McMillan scorches Glendale to qualify for Manitoba Open

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This article was published 21/08/2023 (1074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s been six years since a McMillan last hunted pins in a professional golf tournament.

That drought will end this week when one of the youngest members of the locally-renowned golf family, Ryan McMillan, tees it up in the Manitoba Open at Southwood Golf and Country Club.

McMillan, the son of Dave and nephew of Rob and Darren, who have all played professionally in some capacity, qualified for his first pro event after scorching Glendale Golf and Country Club with a bogey-free 6-under 66 in Monday’s qualifying round, becoming one of eight late entries into the tournament.

The Winnipeg product finished solo third, one stroke off the pace set by Americans Eric Ansett and Christian DiMarco. Selkirk’s Travis Fredborg had a more eventful go of things after carding a 4-under 68, needing to outlast a 10-man playoff to earn one of the five remaining spots in the tournament.

McMillan, 23, and Fredborg, 27, join phenom Braxton Kuntz, who received a sponsors exemption after winning his third straight men’s amateur championship last month, and Winnipeg Jets forward Morgan Barron, as the local flavour in the field.

“I knew I had to post something with a six in front of it to even have a chance, which was kind of my thought going into today — just play aggressive, but also try to keep anything off the card that would be a big number,” said McMillan, who also began his career as the latest PGA of Canada professional apprentice on Monday.

“What I was expecting of myself wasn’t too much. Every round I play, I just go out there and make sure I have a good time. That’s always my first concern, is making sure I’m enjoying it out there.”

It will be the fourth time Fredborg competes in the Manitoba Open. His best finish (tie for 68th) came in 2014 when he made the cut as an amateur.

“I’ve found in the past that I’ve maybe put a little too much pressure on myself or one can say I tried too hard,” said Fredborg, who played college golf at the University of Arizona. “I know a lot of guys on that tour and tours above me and I know my game is right up there and I can compete with the best players in the world. So I’m just going to go do my thing.

“The main thing is just go have fun and let my game take care of the rest because I know my good golf is just as good, if not better, than everybody’s. I’m just gonna go out there and do my thing and have fun and enjoy a nice home game and, hopefully, make lots of birdies.”

Meanwhile, it’s the greatest achievement of McMillan’s young career.

He made a name for himself in the local golf scene as a teenager when he won consecutive junior championships (2017-18), then went on to Eastern Florida State College, where he played on the men’s team for four years.

McMillan has remained relevant at Golf Manitoba events each summer, consistently finding himself in the mix down the stretch, but had yet to break out since returning from college.

“It’s super exciting. I was a little bummed out that I wasn’t able to play the (PGA of Manitoba fall & assistant’s championship) at Elmhurst this weekend, but I also knew that I wanted to play in the Open qualifying… so I’m happy I made it worth it for myself,” he said.

“To play in the Manitoba Open is awesome. My dad played in it a number of years, my uncle played in it — my uncle won it — so just to be able to have my chance to go out there and compete in what they’ve played in before is awesome.”

The McMillan family rests in the annals of the province’s golf history.

Rob is the most renowned golfer of the talented bunch of brothers, owning three amateur championships locally and playing in 59 professional tournaments between the PGA (11), PGA TOUR Canada (six) and Korn Ferry Tour (42).

In 1996, Rob became the second player to win the Manitoba Open with amateur status after Jack Cuthbert won in 1924.

McMillan said he’ll likely reach out to his uncles at some point this week for a pep talk heading into Thursday’s opening round, but said he’s comfortable despite entering the biggest tournament of his life.

He said he’s played Southwood “a bunch” in his life. McMillan will need to lean on that expereince because he doesn’t suspect he’ll get a chance to play a practice round this week due to his new job.

“By me, (it’s) OK. The more fresh I stay is better for me. So I’ll do my mental notes, know what holes I need to pay attention to at Southwood, but yeah, same thing. Just go out there, enjoy it.

“I know I’ll have to shoot a few under for two days to make the cut and that’s kind of the big goal, is just make sure I get to the weekend. Make sure I’m going to get a paycheque and just try and play all four days.”

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jfreysam