but I’m hitting it really well and I feel good about my game,” said Dahmen. “I’m happy with the way I hit the ball and chipped whenever I did miss a green over the first two days.”

Dahmen started his day with a birdie at the par-5 10th, and made eagle after finding the green in two on the par-5 18th. He would reach 15-under par with birdies on the seventh and eighth holes before his drive at the difficult par-4 ninth found a hazard and led to a double. With two rounds to go, however, Dahmen said his focus was on the final two days of the tournament.

“It’s still Saturday and we’re only halfway home, so I don’t really feel like it’s that close yet,” said Dahmen. “We’ll just try and put in another good round tomorrow and we’ll see where that puts me.”

Three shots behind Dahmen was Times Colonist Island Savings Open winner Stephen Gangluff, who dropped to eighth on the Order of Merit last week after missing the cut, the first time he has been outside The Five all season. A shot further behind was Lincoln, England’s David Skinns, while in a three-way tie for fourth were last week’s co-runner-up Mackenzie Hughes, The Great Waterway Classic champion Hugo Leon and Vancouver, British Columbia’s Ryan Williams.

The second round was suspended due to darkness Friday, with one group left to finish Saturday morning. Play will resume Saturday morning at 7 AM, with the cut being made after. Round 3 tee times will run from 8:10 AM to 1:10 AM off the first tee in twosomes.

Hughes back in contention for tournament, The Five

With a 3-under 69 in round two, Mackenzie Hughes put himself in contention again at a PGA TOUR Canada event. The 22-year old has 3 top-10s this season and is within shouting distance of not only contending, but moving inside the top five on the Order of Merit.

“When you know you can finish high, that stuff builds confidence,” said Hughes, coming off a T-2 performance last week at The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial. “I’m coming here expecting to get back in position to win again. You don’t expect to be there all the time but you know you can, so that’s a big part of it.”

Hughes, the 2011 and 2012 Canadian Amateur champion, started the season with no status on PGA TOUR Canada but has played well on several sponsor’s exemptions and made it into the field this week via a top-20 finish last week in Peterborough.

Time to move inside The Five ticking away

With just six rounds left in the PGA TOUR Canada season, time is running out for players to hold their position or make a move inside The Five and earn Web.com Tour cards for 2014. That looming goal, however, is often too much to think about with tournament golf still to play.

“We have a lot of incentive at the end of the year with the top-5, and everybody’s looking at that,” said Order of Merit no. 3 Panzeri. “I’m inside it right now, but at the same time you can’t focus on that or it will overtake everything you focus on. I’m trying to do what I’ve been doing all year.”

Panzeri shot a 5-under 67 Friday, putting him in a tie for seventh.

Notes:

– With Tyler Aldridge outside the cutline, Brady Schnell is in position to become the only player to make the 36-hole cut in every PGA TOUR Canada event this season
– Dahmen’s 3-stroke lead is tied for the largest 36-hole lead on PGA TOUR Canada this season
– The Great Waterway Classic champion Hugo Leon had the best round of the day, carding a 6-under par 66 to sit 7-under par total
– Cape Breton’s own Peter Campbell was in position to make the cut, shooting scores of 71-73
– 62 players were in position to make the cut at even par as play was suspended Friday