Baddeck, N.S. – Murray, Kentucky’s Patrick Newcomb shot a final round 8-under 64 on Sunday at Bell Bay Golf Club to win the Cape Breton Open, his second victory of the 2017 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.
The 27-year old came out of the gates on fire with an eagle and three birdies in his first nine holes to take the lead, then put the tournament away with two more birdies and a chip-in eagle at the par-5 13th to win by three over Dallas, Texas’ Kramer Hickok and Wilmer, Alabama’s Robby Shelton.
“Things have to go your way, and things really went my way today,” said Newcomb.” I had a couple of pitches that were going to be easy tap-ins that happened to fall in the hole. When you have stuff like that happen, it just makes for a special day and a special win.”
Already a winner earlier this season at the Syncrude Oil Country Championship presented by AECON, Newcomb bolstered his position on the Order of Merit and moved to No. 3, just behind Hickok and Shelton and in position to earn Web.com Tour status for 2018.
“The guys up here are so good, and beating great players means a lot. For me, over the last little while it’s been about staying within myself and staying patient, because I’ve been striking the ball so wall. If I stay patient and within myself, I think I can beat anybody,” said Newcomb, adding that his mentality is one he believes is common among his peers. “Robby and Max (Rottluff) and Kramer and Johnny (Ruiz), I think we all think that way, and you have to think that way, that you can beat anybody anytime.”
With the win, Newcomb becomes the first multi-time winner this season and the first since Dan McCarthy won four times – including the Cape Breton Open – in 2016. Newcomb also claimed victory on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica earlier this year at the Honduras Open presented by Indura Beach and Golf Resort.
Hickok notched his third runner-up finish of the season to go with a win at the Players Cup, while Shelton’s was his second of the year to go with a victory at the GolfBC Championship. Kentucky’s Hunter Stewart and South Carolina’s Will Starke finished in a tie for fourth at 15-under.