‘We are at the mercy of what Mother Nature wants to do’

The Manitoba Open has gone from a marathon to a sprint.

By now, the field of 156 golfers should have been cut to the top 60 and ties for the final two rounds of the 72-hole event. Instead, Mother Nature intervened, forcing organizers to scramble. The result is a rare two-day tournament, set to tee off Saturday morning and conclude Sunday evening.

“There’s only so much you can do when the rain falls that fast,” a disappointed tournament director Brendan Baldwin told the Free Press on Friday as he surveyed the soggy scene around him.

An estimated 2.6 inches of rain pounded Breezy Bend Country Club during an intense, slow-moving thunderstorm Wednesday night, adding to more than three inches that had already fallen the previous week.

The first round was scheduled to begin Thursday morning but was washed out, with huge parts of the course underwater. Ponds on the second and 18th holes even spilled their banks.

Course superintendent Craig MacLeod was on site shortly after midnight, with about two dozen staff members joining him by 4 a.m. They’ve been working around the clock ever since.

“He did some early preparation, like opening up some of the pumps to get the water moving out of the ponds so the course would have somewhere to drain,” said Baldwin.

“And then they just started squeegeeing, pushing water off the greens into the catch basins. They had about 10 pumps going. But the problem is, you run out of space to put the water. There was nowhere for it to go.”

The pumping continued all day and night Thursday, with the hope that the course could be ready in time to begin play bright and early Friday — the door remaining open to get all 72 holes in. However, it was promptly slammed shut by a lack of sunshine, wind and heat which didn’t help the drying process.

“We thought the elements would take care of it for us a bit,” said Baldwin.

A Friday morning inspection revealed large pockets of standing water, especially in the rough, which had grown out to nearly six inches. To “keep the integrity of the event,” PGA Tour Americas called off play for a second straight day.

That decision sets up a rare scenario where every competitor will make it to the weekend. There will be no cut, though only the top 60 and ties will collect prize money.

“Obviously there’s disappointment. And frustration, too. But it’s not something in our control. We are at the mercy of what Mother Nature wants to do,” said Baldwin.

The irony is that this had been a painfully dry summer until just recently, which led to Breezy giving the course ample water in recent weeks. Turns out you can have too much of a good thing.

Extending beyond Sunday wasn’t possible, as the tour shifts to Brainerd, Minn., next week with qualifying, practice rounds and pro-am events already on the calendar. Moving the event to another Winnipeg course wasn’t feasible either, especially with 200 volunteers already committed to Breezy.

“Maybe if it were a different style of event, there might have been an opportunity to make a change,” said Baldwin.

“But being part of the PGA Tour, there’s a certain standard and expectation. The players have obviously prepared for an event to take place at Breezy.

And so it will remain, albeit in a modified form provided the weather co-operates the rest of the way.

Players were able to practice Friday on the driving range and putting green, while crews kept working to dry out the course. Away from the fairways, they’ve also been finding ways to pass the unexpected downtime. The Winnipeg Goldeyes donated tickets for games Friday and Saturday night, while The Rec Room near the host hotel provided passes.

“It’s a good way for them to decompress, just in the sense they were ready to go (Thursday) morning. And this helped take their mind off things,” said Baldwin.

“I know some players actually went to the Golf Dome as well. We’ve had some small businesses step up too and say, ‘Hey, we’ll offer meals for the players if they want to come out.’ I think this all really showcases the support the players have.”

When play finally begins, Baldwin said fans could be in for one of the most unpredictable finishes in tournament history, which dates back to 1919. Catching lightning in a bottle and playing two great rounds could lead to a life-altering accomplishment for a player who might not have been able to sustain it for all four.

With just five events left in the 2025 season, including Winnipeg, the top 10 players on the points list will earn Korn Ferry Tour cards for next year — one step below the PGA Tour.

“I’ve talked to a few players who said it really changes their preparation. That there won’t be any sit-back time, they’ll have to go full throttle,” said Baldwin.

“Thirty-six holes still gives us a satisfaction of being able to showcase the course and what we were able to accomplish. And I think it just shows the true nature of everyone here at Breezy Bend and all the volunteers that we have, that everyone’s still committed and grinding it out.”

Plus, there’s the chance for weekend spectators to see Winnipeg Jets goaltender Eric Comrie play. Previous sponsor’s exemptions from the team (Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Dylan Samberg and Morgan Barron) were all cut after their first two rounds.

Saturday is family day from noon to 4 p.m., with all kids under 18 getting a free hot dog, drink and chips. Admission is free for children all weekend.

“A lot of times when people have come out (on the weekend) they’re only watching 60 or so players compete. Now, they’ll be able to watch all 156, including the Jets’ player,” said Baldwin.

Comrie tees off at 2:40 p.m. Saturday in a group that includes four-time Manitoba Amateur champion Braxton Kuntz, making his professional golf debut.

More tournament information, including tickets, is available at www.manitobaopen.com.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg