VICTORIA, B.C. — Drew Nesbitt delivered a career-defining performance Sunday at Uplands Golf Club, rallying to defeat fellow Canadian A.J. Ewart in a playoff and capture the 2025 Times Colonist Victoria Open presented by Andrew Sheret Limited.
Nesbitt erased a four-shot deficit with a 5-under 65 in windy conditions, pulling level with Ewart at 20-under 260 after regulation play. The 30-year-old from Horseshoe Valley, Ont., sealed the victory on the third extra hole, draining a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-3 ninth.
“I’ve been out here a little longer than some other guys, but I’ve dug deep internally and really tried to show myself that I can do this, that I’m able to play to my potential,” said Nesbitt, reflecting on a victory that underscores years of persistence on the professional circuit.
The win vaulted Nesbitt to No. 7 in the Fortinet Cup standings, setting up a pivotal week at the season-ending Fortinet Cup Championship at Morgan Creek Golf Course in Surrey, B.C. The top 10 players in the standings will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2026.
“Job’s not done,” said Nesbitt, who had his father, Dave, on the bag this week. “Just because you’re in a position to earn Korn Ferry Tour membership doesn’t mean anything is guaranteed. This tour is strong, there are good players, and anything can happen. My goal is to go out next week, play the best I can, and let the results take care of themselves.”
Nesbitt’s victory is his first in 21 PGA TOUR Americas career starts. He becomes the first Canadian to win this season and the fourth across the Tour’s two-year history, joining Matthew Anderson, Stuart MacDonald and A.J. Ewart as national champions.
It continues a strong campaign that already includes three top-10 finishes in nine starts — highlighted by a solo third at the Explore NB Open and a T4 at the ECP Brazil Open. A long-time professional, Nesbitt has never played a Korn Ferry Tour event. His lone previous PGA TOUR-sanctioned win came at the 2019 Mexico Open on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, where he also carded the Tour’s first-ever 59 in 2018.
He has also appeared six times on the PGA TOUR, including three RBC Canadian Open starts. His most memorable moment came at the 2019 Honda Classic, where he famously saved par from the water with his pants rolled up and shirt off, making the cut on the number.
Ewart, who began Sunday with a four-stroke cushion, settled for a runner-up finish after being denied a second career PGA TOUR Americas title. The 25-year-old from Coquitlam, B.C., still moved up to No. 12 in the Fortinet Cup standings, just outside the top 10.
Elsewhere, Costa Rica’s Paul Chaplet recorded a career-best solo third at 17-under, while Florida’s Brett Roberts finished solo fourth, improving from No. 60 to No. 39 in the standings.
Fortinet Cup leader Michael Brennan added another top-10 with a T5 finish at 16-under. Already a three-time winner this season, Brennan has clinched his Korn Ferry Tour card for next year.
