Uplands, Round 1: Who’s up front at golf tourney
Bayview Place DC Bank Open presented by the Times Colonist
Zach Wright, a former Louisiana State University golfer, ripped into Uplands like an LSU Tiger on a feeding frenzy Thursday to lead after the first round of the Bayview Place DC Bank Open presented by the Times Colonist.
Wright took a wicked bite out of the course with an 8-under 62, which was one ahead of fellowAmerican Blake Sattler’s 63.
Top Canadians were Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Aaron Cockerill of Gunton, Man., the latter ending the day with four consecutive birdies. The Canucks were both two back in a group of five at 64 and well positioned to make moves through the week.
Pendrith described his game as being in a “good place” and that it was “nice to put a round together.”
That he did. Yet nobody Thursday was able to put together a round quite like Wright’s.
“I hit a couple close and just had to tap them in,” said Wright, of the secret to his successful opening round.
“My putter got going after the seventh hole, and I made a few, and kept it going. I hit a bunch of fairways today, which made it easy, because it’s a short course.”
Wright had a swing at the higher pro-tier Web.com Tour last year before finding himself in the Canadian tour this season. He looks intent on getting himself back to the Web.com Tour, which is one step away from the PGA Tour.
The native of Phoenix, Arizona, who turned pro in 2016, continued his recent run of fine play. He finished tied for second, earning $17,600, last week at the Freedom 55 Financial Open at Point Grey in Vancouver, which was the opening event of the 2018 Mackenize TourPGA Tour Canada season.
Wright started the second event of the Mackenzie Tour in equally fine form Thursday in bringing Uplands begging to its knees. It’s just a blur when things suddenly start falling your way, he said.
“When you’re playing well, you don’t think about your score. You’re just looking for your next birdie,” Wright said.
“I tried to hit good shots and make putts today. When you know you’re playing well, it’s easy to come out here and have confidence.”
Veteran pro Wes Heffernan of Calgary, a 41-year-old who twice played in the U.S. Open and made the cut in 2011, was tied for eighth at 5-under 65. Jake Duvall, who got a sponsor’s exemption as Uplands club champion, used home-course knowledge to tremendous advantage in shooting a fourunder 66 to be tied for a heady 17th place among all the pros.
Jared du Toit of Kimberley — who earlier in the week at the Golf Canada national training centre on Bear Mountain was named to the Team Canada Young Pro squad with Pendrith — was tied for 22nd at 3-under 67. So was Eugene Wong of North Vancouver. Ryan Williams of Vancouver was at 68.
There were some familiar Island figures at 69 with amateur Kevin Carrigan of Royal Colwood and former PGA Tour Champions player Jim Rutledge of Victoria, who at 58 years old, knows he is the doyen of the young group of pros who have gathered at Uplands.
“It’s a different game now on the Canadian tour. It’s a tough, young crowd — these guys are hitting two irons 260 yards,” said Rutledge.
“From tee to green, I thought I played well today and overall was pleased. But I know I need to be aggressive and go low [in today’s second round] in order to make the cut.”
Nate Ollis of Victoria was even-par 70. An interesting group was at 1-over 71, including former top-prospect Riley Wheeldon of Comox, and Jimmy Jones, the latter the son of the late LPGA star Dawn Coe-Jones of Lake Cowichan, in just his second pro tournament.
The tee times for today’s second round run from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Those performers who make the cut will go through to the third and fourth rounds Saturday and Sunday at Uplands.