Winnipeg Jets forward Morgan Barron suited up at the 2023 Centreport Canada Railpark Manitoba Open.
Winnipeg Jets forward Morgan Barron took to the tee boxes of Southwood Golf and Country Club this past week, as he suited up as the sponsor's exemption at PGA Tour Canada's Manitoba Open.
Mark Scheifele (2018, 2022) and Kyle Connor (2019) have also previously teed off with the pros, while Josh Morrissey (2021) was also invited to participate a couple years back, but COVID had other plans.
Barron, a Halifax, Nova Scotia product, began his two-day event rather strong, but fell down the leaderboard by the end of his opening round.
Paired with locals Travis Fredborg and Ryan McMillan, Barron was a +3 through nine holes, never exceeding a bogey score in the front half.
The 24-year-old finished eight-over through 18 holes on day one, shooting a very respectable 80.
"It was so much fun, I had a blast out there, I really did," Barron said following his second round. "Through the good moments and bad moments, it was a lot of fun."
Day two provided a tougher 'fore'cast for the Jets regular. He concluded his two-day event with a slightly lower 86, finishing with a tournament-high 166 total strokes. He missed the cut, finishing +22.
Winning the Manitoba Open was Texan Hayden Springer, who walked away with a score of 21-under, or 267.
"It gives me great insight into what these guys go through on a daily basis," said Barron, who had never golfed in front of an audience before. "I have a tonne of respect for them; it's a grind out there. Physically, I'm way more tired than I would expect, and especially mentally, I'm worn down. It was a grind for me to play two days. I can't even imagine doing it week in and week out, and the guys who make the cut play four. It's just really impressive."
A full gallery of Rusty Barton's photos of Morgan Barron can be found below:
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Proceeds from the Manitoba Open will again be sent to the True North Youth Foundation and its work through Project 11 in supporting the Mental Wellness Program at Camp Manitou – an initiative that helps teach children the game of golf. Last year, $115K was donated to the True North Youth Foundation. Dating back to 2013, the Manitoba Open has raised nearly three-quarters of $1 million for local charities within the province.