VICTORIA, British Columbia – Team Canada member A.J. Ewart followed a course-record breaking 59 with a bogey-free 5-under 65 in Saturday’s third round, extending his lead from three to four shots with 18 holes left to play at the Times Colonist Victoria Open presented by Andrew Sheret Limited. The 26-year-old from Coquitlam, British Columbia, sits at 19-under through 54 holes.

Fellow Canadian Drew Nesbitt posted a 64 to move into a share of second alongside Brett Roberts of Coral Springs, Florida, who fired the day’s low round with an 8-under 62, and Paul Chaplet of San José, Costa Rica, who turned in a 63.

“I told myself as soon as we finished dinner last night that it was over with. I got to enjoy it for a little bit, and then just wiped the slate clean,” said Ewart of his mindset after Friday’s sub-60 round at Uplands Golf Club. “I came out today, and it was a fresh day. Obviously, there were guys congratulating me, but I was able to stay in the present and continue to do that throughout the whole day. That's kind of why it worked out the way it did.”

Ewart stood his ground Saturday while paired with Fortinet Cup No. 1 Michael Brennan, an imposing playing partner who has won three of the last four PGA TOUR Americas events. Brennan began the day in solo second but slipped down the board with an even-par 70, dropping into a tie for 14th at 11-under.

A victory Sunday would give Ewart a chance to break into the Fortinet Cup Top 10 at a pivotal moment in the season. The 500 Fortinet Cup points awarded to the winner would project him to No. 6 in the season-long race for 10 Korn Ferry Tour cards for the 2026 season. Those cards will be handed out one week from tomorrow at the conclusion of the Fortinet Cup Championship at Morgan Creek Golf Course in Surrey, British Columbia.

“That’s our goal, to play on the Korn Ferry Tour,” Ewart said. “I’m excited to go out and try to get a win, but I don’t necessarily think it’s added pressure just because of what can come with it.”

Final-round tee times begin Sunday at 7:50 a.m. local time, with twosomes off No. 1 through 1:20 p.m. Ewart and Roberts will make up the final pairing.

Charting the leader

About A.J. Ewart (first/19 under)

 

• Carded a third-round 5-under 65 to get to 19-under and extend his lead from three to four strokes with 18 holes left to play. He hasn’t made a bogey in the last 34 holes.
• A win at the Times Colonist Victoria Open presented by Andrew Sheret Limited projects him No. 6 in the Fortinet Cup.
• As No. 25 in the Fortinet Cup, he entered the week as the leading Canadian on PGA TOUR Americas this season. Has recorded three top 10s (T3 in Colombia, T10 in Peru, T10 in Ottawa) and three other top 25s while making the cut in 10 of 14 starts this season.
• Last season, he finished No. 23 in the Fortinet Cup while capturing his first professional title at the Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open presented by Lake Country Co-op (August 18, 2024). He held that tournament’s lead or co-lead through 72 holes and finished at 17-under for a one-shot win over a trio of players that included eventual 2024 Fortinet Cup winner Johnny Keefer.
• Has been a member of Golf Canada since 2017; initially joined the team’s amateur squad from 2017-18 and 2022. Has been on Team Canada, as a professional, since 2023-24
• Played four seasons at Division II Barry University (2019-23); won a school-record 14 times, breaking the previous record held by fellow Canadian and current PGA TOUR player Adam Svensson
• Tied Adam Svensson’s school record of seven victories in a season during his junior year in 2022; finished inside the top-15 in each tournament appearance that season (13)
• Won the Jack Nicklaus Award as the top player in Division II golf as a junior (2022)
• Was just the second Division II player ever to win the Golfstat Cup, finishing the year with a 69.78 scoring average
• Began playing golf at two years old; got into the game through his father, who was a touring professional and now teaches golf at Burnaby Mountain Golf Course.

Competition notes

 

Course Setup: Par 70 / 6,420 yards; R3 average: 68.317
Weather: Sunny with a high of 18 (64). Wind from the west and southwest at 22-33 km/h. Play was suspended due to fog from 8:27 am to 9:50 am.

• Brett Roberts (Coral Springs, Florida) carded the day’s low round with an 8-under 62, highlighted by nine birdies against a lone bogey. He closed strong, birdieing three of his final four holes to jump 17 spots into a tie for second. It was his second-lowest score of the season, behind a second-round 61 that led to a solo fourth at the Commissionaires Ottawa Open presented by Lépine Apartments. The Florida State alum is currently No. 60 in the Fortinet Cup standings.
• Paul Chaplet (San José, Costa Rica) made nine birdies and two bogeys for a 7-under 63, climbing 12 places into the tie for second. By four shots, it marks his best weekend round of the season. He stands No. 56 in the Fortinet Cup.
• Drew Nesbitt (Horseshoe Valley, Ontario) strung together four birdies on the front nine en route to a 6-under 64, joining the tie for second and making it two Canadians inside the top two. Currently No. 39 in the Fortinet Cup, he has two top-five finishes this season: a tie for fourth at the ECP Brazil Open and solo third at the Explore NB Open.
• Mateo Fernández de Oliveira (Buenos Aires, Argentina), who closed Thursday’s opening round with eight straight birdies, produced another highlight-filled finish after a double bogey at No. 10. He responded with back-to-back eagles at Nos. 12 and 13, then holed a bunker shot for birdie at 14. Adding two more birdies coming in, he played his final eight holes in 7-under for a 6-under 64. Last year’s runner-up at this event, he sits T9 at 12-under.
• Fortinet Cup No. 1 Michael Brennan shot 70 Saturday for only his fifth non-sub-par round of the season (out of 54). He dropped from solo second to T14 at 11-under.
• Hole No. 7, the 513-yard par-5, played as the easiest hole at Uplands Golf Club on Saturday (-0.561 strokes under par).
• Hole No. 14, the 185-yard par-3, played as the toughest hole at Uplands Golf Club on Saturday (+0.258 strokes over par).