Going into the final round of the Manitoba Mid-Amateur Championship held at Quarry Oaks, Steinbach’s Doug Penner was four shots back, but the Steinbach Fly-In superstar made a heroic comeback, claiming the title after shooting a final round 65 and winning by two strokes.
“Very special,” Penner said after the match, still soaking in the moment. “I shot really low, a 65, and it’s hard to put into words. I started with a bogey, but then I coasted. I stuck to my strategy and had a fun time out there.”
The mindset
Throughout the tournament, Penner stressed sticking to his plan, something he says he did in the final round and was a big part of producing the victory. “Basically, keep it in play off the tee box,” he says with a grin. “Attack pins. Like I said yesterday, do your best on every shot, commit to every shot, and hope everything works out.”
Father-son, a winning combo
As his caddy, Penner couldn’t say enough great things about his son, who might have been the key to his success this weekend. “He calms me down, he gets me into the zone,” the proud father says, beaming. “Made some good reads. He helped quite a bit. He’s only 7, but he’s into golf, and he knows the game. Very special having him on the bag.”
Laser focused
“I didn’t look at the leaderboard until after I hit my approach shot (at 18),” Penner explains. “I was just trying to stay in the zone, each shot. Stay fully committed, and things worked out.”
The greater meaning
Penner has a special connection with Quarry Oaks, and being a representative of the Fly-In, he says this moment was a reason why he gave up fishing years ago to focus more on golf. “It’s amazing,” he says with a big smile. “It’s so hard to put into words right now. It’s very, very special.”