Across the Atlantic, back to the Pacific and then back again. It has been some kind of September for Cheam Mountain Golf Course professional Kevin Stinson.
During a month of world travel, Stinson has played some of the best golf of his career, even with a set of rental clubs in Johannesburg, winning the Four Nations Cup after his golf bag was lost.
He’s now made 15 birdies through the opening 36 holes in St. Andrews, N.B., to pull within one stroke of Mitchell Fox, who leads the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada at Algonquin Golf Club.
“That’s why I’m in the association. To have those experiences, to go to South Africa and represent Canada and the PGA of Canada and then shoot back home for a quick pro-am and then come back out east for one of the biggest events,” said Stinson, who was the runner up at this event in 2021.
Following an eight-birdie 66 on Monday, Stinson made five birdies in his opening seven holes to take the lead from Fox. However, a flurry from Fox late in the round, as he did during the first round, gave Fox the lead right back.
“It felt good today, no bogeys and no holes where I had a chance to make bogey. It was cleaner today and I seem to like those last six holes,” said Fox, who has played the final six holes, which he has played eight-under par the past two days, including an eagle on 17 each round.
“I hit driver and had 270 yards to the pin in the back and had 60 feet and made it from there. A little different from yesterday,” said Fox, who hit it to a foot of the hole during round one.
The Inter-Zone Championship wrapped up after the second round, with the Alberta squad claiming the event for the second time in as many years – this time by 11 strokes.
The team of Wes Heffernan, Mitchell Fox, Jared Nicolls and Michael Harrison beat Quebec by 11 strokes.
Along with Fox, Heffernan played a large part in the team’s victory, firing a course-record 63 on Tuesday.
“It was one of those rounds where Kevin (Stinson) got off to such a hot start, so right away I was five, six or seven behind him,” said Heffernan.
“I had to get going so I made an eagle on No. 5 and played the par fives six under, which helps things, and I made a few putts coming in and signing for a 63 is pretty cool,” he said.
The final round of the PGA Assistant’s Championship of Canada will begin at 8:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday morning.
The leaderboard is here.
