OLIVER PAIPOONGE – Wet weather wiped out much of Thursday’s opening round of the Staal Foundation Open, but it didn’t stop Chad Ramey from taking the early tournament lead.
Ramey fired a 6-under 66, one of just 57 golfers to complete 18 holes on Day 1 of the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada event, and leads a trio of players by a single stroke.
Californian Rico Hooey and Florida’s Mark McCumber carded 5-under 67s, while Jonathan Garrick managed to get through 16 holes at 5-under before the horn sounded ending play for the day.
The rain was a challenge, said Ramey, who has made two cuts in three events this year, but hasn’t finished higher than a tie for 42nd.
“It’s tough, especially carrying your own bag, like I was,” Ramey said. “That was the main goal, to stay dry and stay patient.”
Wet weather aside, Ramey, who started on No. 10 at Whitewater Golf Club, said he won’t complain about the results. His card included seven birdies and just one bogey, coming on the par 5 seventh hole, the soggy conditions lengthening it considerably on Thursday.
“I’m pretty pleased with it,” he said of his round. “Six under in those conditions, I’d take it every day.”
Ramey said his putter was the club that got it done for him on Day 1.
“On the back, my putter got hot. I made about three putts in a row that were pretty good putts,” he said, adding he had no idea he had a career-best round in his bag.
“I didn’t play too well last week. I missed the cut. But I knew it was close, just had to fix some areas and get it going.”
Hooey, who calls Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. home, collected six birdies on the day, a bogey on No. 9 – his final hole of the day – the only blemish on his card.
“I feel really happy. I knew that the rain was going to come, so I kind of took the opportunities early in the round. I made some putts and I’m glad I shot 5-under,” said the Filipino-born golfer, who had a top-10 finish earlier this summer in Victoria.
“I feel good. I’m hitting it well, I’m putting it well. I’m just trying to put it all together. It’s a tough tour and there are tough guys playing out here. I know I have to put up a pretty good score to give myself a chance.”
McCumber, the son of 10-time PGA Tour winner Mark McCumber, picked up birdies on the 10th, 12th and 14th holes to climb to within one of the lead.
“I played pretty solid today. I hit it pretty well, hit a lot of good putts – made a few putts of considerable distance. Overall it was a solid day,” the Ponta Vedra, Fla. native said.
Play was suspended at 1:34 p.m. and cancelled at 5 p.m.
No locals managed to tee off on Thursday and all five will play 36 holes on Friday.
Golf resumes at 8 a.m.
