Hogan makes most of receptive conditions at Open
Until lightning moved in — causing play to be halted with 27 players left on the course — playing conditions at Red-Tail Landing were there for the taking in Tuesday’s opening round of the Scott Venturo Alberta Open.
But Calgary’s Brett Hogan was the only player to really break through, shooting a near-flawless 6-under 66 to take a two-stroke lead over three other Calgary golfers — Bearspaw’s Scott Stiles, five-time Alberta Open champion Wes Heffernan and three-time Canadian Tour winner Dustin Risdon — and Grande Prairie’s Tyson Beaupre.
“Not much wind, the greens were rolling really well. If you hit the ball solid (Red-Tail) was definitely gettable,” said Hogan, 22.
Four others in the field of 96 are another shot back at 3-under: Edmonton’s Tyler Saunders, Stony Plain’s Jeff Murdoch, Canmore Stewart Creek’s Alex Large and Crossfield Collicutt Siding’s Riley Fleming. Play will resume at 6:30 Wednesday morning to finish Round 1. Weather permitting, the second and final round will then begin at 9:30 a.m.
Two shots off Red-Tail’s course record, Hogan’s 66 was about as high as the amateur could have shot. He had six birdies against no bogeys.
“I hit 16 greens in regulation and the two I missed were on the fringe. I played really well. It was a good ball-striking day,” said Hogan, who won last year’s Alberta Amateur at the Edmonton Petroleum golf and country club.
Had it not been for a couple of relatively short missed putts, Hogan could have easily gone deeper.
“You’re not going to make them all. I made a good 15-foot birdie on No. 7 and then, after a bad chip, I hit a clutch 8-foot par putt on No. 17.” Stock Report: Sandpiper’s Alicia Easthope shot an even par 71 at the Derrick Tuesday to take a one-shot lead over Windermere’s Erin Martens in the Edmonton Ladies Amateur. Windermere’s Keltie Wild is third after a 74. Rayna Oosterhuis is another shot back in fourth.