McCumber wins on course his dad designed
Tyler McCumber wasn’t waiting around to see if it was meant to be or if fate would smile on him.
He wasn’t hoping for the stars to align or for the story to write itself.
Yes, his father Mark designed the Edmonton Petroleum Club, where McCumber held the 54-hole lead at the Syncrude Oil Country Championship, but the 27-year old was in no mood for a sentimental walk Sunday. He beat the hell out of that golf course.
McCumber reached out and grabbed the tournament by the throat, refusing to give anyone else even a faint breath of life.
He shot 30 on the front, finished with a course-record 63 and posted a two-shot victory for his second straight Mackenzie Tour win.
Only when it was over and the trophy was officially his did the killer instinct give way to the feelgood story of the week.
“It’s an honour,” he said of delivering a convincing triumph on a course that bears his family name. “It was just such a fun week. Just being here on the course and seeing all the things he talks about in course design, they did a great job with this course.”
It’s hard to imagine the old man being any prouder.
“I’m pretty sure he would be pumped to see me win anywhere,” McCumber said with a laugh. “But it does add to it.”
McCumber said he spoke with his father every night, looking for advice on how to navigate the tournament minefield, and it helped.
“He just reminded me about all the stuff I’m working on and said to go out there and keep the pedal down, don’t get ahead of yourself, but know that the guys are going to come after you and they did.” Did they ever.
The charges came fast and furious.
Patrick Fishburn started the day three shots off the pace and came out firing. He opened with four straight birdies to get himself within one shot of McCumber’s lead.
Greyson Sigg also went birdiebirdie-birdie-birdie to move from 9 under to 13 under, two shots off the pace.
At 1:51 p.m., there were eight players within three shots of the lead.
But McCumber was having none of it. He birdied six of his first eight holes, just missed a five-footer for 29 on the ninth and had a four-shot lead at the turn.
He never looked back. “With the good weather there were so many guys in the hunt who were going to make a run at it, which they did,” he said. “It was really important to get off to a good start and keep the pedal down and not let up. It was fun. I really had the momentum going.”
He had it going all week, shooting 67-68-65-63 for a 21-under total, two shots ahead of second-place Ian Holt, who also shot a finalround 63 and could only roll his eyes and look to the heavens when he realized it wasn’t good enough.
“The quality of play this year, I don’t even know how to say it, it’s been remarkable,” said McCumber. “Everyone is playing really, really well. I played good in the first few events, but was finishing 15th and 16th shooting 16 or 17 under. The guys take it deep every week. There’s been a course record set every week. I knew I had to get it to 20 under.”
McCumber, who is now 85 under par over his last five tournaments, has taken over top spot on the Mackenzie Tour order of merit, a position that would earn him a spot on the Web.com Tour next season.
Right now, he’s just looking to make it a three-peat this week in Calgary during the ATB Financial Classic.
“I’m very happy where my game is at,” he said. “I want to keep getting better every week and I do think I’m doing that. I’ve been working really hard on the mental side and I think that’s what separates the good play from the decent play apart from golf being tricky and tough. “It’s about staying aggressive and believing in yourself. It’s nice to be able to do that two weeks in a row.”