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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Last Manitoban standing beats Canadian Am rain

By: Tim Campbell

Posted: 08/10/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Derek East

HE had a little better luck with the weather on Thursday.

Now if only St. Charles's Derek East could get some putts to fall at the Canadian Men's Amateur Golf Championship near Ottawa.

East shot an even-par 72 Thursday at Camelot Golf and Country Club, just beating another downpour, and stands at even-par 216 through three days of the soaked tournament.

"The conditions were a little easier today," East said via phone Thursday. "That's why some guys went very low. My putts just weren't quite falling today, but I stayed patient."

East's patience was rewarded at the par-5 16th hole, where he holed his third-shot wedge from 100 yards for an eagle three.

"After burning the edges for birdies all day and having no bogeys in the last 11 holes, that was a good one," he said. "Really, I had a pretty stress-free round."

East certainly had a lot of work to do Wednesday.

He had to be in position on Camelot's fifth hole at 7 a.m. local time to finish his second round. He was pulled off the course for three hours after nine holes because of thunderstorms and had completed only 13 holes of that second round when darkness fell.

"On Sunday, I didn't get anything in for a practice round because of the rain," East said. "So I played 36 holes (both Camelot and club de golf Outaouais) on Monday."

Tuesday's first round saw weather delays too, though East was done earlier in the day and didn't get very wet.

As the only Manitoban of nine to make the cut at this year's Canadian Amateur, his play is a strong signal of maturity.

At last year's event in his own backyard at Niakwa and Elmhurst, he shot 11-over the first two days and didn't come close to making the cut.

"I would say a lot just had to do with experience," said East, who graduated with a business degree from Eastern Michigan University earlier this year.

East hopes to turn pro later this year, but said Thursday his most important task is a good finish today at Camelot.

He trails leader and defending champ Mackenzie Hughes of Ontario by 12 shots starting the final round.

"Twelve back is a lot, but I see some other guys shooting low scores and I'd like to do that myself and add some confidence."

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 10, 2012 C5

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