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By: Brendan Stasiewich, PGA of Canada
(Langley, BC) – Competing just minutes away from his home this week, Maxwell Cohen took advantage of being the first group on the course Friday morning, picking up where he left off after yesterday’s 65 with a 7-birdie 66 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf at The Redwoods Golf Club.
“It was very steady, I don’t think I missed a green until the 15th hole,” said Cohen, who teaches out of the Langley Golf Center. “I made a couple sloppy bogeys on 15 and 16 but finished strong birdie-birdie, so I’m happy with the day.”
It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that the top two players on the leaderboard after 36-holes both reside in the area. Cohen’s closest chaser, Beon Yeong Lee, who made an eagle on his last hole of the day to fire 64, teaches in Coquitlam at Scratch Indoor Golf.
“I feel very at home, I’ve played here a couple times before the tournament, but it’s nice sleeping in my own bed,” said Cohen. “Going home to my family every night, getting to see my little one, it’s a great area here.”
Cohen was able to take advantage of calm conditions in the morning wave. The skies opened for the final groups, who teed off around 2 PM, and the constant rain made scoring conditions difficult for the back-half of the field.
With the lead heading into tomorrow, Cohen is going to take things one-step at a time the rest of the way.
“Somebody said to me this morning ‘go shoot a low score,’ and I said, ‘I just wanted to hit a good first tee shot,’” said Cohen. “That’s been my thing; staying present. I’ve been in contention a few times this year but haven’t gotten the job done. So, I’m just going to try to hit a good first tee ball and go from there.”
A Callaway staff player himself, Cohen expressed his appreciation for how the company has taken care of him and his fellow PGA of BC pros the past several years.
“The past few years I have been with them have been really good,” said Cohen. “Kyle German, our rep, has taken care of us really well and we try to take care of him too.”
Though Cohen wasn’t on the PGA of British Columbia’s InterZone team, his pals from the province; John Shin, Steven Lecuyer, Nate Ollis and Douglas Morgan, were able to get the job done, claiming the trophy by 4 shots over the PGA of Ontario.
The victory for British Columbia ended a three-year reign for the PGA of Alberta.
Shaun Margeson turned his championship around in a hurry. After beginning the event 5-over thru six holes, Margeson has played the 30 holes since 8-under par.
Though not the performance David Li Sheman was looking for this week, sitting at +1, the PGA of Ontario pro managed to ace the 12th hole on Friday.
In addition to the $9,000 first place prize, a position on the PGA of Canada’s 2025 Four Nations Cup team is also on the line for the event’s champion.
The 14th hole this week was selected as the E-Z-GO It’s Good to Go Hole of the Week. All players who make eagle on the hole are entered to win a $250 bonus. Six players made eagle on Thursday, including: Braden Chown, Beon Yeong Lee, John Shin, Luke Bogdan, Finlay Young and Jordan Ells, while four players made eagle on Friday: Sean Ko, Khan Lee, Jimmy Han and Craig Titterington.
Final-round tee times begin at 7:30 AM P.T., with the final group set to tee off at 11:00 AM P.T.