Lutz has lots of work to do

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This article was published 23/07/2022 (1495 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jordy Lutz knows he’s going to have to crank up the aggressiveness today.

The 31-year-old trails Braxton Kuntz by 10 strokes entering the final round of the Manitoba men’s amateur championship after shooting 2-over 73 on Friday, leaving him plus-2 for the tournament.

A tumultuous front-nine — played on Elmhurst Golf and Country Club’s usual back-nine — that included three birdies and four bogeys, left Lutz feeling uninspired by his putter at the turn. While his ball-striking stayed true-to-form throughout Friday’s round, the flat stick never warmed up, leading to an uneventful back-nine and him with an ambitious climb heading into today.

“I’m going to have to change my game plan a little bit,” he said after his round.

Lutz uses a course management system called Decade while he plays. The strategic system offers him a target to shoot at based on a series of shot-distribution patterns.

Lutz said his settings are a “shotgun distribution” that could show him a target anywhere within 30 feet of the hole. To make some birdies and put himself in contention today, he’s going to have to hone his targets a bit more.

“I’m going to have to bring that in a little bit and start firing at a few more pins and get a little bit closer.”

But even with a double-digit deficit to make up, Lutz’ confidence hasn’t wavered on his chances of winning with 18 holes to play.

“Oh, yeah. This is Elmhurst, man. It’s a tough place. I’m going to have to do something pretty special tomorrow, but it’s doable,” he said.

Playing in his 12th championship, Lutz has been in the thick of things over his past few starts in this tournament, his best finish coming in 2019 at Quarry Oaks Golf Club, where he placed third after entering the final round trailing by five strokes.

“It’s a different golf course… (Braxton) hasn’t had his ‘bad round.’ And he might not, but, this is probably one of the tougher courses in the province and I don’t see it getting any easier. It’ll be firm, fast, and we’re all gonna have to come to play tomorrow and see who wins.”

The field was cut from 147 players to just 61 after the second round, with the top-57 and ties playing in today’s final round.

Justin McDonald won the tournament in 2018 and, after a late-round surge on Friday, has given himself an outside chance to capture another title, as he tries to make up seven strokes on Kuntz in the final round.

McDonald was even-par on his round and relatively out of contention walking up to the 14th tee box on Friday. A couple of bombs off the tee and a few surgical putts later, the 36-year-old finished his last five holes 4-under par, capped by a 40-foot eagle at the last.

McDonald posted a 4-under 67 and sits at minus-1 on the tournament.

“I said to (Adam) Guenther, who I was riding with, that I just wanted to get back to even after today, so nice little finish,” he said.

As a seasoned veteran would put it, McDonald said nothing will change in his game plan, as he prepares for what would be the comeback of his lifetime.

“It’s golf. We’re all amateurs for a reason,” he said.

“None of us do it for a living. So, see what happens and just keep playing and one bad swing, especially out here, when you put yourself in a bad spot you could literally make double on any hole.”

After winning his second-straight Manitoba junior men’s championship at St. Charles Country Club last weekend, Kuntz (minus-8) will look to secure his second-consecutive Manitoba men’s amateur championship today.

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jfreysam