Frederik Kjettrup opens up three-shot lead in third round of The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist

VICTORIA, British Columbia – Newcomer Frederik Kjettrup carded a 6-under 64 in the third round of The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist to move into sole possession of the 54-hole lead in his second start as a professional. Bupa Championship at Tulum winner, Clay Feagler, and Auburn graduate John Marshall Butler, share a tie for second at 16-under. Two players are tied for fourth at 15-under.

Denmark-native Kjettrup holds a three-stroke lead heading into Sunday’s final round at Uplands Golf Club. This week marks Kjettrup’s second start as a professional, as he made his professional debut at the U.S. Open last week after earning a spot in the field via Final Qualifying in Alpharetta, Georgia. The U.S. Open was Kjettrup’s first PGA TOUR-sanctioned start and fourth appearance in a professional event.

The Denmark native played as an amateur at the DP World Tour’s 2024 Hero Dubai Desert Classic (MC), 2023 Made in HimmerLand (T24/-7), and the Challenge Tour’s 2022 Frederikshavn Challenge - Presented by HESSEL (T8/-11).

The 24-year-old spent four collegiate seasons at Florida State University and graduated last month following a decorated career. Kjettrup was a three-time individual champion (2022 All-American Intercollegiate, 2023 Watersound Invitational, 2024 ACC Championship) at Florida State and earned his third All-American recognition this season after being named to the Division I PING All-America Second Team. He became the fourth three-time All-American in program history, alongside Korn Ferry Tour member John Pak and former teammate and PGA TOUR Americas member Brett Roberts.

After finishing No. 8 in the 2024 PGA TOUR University Ranking, the Florida State alum earned exempt membership into PGA TOUR Americas and conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour. Prior to playing in his second pro event this week, Kjettrup spoke highly of PGA TOUR University and what the program has meant to him.

“PGA TOUR University gives you a spot to play when you come out of college, which is great,” said Kjettrup. “I can’t really emphasize it enough how good that is. It is a great stepping ladder from your amateur career into your professional life.”

Before making his professional debut, Kjettrup represented Denmark numerous times in his amateur career, most notably at the European Amateur Team Championship for four consecutive years (2020-23), in addition to appearances at the World Amateur Team Championship (2022-23), the Bonallack Trophy (2023), and the European Boys Team Championship (2018). Kjettrup was part of the 2021 Denmark team that beat France to earn the country’s first title at the European Amateur Team Championship. He was also a two-year participant for the International Team in the Arnold Palmer Cup (2022, 2023), and was part of the 2022 team that beat the USA 33-27 in Switzerland.

Speaking of his homeland, Kjettrup says, “The national team at home [Denmark] has meant a lot to me in my career. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to go into the States, into college where I did, if it wasn’t for the Danish support team I had behind me in my junior days. That means everything to me, I wouldn’t be able to be here without them.”

Kjettrup is set to tee off at 1:05 p.m. PT with Clay Feagler. Final-round tee times begin at 7:15 a.m. PT and will run until 1:05 p.m. PT off the No. 1 tee on Sunday.

About Frederik Kjettrup (1st/-19)

Age: 24
Birthplace: Aabybro, Denmark
Residence: Tallahassee, Florida
College: Florida State University
Fortinet Cup (start of week): N/A

• Finished No. 8 in the 2024 PGA TOUR University Ranking to earn exempt membership on PGA TOUR Americas and conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour
• Made his professional debut at the U.S. Open last week after earning a spot in the field via Final Qualifying in Alpharetta, Georgia
• Started golfing at nine years old and only started to take the game serious at 13 years old; his brother, Nicolaj, got him into the game
• Grew up in Aabybro, Denmark and was the first one in his family to attend college in the United States (Florida State University)
• Played four collegiate seasons at Florida State where he claimed three individual victories (2022 All-American Intercollegiate, 2023 Watersound Invitational, 2024 ACC Championship) and claimed a team runner-up finish at the 2024 NCAA Championship
• Girlfriend Charlotte Heath plays professional golf on the Epson Tour after graduating from Florida State this spring
• His role model is Ludvig Åberg; believes he has a good head on his shoulders and admires what he has been able to accomplish in his professional golf career
• Won the 2021 Danish National Stroke Play Championship by seven strokes over fellow Dane Gustav Frimodt

Competition notes

Course Setup: Par 70 / 6,420 yards; R3 average: 67.42
Weather: Cloudy with a high of 71. Wind from the southwest at 3-15 mph with gusts up to 32 mph.

• Frederik Kjettrup holds the 54-hole lead at 19-under after back-to-back rounds of 64
• With a win, Kjettrup would be the first PGA TOUR University alum to win in his PGA TOUR-sanctioned debut after holding the 54-hole lead
• Kjettrup would join Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Ricky Castillo as the only PGA TOUR University alums to win in their PGA TOUR-sanctioned debuts
• Of the 25 players making their professional debuts this week, 14 made the cut
• Luis Gerardo Garza (T6/-14) is the low Latin through 54 holes
• Five players shot the low round of the day with a 7-under 63: Samuel Anderson (T4/-15), Drew Shepherd (T6, -14), Andrew Alligood (T9/-13), Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira (T9/-13), and Chris Crisologo (T20/-11)
• Vancouver, British Columbia-native Chris Crisologo (T20/-11) is the low Canadian through 54-holes; Crisologo is in the field via a sponsor exemption
• Neal Shipley (T16/-12), the low amateur at the 2024 Masters and U.S. Open, moved 16 spots up the leaderboard after carding a 6-under 64
• Hole No. 4 – the 194-yard par 3 – was the most challenging hole at Uplands Golf Club during the third round; averaging a score of +.140