Hadley Maintains Lead at PGA Club Professional Championship

With the winds whipping around Bermuda’s Port Royal Golf Club, Brian Hadley had no choice but to grind one out if he wanted to maintain his PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada presented by Titleist & FootJoy lead heading into Thursday’s final round.

“It was definitely a grind out there today, but it’s always going to be a grind when the winds blow like 40 km/h,” Hadley said. “But at the same time it’s fun because you get to hit some shots you don’t normally get to hit.”

The 35-year-old’s two-day even-par total of 140 (72-70) sees him leading a talented field, however, Craig Hocknull sits just one shot back at 1-over after 2-under-par 69 in the second round. Gordon Burns, who lurks just three shots off the lead, will join Hadley and Hocknull in the final group Thursday.

While he’s never won on the national stage before, Hadley is no stranger to playing well in big events. Earlier this season he won the PGA of Ontario Championship for the third time since 2012. He also played in the 2013 RBC Canadian Open on the PGA Tour (after winning the Ontario qualifier) and shot a 59 (13-under-par) in the first round of the 2013 PGA of Ontario Championship.

The head golf professional at Thames Valley Golf Club in London, Ont., said he’s going to approach Thursday’s final round just like another other.

“I’m just going to go out there tomorrow and hit the ball well, try and make some putts and see what happens,” Hadley said.

Like Hadley, Hocknull admitted he’s just going to treat Thursday’s final round like every other round of golf.

“Golf is funny and sometimes it’s best to not really know where you stand because if you play your 18 holes, focus on what you’re doing there’s a pretty good chance you’ll end up playing better,” Hocknull said. “But if I know exactly where I stand coming down the stretch I may change a few things in my game.”

Lindsay Bernakevitch sits in fourth at 4-over, while Dave Zibrik rounds out the top five at 5-over.

For the full PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada presented by Titleist & FootJoy leaderboard, CLICK HERE.

The Inter-Zone Team Championship, which is comprised of four players per zone (and three scores per team counting), was handed Wednesday. Team Ontario (Hadley, Burns, Danny King and James Skrypec) captured the title.

In addition to the 54-holes of championship golf, PGA of Canada members have been treated to a number of off-course events as well, such as a players’ reception Sunday event at the Fairmont and a skins game shootout on the world renowned par-3 golf club at Turtle Hill on Monday after the practice round.

Designed by world-renowned architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1970, Port Royal underwent a significant renovation in 2009, which included a complete redesign. Port Royal is one of the world's premier daily-fee golf courses with immaculate course conditions and sweeping ocean views from nearly every hole. The most memorable feature of Port Royal is the signature par-three 16th hole, a classic Trent Jones work of art, marrying the natural features of the land with the designer's boundless imagination. Widely regarded as one of the greatest par threes in golf, the 16th is a 235-yard crescent-shaped masterpiece, showcasing breathtaking views of the clear blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Port Royal hosted the PGA Grand Slam of Golf from 2009-2014, seeing such winners as Adam Scott, Ernie Els, Martin Kaymer, Padraig Harrington, Keegan Bradley and Lucas Glover.

Former champions of the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada include Danny King, Adam Chamberlain, Roger Beale, Norm Jarvis, Gar Hamilton, Bob Panasik, Yvan Beauchemin, Graham Gunn, Ken Tarling and Brian Hutton.

To follow the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada presented by Titleist & FootJoy online throughout tournament week, visit pgaofcanada.com, twitter.com/pgaofcanada, instagram.com/thepgaofcanada and facebook.com/pgaofcanada