Oshawas Derek Gillespie Takes Lead After Opening Round of Greater Toronto Open
Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:43:13
Gillespie and Kirk lead Jerry Hinds (Orillia, ON), Ken Duke (Boca Raton, FL), Jarrod Warner (Phoenix, AZ) and 2002 U.S. Amateur runner-up Robert Hamilton (Carmichael, CA) by one stroke. Seven others, including Canadians Jim Rutledge, Rob McMillan, Jamie Welder and Zoltan Veress, are at 4-under 67.
Playing just a few kilometres northwest of his hometown, Gillespie tamed the 6722-yard, par-71 Mandarin G&CC with seven birdies and just one bogey. Thursday marked the first time Gillespie had a look at the entire course. On Tuesday, lightning suspended play during the pro-am, while Gillespie played just nine holes during a practice round Thursday.
"This is the first time this week I've had a chance to play all 18, and it is such great shape," said the 24-year old. "You just have to focus on every shot or you can get into trouble in a hurry. But I think the results today are what I've been working on for the last six months. Everything is coming along quite well."
Gillespie was teamed with 1998 U.S. Amateur champion and current Tour money leader Hank Kuehne, as well as defending TELUS Vancouver champion Iain Steel, on Thursday. It has been a breakthrough year for Gillespie, who won his initial professional event in May at the Myrtle Beach Barefoot Championship. There is an outside chance that Gillespie, with a win here, could catch Jeff Quinney for second spot on the Order of Merit, earning an exemption into the second stage of PGA Tour Qualifying.
"I've known for a long time that I can play this game, I just had to work on it. I'll go out this week and try to wrap up the season on a positive note. The game is so mental as this level, and you have to keep your emotions in check. I've grown up a lot in the past year, both with my game and as a person, and that has helped."
Kirk, who finished third at the Michelin Ixtapa Classic earlier this year, is in 25th spot on the Order of Merit heading into this week and is also looking for a strong finish. The four-time All-American at UNLV will attend both the PGA and European Tour Qualifying Schools later this fall.
"I think this course is a great challenge, and it's a superb track for us to finish the year on," said Kirk, who had a par-birdie-birdie start Thursday. "If you are planning to go to Q-school, this is the time of year you want to watch your schedule and manage your time well. You don't want to be going into a slump going into the fall."
The top three off the Canadian Tour's Order of Merit, plus the next two Canadians, after this week will also be exempted into the Air Canada Championship and Bell Canadian Open.
Scores Thursday after the opening round of the Canadian Tour's $150,000 Greater Toronto Open played at the 6722-yard, par-71 Mandarin G&CC (A-denotes amateur):
1 Gillespie, Derek Oshawa, ON 32-33_65 -6
1 Kirk, Michael South Africa 33-32_65 -6
3 Duke, Ken Boca Raton, FL 32-34_66 -5
3 Hamilton, Robert Carmichael, CA 32-34_66 -5
3 Hinds, Jerry Orillia, ON 33-33_66 -5
3 Warner, Jarrod Phoenix, AZ 33-33_66 -5
7 Corcoran, Rob South Windsor, CT 34-33_67 -4
7 Mackenzie, Will Greenville, NC 33-34_67 -4
7 McKenzie, David Australia 35-32_67 -4
7 McMillan, Rob Winnipeg, MB 35-32_67 -4
7 Rutledge, Jim Victoria, BC 31-36_67 -4
7 Veress, Zoltan Kitchener, ON 31-36_67 -4
7 Welder, Jamie Calgary, AB 33-34_67 -4
14 Barber, Aaron Minneapolis, MN 34-34_68 -3
14 Conrad, Bob Seattle, WA 31-37_68 -3
14 Drewery, Jonn Cambridge, ON 33-35_68 -3
14 Paniccia, Danny Fresno, CA 34-34_68 -3
14 Quiroz, Alex Mexico 34-34_68 -3
14 Ray, Conrad Hilton Head, SC 33-35_68 -3
14 Woodard, Stephen Charlotte, NC 34-34_68 -3
21 Belbin, Mike Sherwood Park, AB 33-36_69 -2
21 Chartrand, Dan Victoria, BC 36-33_69 -2
21 Correa, Larry San Diego, CA 36-33_69 -2
21 Faught, David South Africa 33-36_69 -2
21 Greenwood, Chris Valdese, NC 35-34_69 -2
21 Harrison, Roger Calgary, AB 35-34_69 -2
21 Howser, David Cordova, TN 34-35_69 -2
21 Lee, Eddy Corona, CA 34-35_69 -2
21 Maunder, Eddie Whitby, ON 35-34_69 -2
21 Parry, Bryn North Vancouver, BC 36-33_69 -2
21 Payne, Brian Chicago, IL 33-36_69 -2
21 Pelczarski, Daniel Pittsburgh, PA 34-35_69 -2
21 Price, Martin Collingwood, ON 32-37_69 -2
34 Buttar, Blair Leduc, AB 35-35_70 -1
34 DeCorso, Bryan Guelph, ON 35-35_70 -1
34 Fukushima, Kent Grande Prairie, AB 37-33_70 -1
34 Hearn, David Brantford, ON 35-35_70 -1
34 Johnson, Andy Orlando, FL 33-37_70 -1
34 Jonas, Philip Vancouver, BC 36-34_70 -1
34 Matthew, Craig Ile Bizard, QC 35-35_70 -1
34 McGuigan, Doug Langley, BC 34-36_70 -1
34 Scott, Steve Royal Palm Beach, FL 31-39_70 -1
34 Tiziani, Mario Chanhassen, MN 34-36_70 -1
34 Unk, Brian Cuyahoga Falls, OH 36-34_70 -1
34 Webb, Brennan Bracebridge, ON 34-36_70 -1
34 Wollmann, Chris Strongsville, OH 36-34_70 -1
47 Devenport, Paul New Zealand 32-39_71 Even
47 Doohan, Todd Sarnia, ON 34-37_71 Even
47 Enloe, Jason Dallas, TX 37-34_71 Even
47 Grob, Mike Billings, MT 37-34_71 Even
47 Harris, Michael Troy, MI 34-37_71 Even
47 Hood, Scott Aurora, ON 35-36_71 Even
47 Johnson, Rob Terre Haute, IN 31-40_71 Even
47 Kuehne, Hank Palm Beach, FL 33-38_71 Even
47 LaBelle, Doug Mt. Pleasant, MI 34-37_71 Even
47 Locker, Chris Columbia, SC 38-33_71 Even
47 Martin, Wes Calgary, AB 36-35_71 Even
47 Pettitt, Ben Coral Springs, FL 35-36_71 Even
47 Quinney, Jeff Scottsdale, AZ 37-34_71 Even
47 Riedel, Dennis St. Clair, MI 34-37_71 Even
47 Scaletta, Paul Richmond, VA 33-38_71 Even
47 Short, Kerry Vineland, ON 35-36_71 Even
47 Snelling, Justin Boise, ID 35-36_71 Even
47 Wright, Bryan Stanberry, MO 35-36_71 Even
47 Zwemke, Zane Aurora, CO 36-35_71 Even
66 Abbott, Matthew Endwell, NY 34-38_72 1
66 Bingham, Brett Red Deer, AB 34-38_72 1
66 Bohn, Jason Atlanta, GA 35-37_72 1
66 Doig, Ian Newmarket, ON 36-36_72 1
66 Driscoll, James Brookline, MA 36-36_72 1
66 Goti, Ramiro Argentina 35-37_72 1
66 Heffernan, Wes Calgary, AB 37-35_72 1
66 Hendershott, Dennis Brantford, ON 38-34_72 1
66 Ilic, Eric Chicago, IL 35-37_72 1
66 Kalinowski, Bobby Scottsdale, AZ 35-37_72 1
66 McCann, Brian Mississauga, ON 36-36_72 1
66 Nelson, Birk Portland, OR 35-37_72 1
66 Pleis, Steve Parrish, FL 32-40_72 1
66 Steel, Iain Malaysia 35-37_72 1
66 Sutterfield, Brad St. George, UT 34-38_72 1
66 Symons, Drew Woodstock, ON 32-40_72 1
66 Turpen, Tim West Palm Beach, FL 34-38_72 1
66 Valentin, Jerome France 36-36_72 1
66 Wall, Chris Dallas, TX 33-39_72 1
85 Anderson, Stuart Ft. McMurray, AB 39-34_73 2
85 Chilton, Gord Markham, ON 36-37_73 2
85 Christensen, Dave Elk River, MN 37-36_73 2
85 Corral, Jorge Mexico 36-37_73 2
85 Crouse, Eric Windham, ME 35-38_73 2
85 Fritsch, Brad Manotick, ON 37-36_73 2
85 Gentry, Brian Tahoe City, CA 37-36_73 2
85 Gibbs, Jonathan Boise, ID 38-35_73 2
85 Griff, Darren Salt Spring Island, BC 37-36_73 2
85 Johnson, Mark Helendale, CA 35-38_73 2
85 Kureluk, Jamie Calgary, AB 37-36_73 2
85 Mathis, David Raleigh, NC 36-37_73 2
85 Mijovic, Danny Toronto, ON 38-35_73 2
85 Rocha, Alex Brazil 39-34_73 2
85 Walsh, Billy Unionville, ON 33-40_73 2
85 Woodcock, Mike Chatam, ON 37-36_73 2
101 Belbin, Chad Kamloops, BC 36-38_74 3
101 Bock, Duane Morganton, NC 36-38_74 3
101 Butcher, Rodney Tampa, FL 36-38_74 3
101 Chilenskas, Matthew Mamaroneck, NY 37-37_74 3
101 Davey, Steve Pacific Grove, CA 37-37_74 3
101 Dillon, Ryan Aiken, SC 35-39_74 3
101 Flugstad, Brian Seattle, WA 37-37_74 3
101 Ford, Scott Lake Worth, FL 36-38_74 3
101 Marseilles, Craig Maple, ON 34-40_74 3
101 Massey, Rich Harrington Park, NJ 38-36_74 3
101 Smith, Neale Australia 37-37_74 3
101 Spallone, Sal Vero Beach, FL 38-36_74 3
101 Stinson, Kyle Edmonton, AB 36-38_74 3
114 Blais, Jerome Sherbrooke, QC 35-40_75 4
114 Chinner, Ashley Toronto, ON 38-37_75 4
114 Kral, Scotty Victoria, BC 36-39_75 4
114 Parker, Perry Dana Point, CA 38-37_75 4
114 Petty, Mayson Charlotte, NC 37-38_75 4
114 Sobottka, Paul (A) Thornhill, ON 37-38_75 4
114 Sung, Steve Markham, ON 36-39_75 4
114 Wood, Jeff Fortuna, CA 36-39_75 4
122 Burns, Gordon Scarborough, ON 38-38_76 5
122 Halldorson, Dan Brandon, MB 39-37_76 5
122 Short, Adam Vineland, ON 35-41_76 5
122 Yeung, Alvin (A) Markham, ON 36-40_76 5
126 Beauchemin, Bob Brampton, ON 39-38_77 6
126 Church, Dan North York, ON 36-41_77 6
126 Daniel, Matt Richmond, BC 38-39_77 6
126 Hegler, Graham London, ON 39-38_77 6
126 Miskolczi, Terry Toronto, ON 37-40_77 6
126 Springer, Jerry West Palm Beach, FL 35-42_77 6
132 Gerrard, Todd (A) Markham, ON 36-42_78 7
132 Kovacs, Kyle Sherman Oaks, CA 40-38_78 7
132 Lewis, Greg Dundas, ON 40-38_78 7
132 Matyczuk, Davidson Thunder Bay, ON 40-38_78 7
132 Reinhart, Dwight Renfrew, ON 36-42_78 7
137 Ayers, Dirk Sarasota, FL 37-42_79 8
137 Edwards, Jamie Kincardine, ON 43-36_79 8
137 Fisher, Jason Bakersfield, CA 39-40_79 8
137 Goetze, Nick Tampa, FL 37-42_79 8
137 Sealy, Craig Pickering, Ont. 39-40_79 8
137 Trenholme, Jamie Aurora, ON 39-40_79 8
143 Gutschewski, Scott Omaha, NE 38-42_80 9
143 Karr, Jim Jupiter, FL 40-40_80 9
143 Saltus, Bryan Costa Mesa, CA 40-40_80 9
143 Scott, Drew Pinehurst, NC 36-44_80 9
147 Brunson, Daniel Greenville, SC 39-42_81 10
148 Greville, Jeremy Hamilton, ON 39-43_82 11
148 Kennedy, Dean Vancouver, BC 38-44_82 11
148 Pashko, Dave Richmond Hill, ON 44-38_82 11
151 Lippert, Eric Monterey, CA 44-39_83 12
152 Colwell, John Toronto, ON 44-42_86 15
Yamanaka, Moto Norwalk, CA GW/D
Voska, Kyle Orlando, FL 37-42_79 GW/D
Smith, Tony Clovis, CA DQ
Krieger, Ty Edina, MN 33-38_71 DQ
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