RICHMOND HILL, Ontario -- Jim McGovern shot a 5-under-par 66 Thursday to grab the lead after the opening round of the Samsung Canadian PGA Championship. Jay Delsing, Eric Meeks, Roger Tambellini and Canadian Brad Fritsch share second place at 4-under-par 67.
McGovern began his round on the back nine at DiamondBack Golf Club. He got rolling with back-to-back birdies from the 13th. The three-time winner on the Nationwide Tour closed out his first nine with a birdie at the par-5 18th.
On the front side, McGovern ran off four consecutive pars to begin the nine. He moved to 4-under with a birdie at the par-5 fifth.
After two more pars, McGovern ran home a birdie putt at the eighth to grab the outright lead after the first round.
'It feels like I've been playing 15 or 16 good holes lately but never a complete round,' said McGovern, who has missed the cut in eight of his 11 events this year between the PGA and Nationwide tours. 'I'm happy to finally string together a good round.'
Delsing also began his day on the second nine. After several pars, he stumbled to a bogey at the par-4 14th. He got that shot back with a birdie at No. 16.
Around the turn, Delsing recorded a remarkable seven birdies, but posted just a 4-under 31. He opened with back-to-back birdies from the first, however he bogeyed the third to fall back to minus-1.
Delsing then ran off four straight birdies from the fourth to get to 5-under but trouble loomed at the next. He faltered to a double-bogey at No. 8 before closing with a birdie to share second place.
'Despite those two holes I really played well today,' said Delsing. 'It is a crazy game. The more I play it the more I get used to the unexpected happening.'
Meeks stumbled out of the gate with a bogey at the first. He answered that with a birdie at the next and another at the fourth. He posted consecutive birdies from the seventh, but bogeyed the ninth. Meeks notched back-to-back birdies from the 13th to grab a piece of second.
'The course is much firmer and faster than last year,' Meeks said. 'It is tricky because the ball is bouncing about 10 yards when it hits. I didn't birdie any of the par-fives which is disappointing. They were all birdiable today.'
Fritsch had a chance to share the lead but a late bogey coast him dearly. He notched two straight birdies from the fourth. Around the turn, he birdied the 11th and 14th before a birdie at the 17th moved him to 5-under. However a bogey at the last dropped him from the lead.
Tambellini notched three birdies and a bogey on the back nine. On the front side, he struggled to a bogey at the fourth. He came right back to eagle the next and he capped his round with a birdie at the par-3 ninth.
Michael Allen, Rocky Walcher, Danny Briggs, Andy Sanders, John Elliott, Ron Ewing, Terry Hatch and Kevin Muncrief share sixth place at 3-under-par 68.
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