Low scores par for the course at ATB Classic

Jeffrey Kang opened the ATB Classic with a 69 and followed it up Friday with the low round of the day — seven birdies and an eagle en route to a sizzling 64.

He's in a seven-way tie for sixth place.

Edmonton's Will Bateman has been shooting the lights out through the first two rounds of the PGA Tour Canada event at the Petroleum Club, but his 65-67 is only good enough for a share of fourth with Calgary's Jared du Toit.

That's how thin the margins are on this tour. If you aren't shooting mid-60s, don't even bother showing up because there is no room for you on the leaderboard.

“If you look at the scores too much, it kind of gets in your head a little bit,” said Kang, a 30-yearold from Los Angeles. “But if you just focus on the shot, on the hole, just try to make the best score hole by hole, it can add up to a lot of birdies.”

Going deep is the only option on the Canadian tour. With the talent waist-deep and the courses eminently gettable, there is virtually no room for error.

“You just have to keep the gas pedal down and try to make as many birdies as you possibly can and hope that guys aren't making more than you are,” said 36-hole leader Ian Holt, who made five birdies in six holes on the back nine Friday to cap off a 64-65 start.

“But you also have to let it come to you. The more you press the worse you're going to play.”

It's a delicate balance, trying not to to force it, but also knowing the consequences of shooting a 70.

“If you shoot 70, you're pretty much getting lapped,” laughed Holt.

He's not kidding.

In the opening event this season in Victoria, Scott Stevens shot 67-65-65-67 and it wasn't even good enough to win in regulation — he needed a playoff to beat Jake Knapp (66-67-68-63). Nobody in the top six shot a round above 69. Of the 40 rounds completed by the top 10 finishers, there was only one round higher than a 69.

Holt shot 68-66-69-67 and finished tied for 10th.

There just isn't any breathing room.

“There are a lot of good players out here,” said Kang. “Sometimes 69 is a good round, but if there are people behind you shooting 64s and 65s and they jump in front of you, there's nothing really you can do.”

It's a tough way to make a living, especially on a tour where the financial pie isn't very big to begin with.

Jacob Soloman shot 70-65-6968 last week and finished tied for 21st for $2,080.

Imagine being Davis Lamb and Joseph Harrison — they each shot 69-69 and missed the cut.

“The ones who miss the cut versus the ones in contention are still the same calibre of player, but a couple tough breaks, you don't see any putts go in and all of a sudden you're going home after two rounds,” said du Toit.