Rain leaves trio leading National Capital Open
The first round of the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada National Capital Open to Support Our Troops had its fair share of wind and difficult conditions Thursday before a downpour halted play with 18 golfers still on the course.
That group will finish the opening round early Friday morning before Round 2 begins at the Hylands Golf Club. When play was stopped on Thursday, three golfers shared the clubhouse lead at 6-under-par 65.
“Six was not really in my mind today,” said Zack Byrd, the only coleader who played in the rain. “I really thought four was a great round, and did a really good job keeping the ball in front of me and out of trouble. To get six, I’m really happy with that.”
Byrd, from Greensboro, N.C., played his last hole in the pouring rain but managed a birdie.
Sharing the lead with him are Ross Beal of Canton, Ohio, and Matt Harmon of Grand Haven, Mich. Mookie DeMoss of Lynchburg, Va., was also at 6-under when he left his ball on the 18th fairway and sought shelter, electing to finish his round Friday.
“Without the wind, it was very favourable for the front nine, and if you just got it on the fairway every hole was a birdie look,” said Harmon, who had four birdies and an eagle on that front nine.
“It happened so quick. I got a couple of downwind wedges to a back pin, which is exactly what you want. I hit a three-wood on No. 8 from about 250 (yards), and it went to 10 to 12 feet (from the hole), and I almost knocked it in the hole on nine with my second shot.
“I didn’t drive the ball well on the back nine, but fortunately I made 4 from the fairway on the last hole, and I made a bunker shot for par on a par-3, so I was very fortunate to be bogey-free.”
The top Canadians on the day were Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., and Sarnia’s Matt Hill, who had Ottawa Senators forward Mark Stone as his caddy. Both golfers were two shots back, tied for sixth after 67s. Also in the group at 4-under was J.J. Spaun, who is the 2015 money leader on the Mackenzie Tour, with earnings in excess of $70,000.
“It was very tough, very windy, and you can’t miss fairways or greens out there,” said Spaun, from San Diego. “The wind definitely made it harder.
“I’m happy where I’m sitting right now. Anything under par I feel is really good, so to get to 4 was even better.”
The top five Mackenzie Tour money winners in 2015 gain status on the Web.com Tour next year. Spaun says that he doesn’t think victory every time out on the course.
“Just keep trying to do what I’m doing and eliminate mistakes. I’m not trying to win every event. If I can put myself into contention with nine holes to play, that’s what I want to do — be in the heat of battle with nine to play on Sunday.”
The top 60 plus ties after Friday’s second round will play on the weekend.