Kevorkian busts out of his slump in big way

You don’t see a lot of guys who are tied for the lead after the opening round of a golf tournament hoping out loud that they can make the cut.

“That’s true,” said Jake Kevorkian, whose 65 Thursday has him at the top of the Syncrude Oil Country Championship leaderboard. “But I’m sure most guys who are tied for a lead have not missed the last 15 cuts.”

True.

Kevorkian has been grinding his way through an agonizing twoyear slump he feared might never end. But another round Friday like the one he just posted at the Petroleum Club and those fears are over.

“It’s been a struggle the last two years,” said the 23-year-old. “I made the cut in the second event last year and have yet to make one since.

“It’s tough to stay the course when that happens. But there are some things mentally I did today that I haven’t in the past that really helped me a lot.”

Kevorkian made two eagles on the front and four birdies on the back en route to his best round of the season, tying him for the lead with Hawaii’s P.J. Samiere, one shot ahead of a six-man group at 5-under 65.

For Kevorkian, confidence has been just as big a challenge as the courses he’s been struggling on. But Thursday ’s round seemed very peaceful.

“I just had to kind of get out of my own way,” he said. “I felt overwhelmed the last 15 tournaments I played in. Working on the things that I can control out there was big for me today.”

So was an eagle on the 465-yard, par-4 seventh hole. After a 305yard drive, he jarred it from 160 yards out.

“A choke-down eight-iron,” he said. “A little lucky when it goes in like that, but it was fun.”

WHERE THERE’S A WIL

Edmonton’s Wil Bateman, who got into the tournament on a sponsor’s exemption, is making the most of it. He was one shot off the lead through 15 holes before the only blemish on his scorecard, a double bogey on his 16th hole (the 465-yard, par-4 seventh), derailed his momentum.

He’s still the low Canadian, tied for 18th in a big logjam at 3 under.

“I played really good all day,” said Bateman. “It sucks to finish the way I did and to miss a four-footer for birdie on 18. Finishing 4 under would have been nice. But I haven’t played all year, so if somebody told me I could have 3 under, I would have said absolutely. I wouldn’t even have teed it up.”

His said his game turned around when the weather moved in.

“I don’t know what it is about wearing a rain suit, but when I put on the jacket I just started hitting it a little bit better,” he said, joking that he might make it part of his standard equipment.

HE CAN’T MISS

Idaho’s Chris Williams was going all Bishop from Caddyshack on his final nine holes. His scorecard read: birdie, par, birdie, birdie, par, birdie, birdie, birdie.

“Everything you do is the right thing, golf seems easy at that point,” he said. “The ball goes where you’re looking and the putts go in.”

He was staring at a back-nine 29 before an unfortunate speed wobble on his 18th hole, a par 5, cost him a share of the lead.

STINGER SHOT

Tough round for Washington’s Alistair Docherty, who went into the bushes on No. 7 to play his ball and got attacked by a swarm of wasps. He took about four stings on his back, two on his arm and three or four on his face.

“There was a good 50-plus right in my face. I ran out of there pretty quick. I don’t know if I’ve ever moved that fast in my life,” he said.

He gutted out the rest of his round, minus a hat that he couldn’t wear because of the stings on his head.