WINNIPEG – There’s a three-way tie atop the leaderboard through the opening round of the Players Cup at the Niakwa Country Club.
Germany’s Max Rottluff, and Americans Jonathan Garrick and Sam Fidone all share the first round lead after carding seven under par 64’s.
Rottluff should consider himself lucky to be on the top after he hit a ball over the cart path, rolling it under a structure on the 18th hole. He still managed to save his par, getting up and down to record a par-four.
“After that shot I definitely did not deserve par.” said Rottluff. “So it was a bonus that I made it. But it was cool.”
Garrick birdied all of his first six holes and finished with a total of eight birdies and one bogey on his scorecard.
“It was a great start.” Garrick said. “I’ve had trouble in the opening rounds so to be in a good position and to be playing well is a lot of confidence moving forward.”
After making three birdies on the front-nine Fidone finished strong. He would birdie three of his final five holes to shoot a 64.
“The greens are relatively flat.” said Fidone. “They roll absolutely perfect. At the end of the day this is a tee ball course. If you’re hitting tee balls really well and you’re hitting fairways, you’re going to figure your way out around this place and be able to shoot a number.”
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Gunton’s Aaron Cockerill had the top first round score of the three Manitobans in the field. He ended the round in a tie for 45th place after shooting a two-under-par 69. He had three birdies and a bogey on his card. Beausejour’s Devon Schade, playing as an amateur, shot a 73 to sit at plus-2. Winnipeg amateur Jay Doyle sits in 136th among the 156 golfers. He’s at plus-3 after hitting a 74.
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