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Garrigus bounces back for Canadian Open lead
TORONTO, Canada, July 27, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Robert Garrigus stormed to the
top of the leaderboard at the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open in Ontario on
Thursday, shooting a nine-under-par 63 to take a one-shot lead in a weather
disrupted first round.
The 40-year-old veteran revelled in the conditions at Oakville’s Glen Abbey
Golf Course to card nine birdies and nine pars in a flawless display at the
Jack Nicklaus-designed layout.
Garrigus was swiftly into his groove on the front nine, reeling off five
consecutive birdies from the second onwards to make the turn at five under.
Four more birdies, including one on the closing 18th, when he rolled in a
15-foot putt, capped a superb day.
The round was in stark contrast to Garrigus’s closing round 79 at the
Barbasol Championship in Kentucky last weekend.
“I went from my worst round of the year to my best round, which was a
surprise,” Garrigus said. “I hit a lot of good shots. It was a good day. Now
I’ve got to try and get ready for the rest of the week.”
Garrigus has a history of low-scoring at Glen Abbey. Last year he carded a
10-under-par 62 in the third round.
“It’s one of my favourite places, and it’s not just the golf course,”
Garrigus said. “It’s the people, the town, just the whole feel of it. I love
it here.”
Garrigus leads by one from Adam Schenk, who was alone in second place on
eight under after a 64.
Schenk moved into striking distance after a late charge which included
birdies on his closing three holes.
Chris Stroud was in third spot after a seven-under-par 65. Like Schenk,
Stroud had a flurry of birdies over the closing holes to thank for his
movement up the leaderboard.
Stroud rattled off birdies on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th holes, a blitz
of low-scoring that owed much to his red-hot putter. Stroud drained putts of
24 feet, 12ft and 11ft during his closing rally.
Four other players meanwhile were in the clubhouse on six under when
weather suspended play shortly after 8pm local time.
They included England’s Ian Poulter, who shot a six-under-par 66. Ben
Crane, Hudson Swafford and South Korea’s An Byeong-hun were also on six
under.
Ten players were in the clubhouse on five under. England’s Tommy Fleetwood
was also on five under with two holes remaining when weather halted play.
Fleetwood kickstarted his round with an eagle on the par-five second,
rolling in a monster 41-foot par.
However the good work was undone with a double-bogey five on the par-three
fourth before another bogey on the ninth put him one over at the turn.
Fleetwood rallied down the stretch, going eagle-birdie-birdie-eagle to move
to five under before play was stopped.
BSS/AFP/MRI/0847 hrs