Fredborg proves he’s a putt above the rest

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This article was published 20/07/2017 (3317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The biggest putt of Travis Fredborg’s life, a 25-foot uphill masterpiece on Thursday’s final hole at Elmhurst Golf & Country Club, was never in doubt.

“As soon as I hit it I knew it was perfect,” Fredborg said after his eagle on the ninth green clinched a 4-under total and his first Manitoba Men’s Amateur Golf Championship.

“I studied it pretty good. My caddy, Sly (Ruest) and I, looked at it from all angles and as soon as I hit it, I hit it right on the screws. It was perfect. It looked good all the way…

“I wasn’t trying to lag it up there. Uphill, barely breaking, it’s a putt you dream of for eagle all day long.”

The 21-year-old Selkirk product, who plays out of Pine Ridge, went toe-to-toe with two-time defending champ Devon Schade from Elmhurst during the final round.

Schade started the day with a one-shot lead but Fredborg took the lead with a two-shot swing on the 10th hole of the day, Elmhurst’s No. 1, and held on for the victory.

Schade was one shot back heading to the final hole.

“It’s a pretty cool feeling, I’m not gonna lie,” said Fredborg, who is transferring from the University of Nevada-Reno to play golf at the University of Arizona this fall.

“I won the (provincial) junior twice back in the day (2013, 2014) and I never — the way Schader’s been playing the last couple of years — I didn’t know if he was going to be beatable in this event. I mean, every time he came out he was lights out. Fairways, greens, he was making everything. I knew I had to come out today and put a good number together.

“Funny enough, I said, to my parents, to my caddy, to my brother… if I shoot 67 tomorrow I’ll win. Sure enough, I shot 67,” Fredborg said.

Schade, 22, two-putted to par the final hole (Elmhurst’s No. 9) and finished with a even-par 71.

He was 1-under for the tournament after startting the day with a one-shot lead over Fredborg and Eric Johnson.

Johnson faded with a 5-over 76 and finished fourth.

Ryan McMillan, the newly crowned 17-year-old provincial junior champion, fired a 70 Thursday and claimed third place with an even par total.

“I didn’t make any putts today. It was a big problem for me… It came to the final hole so it was a pretty exciting finish,” Schade said, who hails from Beausejour.

“Travis played really well today so congrats to him.”

Fredborg displayed a steady calm during the final round and was undeterred by the magnitude of the moment.

“Honestly, I had it in my mind all day that I could win,” Fredborg said.

“Not in a rude way, but I knew if I went out and played my game, I was going to be tough to beat out there. And it really kicked in when I birdied 12 and 13, I knew I was playing well.”

The Fredborg-Schade duel had a match-play feel to it.

“It was pretty cool, being in the moment and especially him being one of my better friends and both on the top of our games, kinda split ourselves from the field, just kinda 1 v. 1. It was a lot of fun,” Fredborg said.

“I had really good vibes. My first junior (title) was at Selkirk and Elmhurst and it just so happens that my first Amateur is at Selkirk and Elmhurst. It’s a pretty cool feeling.”

Schade said he felt the pressure of going for a three-peat.

“I was thinking about it all the time,” Schade said. “So, it’s tough. But you try to stay in the moment and take it one shot at a time.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14