DANIEL, KEMMER SHARE LEAD AT CANADIAN TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
(August 23, 2012 – Toronto, ON) – Matt Daniel of Richmond, BC and Dodge Kemmer of Mountain View, CA shot matching five-under rounds of 66 Thursday, tying for the lead at the Canadian Tour Championship at Scarboro Golf & Country Club..
Daniel, a 10-year veteran of the Canadian Tour, posted seven birdies including three straight on the back nine, while Kemmer made nine birdies and overcame a one-shot penalty which occurred after his ball moved after a practice swing on the sixth hole.
“I’ve been getting a little frustrated with my play lately, but I got a few words of encouragement from some different people” said Daniel. “It got me in a good frame of mind, and when you’re in a good frame of mind you make putts.”
The 37-year old Daniel, who has one Canadian Tour win to his credit, said he hasn’t been happy with his results this season but is feeling bullish about his game.
“I finished last year really strong and that hasn’t really translated into good finishes this year, but I feel good about the way I’m playing,” said Daniel, who said that Scarboro Golf & Country Club bears resemblance to the courses he grew up playing.
“I love old golf courses and I like that we’re playing in Ontario but on Poa Annua greens,” said Daniel. “I played well because I like the golf course.”
Kemmer, who has split time playing this year between the Canadian Tour and the Asian Tour as well as some events in Europe, said despite the penalty stroke, he’s moving forward with a positive attitude.
“I took some practice swings a foot or six inches from the ball and it settled into the rough a little bit,” said Kemmer. “I know I could have been a few shots better, but I’m looking forward to the next three days.”
A shot behind Kemmer and Daniel was former PGA TOUR member Tyler Aldridge, who made five birdies and a bogey for a 67. Aldridge has quietly had a solid season playing the Canadian Tour, with two top-10 finishes and over $11,000 in earnings.
Sitting in a tie for fourth at three-under 68 was an 11-player group that included newly-minted Life Member Ken Tarling as well as Michael Gligic and Will Strickler, who co-led after 54 holes last week in Windsor.
The 54-year old Tarling is playing his first Canadian Tour event in exactly 20 years – the last time also taking place at Scarboro Golf & Country Club – and this week joined Mike Weir, Steve Stricker, Daniel Talbot, Jim Rutledge, Wilson Patterson and Tom Jackson as life members of the Canadian Tour.
“This is a very good golf course for me,” said Tarling. “I managed my game well and kept the ball in front of me,”
Joining Tarling, Gligic and Strickler in the group at three-under were Eugene Wong, Ben Ferguson, Brian Unk, Cody Slover, Kyle Stough, Matt Marshall, Brett Kanda, David Markle, David Byrne, Stephen Bidne and Kent Eger.
Defending Champion Stuart Anderson, who has split his time between the Web.com Tour and Canadian Tour this season, opened with an even par round of 71.
The Canadian Tour also saw its third hole-in-one of the season Thursday, when Mission, BC’s Kevin Stinson holed a 55-degree wedge on the par-3 11th hole for an ace.
The second round of the Canadian Tour Championship played at the historic Scarboro Golf & Country Club in celebration of its 100th year will begin Friday morning at 7:00 AM, with players going off the first and eighth tees in threesomes.
