Garrett Rank Wins 4th Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur with 18-Under 270

NHL referee Garrett Rank captured his fourth Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur Championship on Friday, finishing with a 3-under 69 to edge out the competition by one stroke.

Garrett Rank secured his fourth Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur Championship on Friday at Brantford Golf & Country Club, finishing the four-day event with a total score of 18-under 270. The 38-year-old official, who recently officiated his first Stanley Cup Finals, carded a final-round 3-under 69 to clinch a one-stroke victory. Rank broke a tie on the 72nd hole by sinking a 6-foot par putt after his approach landed on the back of the green, allowing him to navigate a successful two-putt finish.

Evan Nachtigall of Brandon, Manitoba, entered the final round as the leader but finished in second place. Nachtigall posted a 72 on Friday, dropping out of the lead after recording a bogey on the final hole. The competition concluded in Brantford, Ontario, located approximately 40 miles south of Rank’s hometown of Waterloo.

Historic Fourth National Mid-Amateur Title

This victory marks Rank’s first national mid-amateur title in a decade, following a dominant stretch where he won three consecutive championships from 2014 to 2016. With this result, Rank now holds five national titles, a collection that includes his 2012 victory at the Canadian College/University Individual Championship. The Waterloo native noted that winning a golf tournament is never easy and described the achievement of doing so four times as a significant honor.

Rank’s performance on Friday was defined by his composure on the final green. Upon seeing his ball come to rest on the back portion of the putting surface, he prioritized a lag putt to ensure a two-putt par. The resulting 6-foot conversion finalized his 270-stroke total and secured the trophy near his home region. He expressed that the ten-year gap since his last win made this specific victory in Brantford a memory he would cherish for the rest of his life.

Qualification for U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship

By winning the Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur, Rank earned a formal invitation to compete in the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. That event is scheduled to take place at Sand Valley Resort in Nekoosa, Wisconsin. The tournament will be held during the late September and early October window, providing the NHL referee another opportunity to compete at the national level before the primary hockey season demands his full attention.

Rank’s dual career as a professional hockey official and an elite amateur golfer reached a new milestone this year. In addition to his fourth mid-amateur crown, he reached the pinnacle of his officiating career by working the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time. His 69 on Friday served as the final statistical contribution to his 18-under par performance, separating him from the rest of the field in Ontario.

Final Leaderboard and Scoring Details

The final standings were determined by the narrowest of margins on the 18th hole. While Rank produced a 3-under par round to reach 270, Nachtigall’s even-par 72 left him one shot back. The pressure of the final hole caused a shift in the standings, as the overnight leader’s bogey coincided with Rank’s successful par save. This sequence ended the tie that had persisted through the closing stages of the back nine, ensuring the trophy returned to the Waterloo resident for the fourth time in his amateur career.