Joey Vrzich, Matthew Anderson tied for lead at Totalplay Championship

Joey Vrzich and Matthew Anderson share the co-lead after 36 holes at the Totalplay Championship at Atlas Country Club. This is the first time in their professional careers that Vrzich and Anderson have held a share of the lead heading into the third round.

Vrzich carded a 5-under 66 for the second consecutive day and is bogey-free through the first two rounds. Since making his professional debut on PGA TOUR Canada in 2022, Vrzich has finished in the top 25 six times, with his best finishes coming at the 2023 Windsor Championship and the 2022 Fortinet Cup Championship (T8).

The La Mesa, California, native started his collegiate career at the University of Nevada-Reno before transferring to Pepperdine, where he finished his career with the third-best scoring average in program history (71.07) and was a member of the Waves 2020-21 National Championship team. Vrzich finished 39th in the 2023 Fortinet Cup standings to gain membership into the inaugural PGA TOUR Americas season.

Anderson carded a 9-under 62 in the first round of the Totalplay Championship at Atlas Country Club to tie the course record. He earned PGA TOUR Americas membership after finishing 50th in the 2023 Fortinet Cup Standings. Prior to turning professional, the Mississauga native came off an impressive finish in his graduate season at the University of San Francisco, earning All-American honors after notching a top-15 finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships.

Third-round tee times begin at 8:05 a.m. and will run until 11:45 a.m. MT off the No. 1 tee on Saturday.

JOEY VRZIC (T1/-10)
Age: 24
Birthplace: La Mesa, California
Residence: Incline Village, Nevada
College: Pepperdine University
Fortinet Cup (start of week): T36

• Enjoys playing paddle tennis in his free time
• Began his college career at the University of Nevada, playing two years in Reno, before transferring to Pepperdine
• Brother Justin played four seasons of collegiate golf at Cal State-San Marcos (2017-21)
• Anderson Paak is his favorite musical artist
• Former roommates and close friends with fellow PGA TOUR Americas member and Pepperdine alum Clay Feagler
• Set a course record with a 13-under 59 at Rams Hill Golf Course in Borrego Springs, California

MATTHEW ANDERSON (T1/-10)
Age: 23
Birthplace: Mississauga, Ontario
Residence: Phoenix, Arizona
College: University of San Francisco
Fortinet Cup (start of week): T21

• Credits his dad for introducing him to golf at a young age, saying that he picked up the game when he was two and started hitting balls in his grandmother’s living room. Played his first round on an official golf course at the age of four and played in his first tournament at eight
• Finished 11th and earned All-American honors at 2023 NCAA Championships
• Played hockey for 12 years, shoots the puck left-handed but plays golf right-handed.
• Always carries four tees and his lucky Tito’s ball marker in his pocket when he’s playing
• Favorite sports team is the Toronto Maple Leafs, favorite athlete is Kobe Bryant
• Favorite musical artist is Drake, favorite song is “Butterfly Effect” by Travis Scott

COMPETITION NOTES

Course setup: Par 71 / 7,279 yards; Cumulative average: 70.630

Weather: Sunny with a high of 90. Wind from the WSW at 2-12 mph with gusts up to 21 mph.

Things to know:

• John Greco (T32/-4) shot the lowest round of the day, carding a 7-under 64
• This week’s cutline (-2) is seven strokes lower than last week’s cut at 5-over, allowing 61 players to advance to weekend play
• Five Canadians made the cut: Matthew Anderson (T1/-10), Thomas Giroux (T6/-8), Stuart Macdonald (T32/-4), Noah Steele (T41/-3) and Chris Crisologo (T46/-2)
• Four countries are represented in the top five: United States (2), Canada (1), Mexico (1) and Argentina (1)
• José de Jesús Rodríguez (Mexico) and Marcos Montenegro (Argentina) are the leading Latins at 9-under (T3). They lead a total of 18 Latin players who made the cut.
• Hole 9 – the 417-yard par 4 – was the most challenging hole at Atlas Country Club, averaging a +.360. Hole 15 – the 515-yard par 5 – carded 143 birdies and 11 eagles to make it the lowest scoring average at -.510
• Alan Wagner (T21/-5) and Alejandro Madariaga (T46/-2) are the two Monday Qualifiers to make the cut.