O'Brien takes lead after three rounds at Crimson Ridge

Following a one-under par 71 on Thursday, Terry O'Brien seized the lead at the 2005 Royal Canadian Golf Association Canadian Club Champions Championship at Crimson Ridge.

Two day leader Norman Bradley struggled in the third round with a 81 to move to +11 and a tie for eighth spot.

The final round goes on Friday with action concluding in the afternoon. Fans are welcome to attend free of charge.

Local product Frank Kucher, of the Sault Ste. Marie Golf Club, shot a third-round 77 to sit tied for 35th while Greg McLellan of the host Crimson Ridge Golf Club shot a third-round 89 and failed to make the cut.

The following is a press release from the RCGA:

*** TERRY O’BRIEN TAKES LEAD INTO FINAL ROUND OF CANADIAN CLUB CHAMPIONS CHAMPIONSHIP

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario – Terry O’Brien of Barrie, Ont. shot a third-round one-under par 71 at Crimson Ridge Golf Club to take a two-stroke lead heading into the final round of the 2005 Canadian Club Champions Championship, conducted by the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA).

O’Brien, representing the Tangle Creek Golf Club started the day in the third-last grouping but had his tee time pushed back as early morning lightning delayed the start of play for nearly three hours. Once play resumed, O’Brien fired four birdies including three straight on the front en-route to a share of the low round of the day.

“I hit a lot a good shots out there today and really got it rolling on the front,“ said the 24-year old, representing his home club at the Club Champions event for the third time. “My swing has been coming around the last couple days and I just want to come out tomorrow, not put any pressure on myself and hopefully keep playing well.”

Kevin Bryce of Mississauga, Ont., the three time club champion from the Lake Joseph Golf Club, fired a third-round 75 to find himself at eight-over, two shots back of O’Brien. O’Brien and Bryce will be joined in tomorrow’s final grouping with Gudmund Lindbjerg of Port Moody, B.C. who tied O’Brien’s 71 for the low round of the day. Lindbjerg sits tied for third with Harry Ferguson of the Windemere Golf and Country Club in Invermere, B.C. and James Chan of the Beverly Golf and Country Club in Ancaster, Ont. at nine-over.

Norman Bradley of the Kelowna Golf and Country Club held the clubhouse lead through the first two rounds but struggled with an 81 on the day to fall back into a tie for eighth at 11-over.

John Robinson of Sunningdale Golf Club in Thorndale, Ont. had the shot of the day at Crimson Ridge with an ace on the par-three 17th en route to a round of 80. Robinson used an 8-iron from 153 yards in recording the second ace in as many days on Crimson’s cavernous 17th hole.

Following Thursday’s round, the field was cut to the low 70 scores and ties with 71 golfers advancing to Friday’s final round at Crimson Ridge.

Sault Ste. Marie native Frank Kucher of the Sault Ste. Marie Golf Club continues to be the top local shooting a third-round 77 to sit tied for 35th. Greg McLellan of the host Crimson Ridge Golf shot a third-round 89 and failed to advance to Friday’s final round.

Crimson Ridge continues to prove a stiff test for Canada’s club champions as only three competitors shot even-par or better at the scenic Northern Ontario layout.

The following are third-round scores for Thursday, June 23, 2005.

1-Terry O`Brien-Barrie, ON-76-75-71--222 2-Kevin Bryce-Mississauga, ON-71-78-75--224 T3-Gudmund Lindbjerg-Port Moody, BC-78-76-71--225 -Harry Ferguson-Invermere, BC-78-75-72--225 -James Chan-Ancaster, ON-77-72-76--225 T6-David Markle-Shelburne, ON-74-76-76--226 -Victor Ciesielski-Cambridge, ON-83-68-75--226 T8-Trevor Meding-Innisfail, AB-72-77-78--227 -Norman Bradley-Kelowna, BC-70-76-81--227 T10-Paul Poulin-Newcastle, ON-78-77-74--229 -Phil Patterson-Prescott, ON-79-75-75--229 T12-David Kraemer-Delta, BC-79-77-74--230 -James McCallum-Kingsville, ON-73-78-79--230 T14-Rory Bondue-Comox, BC-79-77-75--231 -Jeff Hunter-Calgary, AB-77-73-81--231 T16-Ben Bandura-Selkirk, MB-81-77-74--232 -Glenn Robinson-Lower Sackville, NS-78-79-75--232 -Jeff Ferguson-Brockville, ON-77-71-84--232 T19-John Barnes-Woodbridge, ON-79-81-73--233 -Scott Markham-Winnipeg, MB-80-78-75--233 -Brad Revell-Kingston, ON-76-76-81--233 T22-Mike Tibbs-Winnipeg, MB-75-84-75--234 -Jim Finney-Calgary, AB-80-77-77--234 -Christopher Callihoo-Dorval, QC-77-79-78--234 -Darren MacPherson-Halifax, NS-76-78-80--234 -Winston Ivey-Toronto, ON-77-76-81--234 T27-Jim Charlton-Salt Spring Island, BC-80-81-74--235 -Luc Papineau-St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC-78-82-75--235 -James Boose-Ancaster, ON-80-79-76--235 -Todd Gerrard-Markham, ON-81-77-77--235 -John Robinson-Thorndale, ON-78-77-80--235 T32-Duane Schiestel-Wingham, ON-83-76-77--236 -Kelly Burnett-Winnipeg, MB-80-78-78--236 -Dave Kreway-Edmonton, AB-80-77-79--236 T35-Michael Walker-Winnipeg, MB-79-83-75--237 -Andrew Mitchell-North Vancouver, BC-80-80-77--237 -Frank Kucher-Sault Ste. Marie, ON-81-79-77--237 T38-Josh Dean-Richmond Hill, ON-80-81-77--238 -Mike Fernie-Burlington, ON-80-81-77--238 -John Sheldon -Tecumseh, ON-75-78-85--238 T41-Colin Snair-Kentville, NS-81-82-76--239 -Gérald Dufresne-Boucherville, QC-81-81-77--239 -Brandon Edwards-Peterborough, ON-80-77-82--239 T44-Derek Baldwin-Whitehorse, YU-82-80-78--240 -Jim McNeil-Beamsville, ON-84-78-78--240 -Paul Penman-Vancouver, BC-81-80-79--240 -Richard Boudreau-Ile des Soeurs, QC-81-77-82--240 T48-Norman Kalyniuk-Newmarket, ON-83-80-78--241 -Warren Clunie-Calgary, AB-83-80-78--241 -Danny Baldwin-Kanata, ON-81-78-82--241 -Jamie Peden-Penetanguishene, ON-80-79-82--241 -Robert MacDermott-Edmonton, AB-78-78-85--241 T53-Ryan McNall-Regina, SK-82-80-80--242 -Ryan Rutherford-Calgary, AB-84-75-83--242 T55-Mark Rice-Calgary, AB-87-77-79--243 -Andrew Hare-Waterloo, ON-89-75-79--243 -Ian MacDonald-Kitchener, ON-86-76-81--243 T58-Brian Gaetz-Porters Lake, NS-81-87-76--244 -Chad Post-Woodstock, ON-84-80-80--244 -Adam Martin-Port Colborne, ON-86-77-81--244 -Tyson Lemon-Nanaimo, BC-80-82-82--244 -Jeff Bray-Lennoxville, QC-82-79-83--244 -Robert Patterson-Burlington, ON-82-74-88--244 64-Jason Kerr-Medicine Hat, AB-89-77-79--245 T65-Mike Naus-London, ON-86-80-80--246 -Matt Quinney-St. Albert, AB-82-84-80--246 T67-Richard Ross-Markham, ON-92-80-75--247 -Geoffrey Butt-Vancouver, BC-83-81-83--247 69-Ryan Hennessy-Picton, ON-81-89-78--248 T70-Darren Anderson-Barrhead, AB-89-79-82--250 -James Duncan-Cedar Valley, ON-80-82-88--250 -Lee Drydak-Petrolia, ON-MC---- -Geoffrey Crofton-Vancouver, BC-MC---- -Ross Cormack-Nanaimo, BC-MC---- -Jamie Gordon-Crofton, BC-MC---- -Paul Butcher-Port Alice, BC-MC---- -Brent Bukovy-Thunder Bay, ON-MC---- -Gordon Rouse-Calgary, AB-MC---- -Howie Wark-Burlington, ON-MC---- -Carmen Giblett-Regina, SK-MC---- -John Simons-Calgary, AB-MC---- -Jim Pamplin-Gatineau, QC-MC---- -David Fader-Dartmouth, NS-MC---- -Chris Ingram-Brampton, ON-MC---- -Mike Butson-Minesing, ON-MC---- -Bob Faulkner-St. John`s, NF-MC---- -Josh Phillip Blatt-Winnipeg, MB-MC---- -Ken Carlson-Delta, BC-MC -Tim Sears-Moncton, NB-MC -Rick Grundy-Pickering, ON-MC -Scott McCallum-Forest, ON-MC -Lorne Nickle-Penticton, BC-MC -Pierre Desloges-Port Elgin, ON-MC -Ross Eisele-Cambridge, ON-MC -Renaud Perron-Sorel-Tracy, QC-MC -Greg McLellan-Sault-Ste-Marie , ON-MC -Mel Woodman-Corner Brook, NF-MC -Rocky Anderson-Parry Sound, ON-MC -Andrew Brown-Bancroft, ON-MC -Jeff Danylyk-Kitchener, ON-MC