Sizzling Start for Shepley
Jessica Shepley took advantage of prime scoring conditions Wednesday at The Club at North Halton in Georgetown, Ont., for the first round of the PGA Women’s Championship of Canada presented by Nike Golf.
The Oakville, Ont., native’s round included eight birdies and a bogey en-route to a 7-under par 65.
“When you get off to a hot start like I did, you want to keep it going,” Shepley said about her outward nine 31. “I made birdie on one and I made birdies on 16 and 17, which was nice. I think the back nine played a little tougher though, but I’m pretty happy with my round.”
Shepley’s 65 is a new The Club at North Halton competitive female course record. The 30-year old holds a two-shot advantage over Lisa Ferrero of Lodi, Calif., and Stratford, Ont.’s, Natalie Gleadall.
Two weeks ago at a CN Canadian Women’s Tour event in Windsor, Ont., Shepley lost in a playoff, while Fererro finished T3.
“I made some putts and that was kind of the key out there today for me,” Ferrero said of her round. “I’ve got a great host family this week and the kids came out to watch early, so every time I saw them it seemed like I dropped a long one.”
Two-time defending champ, Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont., and newly-minted professional, Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont., carded a pair of 68s and sit three shots back.
In total, 24 players were par or better Wednesday at The Club at North Halton.
“The golf course is playing pretty short but it’s very tricky,” Kirby said about the Georgetown, Ont., layout. “You can’t hit driver on every hole and you’ve got play conservatively off the tee.”
In the PGA of Canada Club Professional Division, Maggie Trainor (The Georgian Bay Club) leads Sylvie Schetagne (Club de Golf Pinegrove) by two shots after a 1-over par 73.
Team Canada member Britney Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., shot a 2-under par 70 and leads Ottawa’s Kiersten Klekner-Alt and Sara Westaway of Union, Ont., by a shot in the Amateur Division.
Shepley looks to capture her second PGA Championship of Canada and says she plans to stay aggressive during Thursday’s final round.
“It will be important to be aggressive coming in tomorrow,” Shepley says. “But, it’s also important to stay patient and just have fun.”
The PGA Women's Championship of Canada was first played in 1987 and past champions include Cathy Sherk, Gail Graham, Nancy Harvey, Lorie Kane and Shepley.
Sharp has won the championship the past two and looks to become the first three-peat winner since Kane won the championship four years in a row from 1996-1999.
For the complete scoreboard, CLICK HERE. For Thursday's starting times, CLICK HERE.
Stay up-to-date with this year's PGA Women's Championship of Canada presented by Nike Golf by visiting pgaofcanada.com, twitter.com/pgaofcanada, youtube.com/thepgaofcanada and facebook.compgaofcanada
The Oakville, Ont., native’s round included eight birdies and a bogey en-route to a 7-under par 65.
“When you get off to a hot start like I did, you want to keep it going,” Shepley said about her outward nine 31. “I made birdie on one and I made birdies on 16 and 17, which was nice. I think the back nine played a little tougher though, but I’m pretty happy with my round.”
Shepley’s 65 is a new The Club at North Halton competitive female course record. The 30-year old holds a two-shot advantage over Lisa Ferrero of Lodi, Calif., and Stratford, Ont.’s, Natalie Gleadall.
Two weeks ago at a CN Canadian Women’s Tour event in Windsor, Ont., Shepley lost in a playoff, while Fererro finished T3.
“I made some putts and that was kind of the key out there today for me,” Ferrero said of her round. “I’ve got a great host family this week and the kids came out to watch early, so every time I saw them it seemed like I dropped a long one.”
Two-time defending champ, Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont., and newly-minted professional, Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont., carded a pair of 68s and sit three shots back.
In total, 24 players were par or better Wednesday at The Club at North Halton.
“The golf course is playing pretty short but it’s very tricky,” Kirby said about the Georgetown, Ont., layout. “You can’t hit driver on every hole and you’ve got play conservatively off the tee.”
In the PGA of Canada Club Professional Division, Maggie Trainor (The Georgian Bay Club) leads Sylvie Schetagne (Club de Golf Pinegrove) by two shots after a 1-over par 73.
Team Canada member Britney Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., shot a 2-under par 70 and leads Ottawa’s Kiersten Klekner-Alt and Sara Westaway of Union, Ont., by a shot in the Amateur Division.
Shepley looks to capture her second PGA Championship of Canada and says she plans to stay aggressive during Thursday’s final round.
“It will be important to be aggressive coming in tomorrow,” Shepley says. “But, it’s also important to stay patient and just have fun.”
The PGA Women's Championship of Canada was first played in 1987 and past champions include Cathy Sherk, Gail Graham, Nancy Harvey, Lorie Kane and Shepley.
Sharp has won the championship the past two and looks to become the first three-peat winner since Kane won the championship four years in a row from 1996-1999.
For the complete scoreboard, CLICK HERE. For Thursday's starting times, CLICK HERE.
Stay up-to-date with this year's PGA Women's Championship of Canada presented by Nike Golf by visiting pgaofcanada.com, twitter.com/pgaofcanada, youtube.com/thepgaofcanada and facebook.compgaofcanada