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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMEG ROBINSON OF PGA TOUR AMERICAS
\nDaniel Svard, of Sweden, sets up for a tee shot at the Manitoba Open on Saturday. Savard holds a two-shot lead heading into the event’s final round.<\/p>\n
Svard fired a six-under 66 on Saturday to move to 14-under through 54 holes of the PGA Tour Americas event.<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat start to the round with a birdie on the first hole and that got everything rolling. Nerves went away pretty quickly after that,\u201d said Svard.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was just in a great mood. It was a beautiful day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Svard just graduated from Northwestern University this past spring and got status on this tour by virtue of finishing 19th in the NCAA golf standings. The No. 1 player went straight to the PGA Tour, Nos. 2-10 went to the Korn Ferry and 11-20 came to PGA Tour Americas.<\/p>\n
The learning has only started for Svard, who was in contention through the first two rounds of his debut tournament last month in New Brunswick \u2014 only to struggle on the weekend and plummet down the leaderboard, ultimately finishing tied for 36th.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was completely overwhelming,\u201d he admitted. \u201cI was in a much better mindset and perspective today that I can definitely attribute to what I learned that week.\u201d<\/p>\n
Svard birdied six of his first 10 holes and was on the cusp of challenging the course record (seven-under), but settled for even par over his final eight. He\u2019ll play in Sunday\u2019s final group with California\u2019s Adam Duncan, who fired a third consecutive 66 on Saturday to get to 12-under.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a brand new thing for me on this level. Definitely had some experience in college, played in a couple final pairings and was fortunate to come out on top of most of those. I think I have a pretty good track record,\u201d said Svard, who finished tied for 31st and missed the cut in his other two events so far this summer.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \u201cI\u2019m just going to enjoy it to the fullest and see where it takes me and be proud of myself regardless.\u201d<\/p>\n Duncan is in his second year on the tour and had only made five of 17 cuts heading into this week \u2014 including just two of eight this season to sit 89th in the rankings.<\/p>\n What has changed so quickly?<\/p>\n \u201cI kind of think the course suits my game. I feel like I\u2019ve played just as good some weeks and missed the cut, which is crazy,\u201d said Duncan, who did have a 10th place finish back in June at a tournament in Kansas.<\/p>\n \u201cI think a lot of guys are struggling on the greens, and I\u2019m reading them very well. And I feel like I\u2019m driving it pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n The Colorado Christian University grad is looking for one more solid round \u2014 a fourth straight 66 would sure be sweet \u2014 to take a big step forward in his career.<\/p>\n \u201cHopefully this is the first of many,\u201d said Duncan.<\/p>\n Svard and Duncan will tee off in the final pairing at 1:15 on Sunday.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t MIKE DEAL \/ FREE PRESS Austin Greaser is alone in third at 10-under par, while fellow American Garrett Endicott and Taiwan\u2019s Chuan-Tai Lin are tied for fourth at nine-under. England\u2019s Harry Lord and Mexico\u2019s Jose de Jesus Rodr\u00edguez are tied for sixth at eight-under.<\/p>\n There were 16 Canadians in the field of 156 this week, and eight of them made the 36-hole cut. Etienne Papineau of Quebec leads the way at seven-under, which has him tied for eighth.<\/p>\n Winnipegger Braxton Kuntz, who was one shot off the first round lead after starting with a 65, followed up his second-round 72 with an even-par 70 on Saturday. He birdied the final two holes of the day to build some momentum heading into the final round and sits in a tie for 33rd.<\/p>\n \u201cOverall I\u2019m really happy with how I hit the ball tee to green compared to (Friday). And it was nice to end off on a solid note,\u201d said Kuntz, who got into the tournament by Monday qualifying.<\/p>\n Svard entered play this week 120th on the tour standings. A win would vault him close to the top ten, who all receive Korn Ferry cards at the end of this season, while getting inside the top 60 guarantees full status on PGA Tour Americas for next season. There are four tournaments remaining after this week.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m excited to see what the future holds,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Svard has quickly fallen in love with Elmhurst, which has more than held its own this week.<\/p>\n \u201cI love the strategic challenge. I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s the Northwestern brain in me or just the golfer. I love the course architecture and tucked pins and kind of the square greens that this course provides,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \u201cI think it\u2019s a different kind of challenge than what we\u2019re used to. And I think I just thrive on that kind of golf course. I enjoy being very creative and seeing it as more of an opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n The top player on tour this year, American Thomas Ponder, just made the cut at two-under and then struggled to a three-over 73 on Saturday, leaving him tied for 57th.<\/p>\n Svard isn\u2019t taking anything for granted \u2014 nor is he getting overly comfortable \u2014 by being in the driver\u2019s seat heading into Sunday.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone around here is an excellent golfer and they\u2019re here for a reason. Everybody has the ability to play a great round. it\u2019s not just the guys that are two or four shots behind me that have a chance to win,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n www.winnipegfreepress.com\/mikemcintyre<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Mike McIntyre Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMEG ROBINSON OF PGA TOUR AMERICAS
\nDaniel Svard, of Sweden, acknowledges some fans at the Manitoba Open on Saturday.<\/p>\n
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\nWinnipeg golfer, Braxton Kuntz, on the first hole at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club on the first day of the Manitoba Open which will run through to August 23rd. Reporter: Mike McIntyre 260820 – Thursday, August 20, 2026.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMEG ROBINSON OF PGA TOUR AMERICAS
\nDaniel Svard, of Sweden, watches a shot at the Manitoba Open on Saturday. Savard holds a two-shot lead heading into the event’s final round.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Reporter
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