Wes Heffernan and Khan Lee tied at -2 heading into final round of the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf
The battle for the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf is set for a dramatic finish at Bayview Golf & Country Club.
After two demanding days in difficult scoring conditions, two-time champion Wes Heffernan and Vancouver, British Columbia’s Khan Lee sit tied atop the leaderboard at 2-under par heading into Thursday’s final round.
Heffernan, the 2019 and 2024 champion, followed his opening-round bogey-free 66 with a tougher second-round performance as windy conditions and firm greens made Bayview an increasingly stern test for the field.
“I drove it very poorly today,” said Heffernan. “I probably hit two fairways today. Just out of position all day and struggling to get it close.”
Despite battling through an off day with the driver, the veteran from Calgary managed to keep himself firmly in contention entering the final round thanks in large part to the cushion created by his stellar opening round.
Meanwhile, Lee continued his steady play through difficult conditions to climb into a share of the lead. The British Columbia professional embraced a patient strategy throughout the championship, focusing more on avoiding mistakes than chasing birdies.
“Just try to keep it in the fairway and give yourself a look,” said Lee. “Just one step at a time.”
As the wind intensified throughout Wednesday’s back nine, Lee stayed disciplined and refused to force aggressive shots around the demanding Bayview layout.
“I wasn’t trying to make birdies,” Lee added. “Birdies are just kind of a bonus. Don’t get too greedy because it never works out.”
The pair will now enter Thursday’s final round tied at 2-under par, setting up one of the championship’s most intriguing final pairings in recent years - the experienced national champion against a player searching for his first national title.
They will be joined by Walter Keating from Whitewater Golf Club, entering Thursday one-off the lead thanks to a second-round 70 that included six birdies.
In addition to the individual championship battle, Wednesday also saw Team Ontario capture the Interzone Championship for the first time since 2015. The winning squad of Brad Kerfoot, Marcus Khaw, Daniel Kim, and Ryan Curran secured the title after two days of strong team play against five other zones.
The Birdie Juice Birdie race debuted this week – whoever makes the most birdies this week will walk away with a $250 bonus. Ryan Borg leads the way with 11 birdies, seven of them coming on Wednesday.
The final round of the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf gets underway at 7:30 on Thursday at Bayview Golf & Country Club.