Day wins Grey Owl golf tournament in playoff

Kolby Day was cruising to his first Grey Owl golf tournament title, until he decided to “make it entertaining.”

One of the most dominant starts in the 60-plus-year history of the event was erased in two holes.

But Day settled in, found his way into a four-man playoff at 2-under 142 and got the job done at Clear Lake Golf Course on Sunday.

“Any time you’re able to win a golf tournament of this stature (is special). This is the 64th year, and the list of champions is incredible out here,” Day said.

“Jay Thiesen has won it three times, Garth Collings has won it 11 times, to even get my name associated with that list is pretty nice.”

The Brandonite shot 7-under 65 on Saturday to take the lead into the final round. He started slow with a bogey on the second hole, but made back-to-back birdies on the fourth and fifth, then another on the ninth to make the turn 2 under.

“When you’re able to shoot 34 on a golf course, it doesn’t matter where, it’s always a good feeling,” Day said. “Got to the back nine and was able to make birdie on 10, which is very rare for myself.”

He bogeyed 13 but eagled 14, then narrowly missed a birdie look on 15 before rolling in three straight.

“The putter just heated up for me, good timing. It ended up being the perfect day,” he said.

It was his second time leading on Sunday. The first was in 2023 when Thiesen chased him down with a 69 to win.

Day knew he couldn’t play it safe, with Elmhurst members Patrick Perrin (66) and Dave Spurr (69), as well as Brandon’s Brady Nault (70) and Ross Sheard (71) close behind.

“I thought these guys were going to be playing aggressive. Obviously, they’re really good players,” Day said. “Pat won the mid am in 2023, Dave obviously just won the (Golf Manitoba) match play and Brady was playing awesome all day.”

Day made the turn 1 under and was in control, but turned perfect tee shots on the two par 5s on the back nine into disasters — a double bogey and a triple to evaporate his lead.

He had a chance to end it in regulation, lipping out a seven-foot putt for the win.

Sheard knew Day was headed for a playoff and waited around to caddie for him. But he didn’t wait for the playoff to start to start helping.

“He said, ‘You would have taken this at the start of the week, regardless of how you played in the first round and how you finished, so just reset,’” Day recalled.

“That’s what a great caddie can do for a guy.”

Spurr, Nault and Nick Myhre all finished the week 3 under, and four players made par on the first playoff hole, then Myhre and Nault bogeyed Hole No. 7 to bow out.

Day and Spurr parred the eighth, then Sheard delivered another key message.

“The approach shot into the green, I had 85 yards,” Day said. “Ross had hit a similar shot earlier in the day and he talked me through what he was thinking.

“It was perfect.”

Day hit it inside three feet, then hammered his downhill putt five feet past the hole, but made the next to seal the win.

Sheard shot 72 on Sunday, finishing one stroke out of the playoff.

Ron Cornell followed an opening-round 77 with a 1-under 71 to defend the Greyer Owls title.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com