Harkins Ties Course Record

Scottsdale’s Brandon Harkins shot an 8-under 64 at Whitewater Golf Club Thursday tying the course record to take the first round lead at the inaugural Staal Foundation Open.

Harkins, currently in his fourth season on PGA TOUR Canada, led by one shot over last week’s The Players Cup champion and Order of Merit No. 2 Tim Madigan of Rio Rancho, New Mexico and Stockton, California’s Joshua Stone.

“It was a pretty steady round. Not a lot went wrong,” said Harkins, who has three top-10 finishes in his PGA TOUR Canada career. “It wasn’t flashy. I just hit a lot of greens and didn’t really miss anything inside of 10 feet. I just kind of plodded my way around and didn’t get ahead of myself, which is always good. It’s kind of cliché, but that’s what I did.”

The 28-year old made five birdies in a seven hole stretch on his opening nine and said that a solid start on the demanding 10^th, 11^th and 12^th holes at White-water, where he started par-par-birdie, set him up for a solid round Thursday.

“I just kind of got a little momentum going there and made a few putts, and it just always seems like once you get a few to go, a few more happen, and that’s how it went,” said Harkins, whose best finish on PGA TOUR Canada is a solo second performance last year at The Great Waterway Classic, where he shot a final round 62.

Madigan, a shot behind Harkins, has been on a tear of late on PGA TOUR Canada with top three finishes in three of his last four starts, including his breakthrough win last week in Winnipeg.

He kept the momentum going on Thursday with a 65, the 20^th time he has broken par in 26 rounds so far on PGA TOUR Canada.

“The course was there for the taking, but you really had to strike it well today and I was fortunate enough to do that,” said Madigan, adding that he tried not to approach this week any differently following his win last week. “It’s just another day at the office.

I just tried to go out and shoot the lowest score that I could and luckily it was 65, so I’m just having fun.”

The 24-year old Stone carded eight birdies and just one bogey to post the best round of his rookie season on PGA TOUR Canada.

“I stayed really patient and made a lot of putts,” said Stone. “I got off to a great start on my front nine, again just telling myself to stay patient. I played real solid and just got a few putts to fall.”

Sean Shahi of Laguna Niguel, California and Jeffrey Corr of Apopka, Florida were one shot behind Madigan and Stone with a pair of 6-under 66s, while open qualifier Ryan Terdik of Brantford, Ontario was the low Canadian at 5-under, tied with five others.

Notes:

• Weather: 26 degrees (29 degrees with Humidex). Partly cloudy. Winds 14 km/h.
• Adam Long eagled each of his final two holes for a 5-under 67. Long holed out from 60 yards on the par-4 17^th, then sunk a 30-foot eagle putt on the 18^th.
• Bogey free rounds: Brandon Harkins (64), Sean Shahi (66), Greg Eason (67), J.J. Spaun (68).
• Golf Canada National Amateur Team member Chris Hemmerich, who won the Ontario Amateur Championship last week, opened with a 4-under 66.
• Order of Merit No. 3 Matt Harmon, looking to secure his spot in the top three through this week to earn an RBC Canadian Open exemption, shot a 2-under 70 to sit tied for 38^th.