The Battle Begins

The PGA of Canada’s top-ranked player and the third youngest player in the field are tied of the lead after the first round of the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf Canada.

Fairtree Golf Centre’s Billy Walsh and Nicolas Fortin of Académie de golf Lévis both posted 5-under par 67 Wednesday at Camelot Golf and Country Club just outside of Ottawa.

Walsh, who captured the 2013 PGA Assistants’ Championship in Saskatoon, featured four birdies and an eagle Wednesday.

“I really like this golf course and it sets up nicely off the tee for me,” Walsh said about the Thomas McBroom-designed track. “If you’re confident off the tee you can take advantage of the lines and that’s pretty much what I did all day.”

The 23-year-old Fortin, who finished T28 at Camelot in the 2012 Canadian Men’s Amateur, said he has fond memories of the golf course. He also admits his game has been trending recently.

“When your game is good and the putter is going, you’re going to score well on whatever golf course you’re playing,” Fortin said. “It’s always a good feeling to be in contention, especially in a national championship.”

Luca Greco of Club de Golf Le Mirage sits just one shot back of Walsh and Fortin after an opening round 68. Meadowbrook Golf Club’s Kyler Murphy is fourth at 3 under thanks in part to a hole-in-one on Camelot’s seventh hole.

“I step up on No. 7 and hole out for a one, so I start thinking things are looking up,” Murphy admitted. “We saw it bounce a couple times, hit about a foot up the flag and drop in the hole. I asked the guys in my group, ‘did that just go in?’ And sure enough it did.”

Amazingly enough, Oliver Tubb of Seymour Cree Golf Centre matched Murphy’s ace on No. 7. The finalist at this year’s PGA Championship of Canada at Cabot Links lurks three shots back in a tie for fifth along with Brad Kerfoot (Maple Downs Golf Club), Eric Locke (Wolf Creek Golf Resort), Christophe Belair (La Versant) and Marc-Etienne Bussieres (Club de Golf LongChamp).

FOR THE FULL LEADERBOARD AND THURSDAY’S SECOND ROUND TEE TIMES, CLICK HERE.

The 109-player field features three past champions and 27 of the top 100 from the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC.

The Quebec squad leads the 36-hole Inter-Zone competition (which is compiled of four players on each team representing their respective PGA Zone and is contested over the first two rounds) at 15 under, four shots better than Team Ontario and five better than Alberta.

The field will be cut to the top-60 (and ties) after Thursday’s second round with the final round taking place Friday at Camelot.