THUNDER BAY -- The heat made Saturday's opening round at the AON District Open a bit of a slog.
But there was still some good golf to be played.
Evan Littlefield, Jamie DePiero, Casey Niemi and Matthe Cho-Chu all fired even-par 72s on Saturday at Whitewater Golf Course and hold a three-way tie for top spot at the first major of the local golf season, one shot better than Jeremy Kirk and Barry Caland, who survived 36 C temperatures to sit one back after Round 1 of the 36-hole event.
A strong start powered DePiero's even-par round. The Thunder Bay golfer birdied the first and third holes, and after doubling seven, birdied 12, 13 and 14 to get to three under par for the day. However, he gave the shots back with bogeys on his next three holes.
Littlefield's round was steady, countering a bogey on the second with a birdie on the third, settling for pars on each of his final 15 holes.Niemi, playing out of the second flight, eagle the third after a bogey on No. 2 and also birdied 16 and 17 to earn a share of the lead. Cho-Chu started in the fourth flight, but fired an even-par round.
Round 2 goes Sunday at Fort William Country Club.
