Play Suspended at Canadian Tours BayMillls Open

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:38:30

"BRIMLEY, MI -- Curtis Malm of Naperville, IL set a new course record Thursday to take the clubhouse lead after the suspended opening round of the Canadian Tour's $150,000 (Cdn) Mills Open. The 24-year-old Tour rookie opened with a 4-under 68, one shot better than the previous Wild Bluff Golf Club benchmark, and leads Roger Harrison (Calgary, AB) and Scott Ford (Lake Worth, FL) by one stroke. Nine others, including Canadians Gord Chilton (Markham, ON) and Brian McCann (Mississauga, ON) are in the clubhouse at 1-under 71.

After the opening round was delayed two hours Thursday morning as Tour officials waited for heavy fog to clear, play finally began at the 7056-yard layout before thunderstorms caused two more suspensions later in the day. Play was halted due to darkness at 9:25 pm Eastern with 67 players still on the course. They will wind up their first rounds Friday morning.

Malm, who gained his Tour card at Winter Qualifying School last February, has played in the shadow of players such as former U.S. Amateur champions Hank Kuehne and Jeff Quinney for much of the season. Both also grabbed exempt cards in February before notching their first professional wins early in the campaign. While Malm admitted there was still a lot of work to be done before he makes a victory speech Sunday, he was optimistic with his start in northern Michigan.

"Everything here has been wonderful so far, but a 68 makes it even better," he laughed. "It was a nice stepping stone for me. I've thought to myself all year, 'If we can get our game together, we can beat these guys'."

With Kuehne and Steve Scott, who currently sit 1-2 on the Canadian Tour's Order of Merit, not playing in Michigan, the door is open for a number of players to close the gap on the money list. Malm feels it may as well be him, adding the timing couldn't be better for him to make a charge towards the top. Sitting 114th in earnings heading into this week, Malm knows he will need to improve his standing if he is to finish in the top 80 and retain his card for 2003.

"There are a lot of great players out here, and on given day half the field can win. The condition this course is in, I wouldn't doubt it if there was a 63 or 64 out here. But the way I've been hitting the ball, I feel I might be able to give these guys a run this week."

Former N.H.L. stars Grant Fuhr and Dino Ciccarelli received exemptions into this event but were still on the course when play was called Thursday.

Scores Thursday after the suspended opening round of the Canadian Tour's $150,000 (Cdn) Bay Mills Open being played at the 7056-yard, par-72 Wild Bluff Golf Club (denotes amateur)(67 players to finish rounds Friday morning):

1 Malm, Curtis Naperville, IL 34-34_68 -4
2 Ford, Scott Lake Worth, FL 33-36_69 -3
2 Harrison, Roger Calgary, AB 34-35_69 -3
4 Barber, Aaron Orlando, FL 34-37_71 -1
4 Chilton, Gord Markham, ON 35-36_71 -1
4 Christensen, Dave Elk River, MN 36-35_71 -1
4 Harris, Michael Troy, MI 36-35_71 -1
4 McCann, Brian Mississauga, ON 34-37_71 -1
4 Reese, Mikkel Chandler, AZ 36-35_71 -1
4 Rocha, Alex Orlando, FL 34-37_71 -1
4 Snelling, Justin Boise, ID 39-32_71 -1
4 Spallone, Sal Vero Beach, FL 36-35_71 -1
13 Buttar, Blair Leduc, AB 36-36_72 Even
13 Davey, Steve Pacific Grove, CA 36-36_72 Even
13 Gee, Bobby Dallas, TX 38-34_72 Even
13 Matthew, Craig Ile Bizard, QC 36-36_72 Even
13 Parker, Perry Dana Point, CA 38-34_72 Even
13 Serna, Antonio Mexico 37-35_72 Even
13 Warner, Jarrod Phoenix, AZ 35-37_72 Even
20 Fleming, Dave Metamora, MI 37-36_73 1
20 Flugstad, Brian Kenmore, WA 36-37_73 1
20 Johnson, Rob Terre Haute, IN 36-37_73 1
20 Mitchell, Michael Tequesta, FL 38-35_73 1
20 Smithson, Gary Grand Rapids, MI 38-35_73 1
20 Wood, Jeff Folsom, CA 39-34_73 1
20 Woodcock, Mike Chatam, ON 38-35_73 1
27 Devenport, Paul New Zealand 38-36_74 2
27 Forsman, Johan Sweden 39-35_74 2
27 Fritsch, Brad Manotick, ON 39-35_74 2
27 Johnson, Mark Helendale, CA 37-37_74 2
27 Kureluk, Jamie Calgary, AB 39-35_74 2
27 Veress, Zoltan Kitchener, ON 38-36_74 2
33 Chubb, Matthew Toronto, ON 37-38_75 3
33 Gillespie, Derek Oshawa, ON 38-37_75 3
33 Lee, Eddy Corona, CA 39-36_75 3
33 McKenzie, David Australia 38-37_75 3
33 Pence, Todd Cheney, WA 37-38_75 3
33 Schultz, David (A) St. Joseph, MI 35-40_75 3
33 Welch, Bill Traverse City, MI 38-37_75 3
33 Wright, Steve Toronto, ON 34-41_75 3
41 Grob, Mike Billings, MT 42-34_76 4
41 Lippert, Eric Monterey, CA 40-36_76 4
41 Manninen, Kevin Ishpeming, MI 38-38_76 4
41 Marseilles, Craig Maple, ON 39-37_76 4
41 Maunder, Eddie Whitby, ON 39-37_76 4
41 Omelia, Bryan Ireland 38-38_76 4
41 Smith, Tony Clovis, CA 38-38_76 4
41 Webb, Brennan Bracebridge, ON 37-39_76 4
49 Barnes, Andrew Phoenix, AZ 38-39_77 5
49 Levy, Jon Bloomfield Hills, MI 42-35_77 5
49 Miskolczi, Terry Toronto, ON 39-38_77 5
49 Stinson, Kyle Edmonton, AB 39-38_77 5
49 Vizina, Tom St. Ignace, MI 41-36_77 5
54 Hamilton, Jeff Sault Ste. Marie, ON 42-36_78 6
54 Mignone, Mark Mission Viejo, CA 39-39_78 6
56 Aude, JT Gaylord, MI 38-41_79 7
56 DeCorso, Bryan Guelph, ON 40-39_79 7
56 Doig, Ian Newmarket, ON 42-37_79 7
56 Havens, David Charlottesville, VA 37-42_79 7
56 Kalinowski, Bobby Scottsdale, AZ 43-36_79 7
61 Doohan, Todd Sarnia, ON 41-39_80 8
61 Gibbs, Jonathan Boise, ID 41-39_80 8
63 Kennedy, Dean Vancouver, BC 39-45_84 12
64 Kellogg, Chris (A) Traverse City, MI 44-41_85 13
65 Goble, Jeff Gaylord, MI 44-43_87 15
"