CALGARY — In cold and windy conditions at Country Hills Golf Club, Stoney Crouch heads into the weekend in contention for the third consecutive Mackenzie Tour tournament. This time, he’s in the lead after rounds of 63-67 at the ATB Financial Classic to take a one-stroke lead over three players.

“Today, the hole locations were tougher, it was colder, windier and I didn’t hit it as close, but I managed to make a few putts and played from the fairway,” said Crouch, a third-year pro. “I wasn’t struggling to make pars, and from 25 feet I was happy to just lag it up and tap it in.”

Entering the season with conditional status, Crouch Monday-qualified into the season-opening Canada Life Open, where he tied for 43rd. He had to wait until the HFX Pro-Am to make his next start due to the membership reshuffle following the Osprey Valley Open.

Since then, Crouch has played the best golf of his young career, playing in the final pairing in Halifax, tying for 17th after a final-round 75. He was in the third-to last pairing in Edmonton, on his way to a tie-for-sixth finish following a final-round 69.

“The last couple of weeks I’ve been right there, so I’ve learned what to expect,” said the Lipscomb University alum. “I know what I have to do, I can’t go shoot even-par and expect everything to be all right. You have to go play good golf, so the last few weeks, and learning from that, will help.”

Starting his round on the back nine, Crouch made back-to-back birdies twice during the round, on hole Nos. 12 and 13 and Nos. 3 and 4.

“You get used to playing in super-warm weather, but then you go out and it’s cold and windy (and) it’s harder to hit it close,” said the Odessa, Texas, native, who made par on the other 14 holes Friday. “My hands were starting to get a little solid toward the end.”

In a tie for second alongside Taylor Pendrith and Zane Thomas, Sam Fidone will play in the final pairing with Crouch on Saturday.

There are five Canadians in the top 10 heading into the weekend. In addition to Pendrith, Riley Wheeldon, Wil Bateman, Stuart Macdonald and Wes Heffernan are all tied for ninth.