OLIVER PAIPOONGE -- Growing up in British Columbia, Riley Wheeldon is used to playing golf in the wind and rain.
The 25-year-old put those skills to the test on Thursday, coming through with flying colours. Wheeldon fired a five-under 67 in tough conditions and took the early clubhouse lead in Round 1 at the Staal Foundation Open being contested this week at Whitewater Golf Club.
“I liked the conditions. It was tough, so it was easier to stay patient out when it’s like that out there,” Wheeldon said after a round that opened with bogey but included an eagle and four birdies.
“Par is a good score. I just tried to make some stress-free pars and the putter got hot.”
James Erkenbeck, playing in the afternoon, shot a blemish-free seven-under 65 to take the first-round lead, two shots better than Wheeldon and three better than a group of five players tied with 68s.
Wheeldon said the golf course sets up great for him, adding the lift-clean-and-place provision in effect can also be beneficial – if golfers can hit the fairways.
“It’s one of, if not the best, layouts we play all year. It’s longer than we’re used to, a little bit more difficult. There are a couple of holes that are tough. You need to hit good golf shots and I like it.”
The Richmond, B.C. native continued his good play of late, coming off a top-four finish in Winnipeg last week, the lone time in five events this season he’s survived to play the weekend.
He shrugged off a bogey on his opening hole, a sign that he’s put the bad vibes behind him.
“I three-putted from a spot on No. 1 that I think in weeks past would have made me pretty upset. But I’ve been working on taking it a little bit easier, being more patient with myself out there and not getting do down on my putter,” he said.
“Luckily the putter turned around quickly.”
Wheeldon found back-to-back birdies on his next two holes and eagled 12.
Canadian Corey Conners, who finished third at the event a year ago, only made one miscue all day, a bogey on No. 4, his 13th hole of the day and was one of the grouping at four under.
“It was a solid round, just one bogey. I just hit a poor chip shot, wasn’t really out of position. I kept myself in position all day. I was never in any trouble. I just tried to keep it simple,” the Listowel, Ont. native said.
“The conditions were pretty tough. It got quite windy toward the end of the round.”
It’s a tough course to drive on in the best of conditions, he added.
“Add the wind into that, whether it’s cross wind or into the wind, it makes it that much more tough to get the ball into position off the tee. You’ve got to hit good approach shots as well and the wind just magnifies the difficulty.”
McCracken’s round included five birdies and just one bogey, while Connolly was bogey-free, birdying three on the front and the par-five 18th.
American Dan McCarthy, who has three wins in five starts, shot 74 on Thursday, snapping a streak of 20 rounds of par or better this season.
