Williams finds degree of comfort atop leaderboard at Point Grey
A cool morning didn’t stop a collection of early starters from getting out of the box hot in Thursday’s opening round of the Freedom 55 Financial Open, the first event of the 2018 Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada season at Point Grey Golf and Country Club.
Five players, all starting between 8 a.m. and 9:35 a.m., worked their way to the top of the leaderboard following the morning session at the well-appointed Vancouver course, led by Mackenzie Tour veteran Chris Williams, who carded a bogey-free 7-under 65.
“I’ve played well here in the past and it’s a course I feel comfortable on,” said Williams, who knocked one down from just over 100 yards out on the fifth, his 13th hole of the day, for an eagle. “I’ve played this tournament for five years now and every year I come back, I like it even more.
“Playing here and having a comfort level — knowing where to be and where not to be — goes a long way,” added Williams, who had three top-10 finishes on the Mackenzie Tour last year.
“It definitely helps knowing what you’re going to get. I came up here Tuesday and I didn’t really need to play the course, whereas other guys are scrambling to get out and play as much as they can. Having a comfort level is huge and it goes a long way.”
After finishing ninth on the Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit last season, Oklahoma State alum Jordan Niebrugge got his season off to a solid start, shooting a sixunder 66.
Following a bogey on his first hole of the day, Niebrugge rattled off four consecutive birdies to make the turn at 3 under and had it as low as 7 under after driving the green and dropping a 20-foot putt on the par-4 fourth for eagle.
Back-to-back bogeys on six and seven cost him a pair of strokes, but after steadying himself on eight, the 24-year-old from Bridgeton, Miss., got one back with a birdie on the ninth.
“I played some good golf today,” said Niebrugge, who carded seven birdies and an eagle over the opening 18 holes of his 2018 Mackenzie Tour campaign.
“When you’re on this Tour, you have to keep the pedal down. I made a couple bogeys there, but I was able to get one on nine, so that was big for me to get back.”
Making the first professional appearance of his career, University of Washington product Tyler Salsbury made a birdie on the first to help calm his nerves en route to shooting a 5-under 67.
“For my professional debut, I expected some jitters early,” admitted Salsbury, who joined the tour after a solid showing at q-school earlier this month. “Starting with a birdie on one really settled my nerves and I really got it going toward the end of the round.”
The first-time starter went 3 under over his final four holes, rebounding from a bogey on 13 to finish strong and land in a tie for fourth after the first day.
Thursday’s afternoon session wasn’t without its fair share of low scores, albeit no one was able to match Williams’ 65 from the morning.
San Jose State University product Cody Blick, who collected a pair of top-three finishes during last year’s three-event B.C. Golf Swing to begin the season, got off to a solid start by posting a 6-under 66 to earn a share of second with Niebrugge, one shot back of the lead.
“I guess I just feel at home out here,” said Blick, who missed a lengthy birdie putt on the 18th that would have pulled him level with Williams had it fallen. “I feel like this course really suits me. I’m 0-for-2 out here so far, so hopefully I have a good one tomorrow (Friday), but every year, you gain experience and course knowledge.”
Second-round play resumes this morning at Point Grey Golf and Country Club with the start times and opening holes swapped from Thursday’s opening round.
CANADIANS ON THE COURSE
A cadre of Canadians teed it up Thursday to open the 13-event Mackenzie Tour schedule, with a handful finishing the opening day within striking distance of the leaders.
In the morning session, Andrew Funk knocked down six birdies over his opening round, including one on the 18th to send him into the clubhouse with a 3-under 69, good for a tie for 14th through the first round, while Daniel Kim and Riley Wheeldon came in one shot back of Funk.
In the final pairing of the afternoon groups, Jimmy Jacobs, the son of late Canadian LPGA standout Dawn Coe-Jones, shot an opening-round 69 to draw level with Funk for top Canadian honours through the first round.
Former RE/MAX World Long Drive champion Jamie Sadlowski carded an opening-round 72, getting as low as 3 under at one point before scuffling to close out his first round on tour.
“I battled through the round to get it to 3 under,” said the St. Paul, Alta., athlete. “I’m a little rusty, but we’ll clean it up and have a good one tomorrow (Friday).
“Finishing with a double never leaves a good taste in your mouth,” he added, “but overall it wasn’t too, too bad. I left some shots out there, but it will be a better one (Friday).”
Jared du Toit of Kimberley shot a 1-over 73, but finished strong, carding birdies on each of his final two holes.
Playing here and having a comfort level — knowing where to be and where not to be — goes a long way.