Sep 9, 2019
Pendrith continues torrid pace
Canadian is playing spectacular golf on the Mackenzie Tour, winning his second tournament of the northerly campaign on Sunday, Bob Weeks writes.
By Bob Weeks
Taylor Pendrith hasn’t been playing good golf this year on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada. No, it’s more like ridiculous, spectacular, amazing golf.
Pendrith won his second tournament of the northerly campaign on Sunday, taking the Mackenzie Investments Open in Montreal with a jaw-dropping score of 28 under par. That included consecutive rounds of 62 on Friday and Saturday. He almost lapped the field, winning by eight strokes.
“It was definitely the best week of tournament golf I have ever played,” said Pendrith. “I honestly don’t remember playing from the rough on the weekend, maybe once or twice, but my wedge game was dialled in, especially [Sunday].”
The 28-year-old is best known for hitting prodigious drives, but has worked hard over the last few years to round out his game. With his short game and putting showing great improvement, he’s able to take advantage of his booming tee shots and produce results that go deep into red numbers.
When everything is working together, his game is simply superb.
The rounds of 62 over the Elm Ridge Country Club course marked the second time this season that the Richmond Hill, Ont., native has set a course record. He posted that same score to establish a new low at the Edmonton Country Club in a stop there earlier in the campaign.
The latest win also established new tour records for lowest score relative to par and largest margin of victory.
Pendrith moved into second place on the tour’s Order of Merit as the Canadian caravan heads to London, Ont., for the season finale, the Canada Life Championship. He’s within $5,000 of leader Paul Barjon in what could be a significant race. While the top five finishers earn status on the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour, top spot gets a fully exempt spot while the next four are conditionally exempt, meaning they won’t necessarily get into every tournament.
“To be fully exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour next season would be a big relief,” said Pendrith, a member of Golf Canada’s Young Pro program. “There’s still work to do next week in London, I know it’s super close, there’s three or four guys who could do it, so there’s a lot of pressure but it’s just golf and I’ll go make as many birdies as possible and see how it ends up.”
Pendrith has been touted as a top prospect in Canadian golf since graduating from Kent State University in the same class as Corey Conners, but some freak injuries have limited his progress. It seems that with his body allowing him to play unrestricted golf and his maturity in how he plays, his game is finally showing through as many expected it would.
Don’t be surprised if his stunning golf continues into next week, next year and long into the future.