Manitoba Open Returns to Elmhurst as PGA TOUR Americas Season Hits Final Stretch
SPRINGFIELD, Man. — The PGA TOUR Americas season resumes Thursday at the Manitoba Open, with five events remaining and a crowded points race determining which players will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2027.
The Aug. 20-23 tournament will be played at Elmhurst Golf & Country Club in Springfield, Man., marking the first time the Donald Ross-designed course has hosted the Manitoba Open since 1999.
The event carries a US$225,000 purse, with US$40,500 going to the winner. The champion will also receive 500 PGA TOUR Americas points.
For golf fans across Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, the tournament is one of the closest PGA TOUR-sanctioned events on the 2026 calendar and features several Canadians positioned to make a late-season move toward the Korn Ferry Tour.
Manitoba Open Has More Than a Century of History
The Manitoba Open dates back to 1919 and has been a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event since 2013.
Recent champions include current PGA TOUR players Johnny Keefer, who won in 2024, Hayden Springer in 2023, Parker Coody in 2022, Tyler McCumber in 2018 and C.T. Pan in 2015.
Last year’s event was held at Breezy Bend Country Club, where Theo Humphrey won a tournament shortened to 36 holes because of weather.
The 2026 edition is the 11th of 15 events on the PGA TOUR Americas schedule.
Thomas Ponder Enters Manitoba as Points Leader
Thomas Ponder of Dothan, Ala., arrives in Manitoba ranked No. 1 on the season-long points list.
Ponder moved into the top spot after winning the Explore NB Open and followed that victory with third-place finishes in each of his next two starts.
The third-year professional and University of Alabama product leads PGA TOUR Americas with eight top-10 finishesand averages 5.25 birdies per round.
His scoring average of 67.23 over 10 starts ranks second on the tour behind Lance Simpson, who has a 66.88 average through four events.
Ponder is also one of only three players to have made the cut in all 10 PGA TOUR Americas events this season.
Étienne Papineau Leads Canadian Charge
Étienne Papineau of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., enters the Manitoba Open ranked fifth on the points list.
Papineau won the Osprey Valley Open three weeks ago at TPC Toronto, defeating his opponent on the second playoff hole.
It was his first PGA TOUR-sanctioned victory since the 2023 Digital Commerce Group Open on PGA TOUR Canada and moved him up 22 positions in the standings.
Papineau became the sixth Canadian to win on PGA TOUR Americas.
The other Canadian winners are Joey Savoie, who captured the 2026 Kia Open de Ecuador presentado por Diners Club; Drew Nesbitt, winner of the 2025 Digital Commerce Group Open; A.J. Ewart, winner of the 2024 Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open; Stuart Macdonald, winner of the 2024 Diners Club Peru Open; and Matthew Anderson, who won the 2024 ECP Brazil Open.
Savoie is also inside the current top 10, sitting seventh heading into Manitoba.
Jack Lundin Remains in Strong Position
Jack Lundin of Sioux Falls, S.D., is fourth on the points list and has made the cut in all 10 events this season.
The third-year professional from the University of Missouri has recorded three top-five finishes, including two playoff losses.
Lundin joins Ponder and Connor Howe as the only players who have made every cut on PGA TOUR Americas this season.
Connor Howe Looking to Climb From No. 17
Connor Howe of Ogden, Utah, enters the Manitoba Open ranked 17th.
He has three top-10 finishes this season, including a tie for third at the Osprey Valley Open.
Howe finished No. 18 in the PGA TOUR University Class of 2023 after playing five seasons at Georgia Tech.
He was a teammate of current Korn Ferry Tour points leader Ross Steelman for two seasons, from 2021 to 2023.
Lance Simpson Making Fast Move After Turning Pro
Lance Simpson of Knoxville, Tenn., has not missed a cut since turning professional in June.
The University of Tennessee product has posted top-10 finishes in each of his last three starts and sits 16th on the PGA TOUR Americas points list despite playing only four events.
Simpson earned PGA TOUR Americas membership after finishing No. 11 in the PGA TOUR University Class of 2026.
His 66.88 scoring average is the best on the tour among the listed statistical leaders.
PGA TOUR Americas Top 10 Entering Manitoba
The top 10 players on the points list heading into the Manitoba Open are:
- Thomas Ponder, United States
- Corey Pereira, United States
- Patrick Flavin, United States
- Jack Lundin, United States
- Étienne Papineau, Canada
- Drew Doyle, United States
- Joey Savoie, Canada
- Patrick Sheehan, United States
- Dawson Armstrong, United States
- Riley Lewis, United States
At the end of the season, the top 10 players on the final PGA TOUR Americas points list will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2027.
That makes every remaining event increasingly important, particularly for players currently sitting near the cutoff.
PGA TOUR Americas Continues to Feed Players Toward PGA TOUR
Since PGA TOUR Americas launched in 2024, the circuit has become a significant development pathway toward the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR.
Johnny Keefer finished No. 1 on the PGA TOUR Americas points list in 2024 before later finishing No. 1 on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour points list and earning his PGA TOUR card for 2026.
Michael Brennan finished atop the PGA TOUR Americas standings in 2025 and later earned PGA TOUR membership by winning the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship during the FedExCup Fall.
The Manitoba Open therefore represents more than a standalone tournament. It is a late-season opportunity for players to move closer to the next level of professional golf.
Five Events Remain in 2026 Season
Following this week’s Manitoba Open, the PGA TOUR Americas schedule continues with:
- Aug. 27-30: CRMC Championship presented by Northern Pacific Center
- Sept. 10-13: Digital Commerce Group Open
- Sept. 17-20: ATB Classic presented by Building Trades of Alberta
- Oct. 15-18: Dominican Republic Tour Championship presented by Scotiabank
The 2026 PGA TOUR Americas season consists of 15 events in nine countries.
The season concludes in October at the Dominican Republic Tour Championship, where the final top 10 players in the standings will secure Korn Ferry Tour membership for the following season.
Why the Manitoba Open Matters for Northern Golf Fans
For Northwestern Ontario golf followers, the Manitoba Open offers a nearby look at players competing on one of professional golf’s key development circuits.
Winnipeg and the Springfield area are within the broader Prairie and Northwestern Ontario sports market, and the event provides an opportunity to follow Canadian players such as Papineau and Savoie as they pursue advancement to the Korn Ferry Tour.
With only five tournaments remaining, the Manitoba Open could have a significant impact on which players ultimately finish inside the season-ending top 10.
