To catch up with Todd Fanning is not unlike anyone else who may work in a non-descript office building. Your conversation gets interrupted by a group of people looking to use the meeting room for a conference call, and when asked how often he gets to play golf, the answer (“I don’t”) comes with a hearty chuckle.

But Fanning, who is a sales manager for a large equipment leasing company in Winnipeg, isn’t just that.

For years he chased a professional golf dream, playing on the Web.com Tour and making a few appearances at the RBC Canadian Open before rescinding his professional playing privileges and returning to regular job and a regular life.

That is, until last summer.

Fanning shot a 2-under-par 69 at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship at Wascana Country Club to nip three-time champion Garrett Rank and 54-hole leader Steven Diack in a four-hole playoff a year ago this August.

He didn’t plan on playing a championship schedule in 2017, but when it was announced The Wascana would play host, he signed up to play the Manitoba Mid-Amateur to try to qualify (which he ended up winning), since his father lives in Regina and he had played Wascana a lot in his golfing life.

With the win at the Canadian Mid-Amateur, Fanning will make his fifth appearance at the RBC Canadian Open this summer when it returns to Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

“I’m just going to be the guy in the middle of the range and they’re going to say, ‘well who’s that?’ says Fanning. “It’s going to be quite funny.”

Self-deprecating humour aside, Fanning truly earned his spot in the RBC Canadian Open. He held off one of the furriest charges in the Canadian Mid-Amateur’s history, as Rank, who started the day eight shots back of Diack’s lead, shot a 5-under-par 66 to jump into a tie for the lead.

“It was the best nine holes of golf I’d ever seen,” Fanning says of Rank’s final nine holes, where she shot a 31.

“I just executed down the stretch. I almost won it in regulation. I had an eagle putt from the back fringe and thought it was going in, and I looked foolish when it didn’t. But out of the hundreds of people watching with 45 minutes to go, I don’t think anyone would have thought, other than my wife, that I would have won that tournament.”

But as per usual with golf, the most unpredictable of games, it was indeed Fanning who came out on top. He made a par on the fourth playoff hole, and when the 25-year-old Diack made a bogey, the championship was his.

He unleashed a Tiger Woods-esque fist pump and a little dance (“I don’t know what happened there… it was very bizarre,” he recalls with a laugh) and the accomplishment finally set in.

“I realized what happened. I was turning 50 and I get to play Glen Abbey again. All those thoughts raced through my mind,” he says.

Fanning says one of his good friends arrived in Regina from Winnipeg to watch the final round, and will have “quite a few” people out with him at Glen Abbey later this summer to celebrate his success.

At work, he says, it made for a great story. People would come up to him to say they watched the live-stream of the playoff (Golf Canada’s social media team played it out on Twitter, via Periscope) and his colleagues said he looked calm.

“I said it was because I have a great job and get to work with (them) so that was just fun for me,” says Fanning, laughing.

Before the RBC Canadian Open Fanning will return to defend his title at the Manitoba Mid-Amateur in early July, and says he will also play this year’s Canadian Mid-Amateur at Victoria Golf Club in August.

But he says what he’s most looking forward to this summer is another shot at Glen Abbey.

Fanning had the morning draw on Thursday in 1998, the last time he played there (he played the RBC Canadian Open at Royal Montreal in 2001 and at Angus Glen in 2002), and he managed to get off to a great start. He says he told his caddie he was having fun, but his caddie wasn’t.

“’Not yet, not until we got to the top of the leaderboard,’” Fanning recalls what his caddie told him.

Fanning hit a 6-iron into the par-3 7th and knocked in the birdie putt, so he got to 4-under par on his round and got to the top of the leaderboard in the morning. He went on to miss the cut, however, and will be thinking about that when he goes back.

But the fact that he gets to go back at all is the most exciting thing of all.

Fanning says there’s nothing on his radar to come to Oakville prior to July to get in a practice round, but he will arrive on site a little earlier than most to ‘cram for the exam,’ he says.

When he played Glen Abbey in the late-90s the golf course setup was different, but there’s nothing that will catch him off guard, as he watches the tournament on television and sees what the current course looks like. He admits he’ll be behind in his preparation, but is looking forward to watch should be a fun week.

“I have a full-time job so I don’t expect to go out there and contend and be in the last group on Sunday, but to me it’s all about family,” he says, as his 17-year-old son will be his caddie for the week. “My whole family is coming. My children never got a chance to see me compete as a professional, and now I have three of them and they’re all going to be there. It’s going to be a really fun time for them.”

Having recorded some impressive results, Monet Chun is proving herself to be a promising and talented young golfer with a bright future ahead.

Among the highlights for the second-year member of the Team Canada’s Development Squad are three victories at Future Links, driven by Acura Championships: Quebec, Ontario and Pacific, winning this past May by a two-stroke margin.

Other highlights of her impressive 2017 season include a win at the Investors Group Junior Girl’s Spring Classic, a top-10 finish at the prestigious Porter Cup along with a 3rd and 4th place finish at the Junior Orange Bowl and Canada Summer Games, respectively.

Looking back on her humble beginnings, the Richmond Hill, Ont. native says she got started at the age of five with the encouragement of her mom, Elena.

“My mom looked for a sport with limited possibilities of injuries. I started taking lessons once a week and participated in my first tournament at the age of seven,” she recalled.

Growing up, Chun would dabble in other sports—but after committing herself to golf at the age of 10, she has not looked back.

“I played other sports like volleyball and basketball for fun, but never competitively,” she pointed out.

“I realized I wanted to play at a high level since I was 10. Playing at an international golf event made me want to continue to play at that level and I want to compete with the best players.”

After a number of runner up finishes, Chun’s first big victory came at the 2015 Ontario Junior Girls’ Match Play championship where she defeated Alyssa Getty 5 & 4 in the championship match. In 2016, Chun would win the Golf Quebec Junior Spring Open and finish in a tie for second at the Ontario Women’s Amateur.

Having spent some time working with Chun, 2007 Ontario Women’s Amateur champion, coach Rebecca Lee-Bentham sees a lot of potential in the young golfer.

“I see a lot of myself in Monet because I can see that she’s really disciplined and works really hard; and is really dedicated to getting better each day,” said Lee Bentham, a retired LPGA pro and current PGA of Canada Class “A” coach.

“She’s consistent off the tee and has a good long game and her short game is sound also,” added Lee-Bentham. “Overall, she’s very talented and has a promising future ahead.”

The 17-year-old golfer is quick to credit her mom and her dad, Peter, for their unconditional support over the years.

“I would not be able to play the sport without the support of my parents and their dedication in driving me to practices and taking me to tournaments. I think their commitment to my game has been a key factor to my improvement over the years,” said Chun.

She is also quick to credit her time on the women’s development squad for her progression as a player.

“The program has helped improve not only my techniques, but has helped me improve physical strength and my mental game,” she said.

Currently Chun is part of the first group of golfers who have relocated to Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria, B.C. as part of the revamped development squad program.

The change in program structure and commitment to a centralized training environment over four and a half months of the year are designed to better support emerging talents as part of Golf Canada’s next generation strategy.

“The training facility in Victoria is well equipped and suited for our practices. I think it is a great idea for the team to be centralized in Victoria,” said Chun.

“It will help to improve my game since I will be receiving better support, more time with the coaches, better weather and facilities, and programs that fit our needs including schooling.”

The Richmond Hill, Ont. native was chosen to represent Canada—for the second year in a row—at the World Junior Girls Championship this past September in Ottawa.

“The field has many strong players and I was able to meet new people from all over the world. Being able to take part in a team is a different experience to other competition which I think makes the World Junior Girls Championship a wonderful experience. Also, I was able to get to know my new teammates better. It was a fun tournament,” said Chun about the event which was held at the Marshes Golf Club.

Looking ahead, the talented and promising young golfer is clear on both her short and long-term goals.

“My goals over the next year are to play consistently during (and outside) of tournaments; and commit to a school in the States,” said Chun.

“And my goals over the next five years is to win a national title, play in the NCAA representing a college team, and play in an LPGA Tour event.”

The Great Canadian East-West Contest is back for 2018, giving one lucky draw winner the golf trip of a lifetime to one of Canada’s most renowned golf courses. This year will include an all-expenses-paid trip for two to either Bear Mountain Golf & Country Club in B.C., or Kingswood Golf & Country Club in N.B.

The winner is drawn from all score entries posted by Golf Canada members from April 1 – Oct. 31, 2018. Each additional score posted counts for an additional entry. In addition to the golf, the winner will receive:

• Two nights accommodation at hotel near chosen golf course
• Round trip airfare (with either Delta or WestJet)
• Three-day car rental (with National/Enterprise)
• One hour lesson and one round of golf with the PGA of Canada professional
• $500 spending money

In 2017, the Great Canadian East-West Contest came to an end Oct. 31, with North Vancouver’s Patrick Lloyd winning the draw amongst over 7 million scores posted by Golf Canada members.

As the winner, Lloyd was given the choice of a golf vacation for two in 2018 to the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club (also in B.C.) or The Links at Crowbush Cove in Morell, P.E.I.

Lloyd, a member of Seymour Golf & Country Club in North Vancouver, B.C., will head east to Crowbush Cove alongside wife Linda this summer.

Click here for contest details.

DALLAS – Aaron Wise strolled up the 18th fairway in the fading twilight, lifting his hat over his head a couple of times as the thinned-out crowd cheered what would soon be his first PGA Tour victory at the AT&T Byron Nelson.

The 21-year-old rookie pulled away from Marc Leishman at the turn after a four-hour rain delay to start the final round at the new Trinity Forest course Sunday. Then it was just a race to finish before nightfall so he wouldn’t have to wait at least another 12 hours to celebrate.

Wise shattered the Nelson record at 23 under, shooting a 6-under 65 to beat Leishman by three strokes as both became the first to finish the Nelson at 20 under or better. Leishman, who shared the third-round lead with Wise after leading the first two days, shot 68.

The treeless links-style par-71 layout, a few miles south of downtown Dallas, was defenceless with softer fairways and greens and no wind once the morning storms passed.

The Nelson celebrated its 50th anniversary with a return to Dallas after 35 years at the TPC Four Seasons in suburban Irving. Rory Sabbatini set the previous record on that par-70 layout at 19-under 261 in 2009.

“It’s everything I’ve dreamed of,” said Wise, who won once each on the Web.com and Canadian tours. “I felt like when it rained today I was really going to tear the course up just because it allowed me to hit driver, which is my strength. I got a lot of short irons in my hand and was able to make a lot birdies.”

Branden Grace matched his career-best 62 from last year’s British Open _ which was the lowest round ever in a major and finished at 19 under with J.J. Spaun and Keith Mitchell, who had matching 63s.

Hometown star Jordan Spieth again couldn’t improve on his best Nelson finish from his first start as a 16-year-old amateur in 2010. The three-time major winner, and highest-ranked player in the field at No. 3, shot 67 to finish at 11 under. Spieth tied for 21st.

Instead, Spieth has been joined by another 21-and-under winner, with Wise cruising a month shy of his 22nd birthday and two weeks after the 2016 NCAA individual champion at Oregon tied for second at the Wells Fargo Championship, two shots behind Jason Day.

Spieth doesn’t have a top 10 finish in eight Nelson appearances, the most of any tournament for him.

“Felt like I played better than I scored,” Spieth said. “Typically when you say that, it just means putts didn’t go in.”

Mitchell, also a rookie seeking his first win, and Ryan Blaum had matching 30s on the front nine, with both playing the last six holes on that side in 5 under. But Wise had five birdies over those six holes, and added one on the 10th while Leishman bogeyed.

His lead suddenly at four shots, Wise cruised from there without another par _ and didn’t need one. Blaum’s run of five straight birdies ended with a bogey at 10, one of three on the back nine for him. He shot 66 and finished at 16 under with Kevin Na (68) and Jimmy Walker (67).

Leishman set a 36-hole Nelson record that was previously shared by Tiger Woods because of calm wind the first two rounds. A blustery Saturday brought scores up, but Trinity Forest was even more benign for the final round than it was the first two without its firm fairways and greens.

“Springtime in Texas, this is very rare to have three days with no wind,” Spieth said. “This course typically plays like (Saturday). That’s what you’re looking at normally three out of the four days here.”

Adam Scott shot 65 to finish tied for ninth at 15 under but was projected to finish just outside the top 60 needed to avoid sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open. The 2013 Masters champion hasn’t missed a major since 2001.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Brooke Henderson made a late run at the Kingsmill Championship on Sunday, missing out on a three-person playoff by one stroke . The Smiths Falls, Ont., native finished the rain-shortened event at 13 under par to collect a fourth place finish.

“I just had a lot of great energy today. I started off with three birdies right off the start. Felt like I could really go low today, which is a great feeling,” said Henderson. “I came up a little bit short this week, but just to be in the hunt again and to feel that kind of adrenaline and to see my name at the top of leaderboard, it’s always a lot of fun.”

Henderson made it interesting down the stretch with three consecutive birdies in her last four holes, making a charge at the leaders.

“Yeah, it was pretty awesome. I just felt like — I was in the groove, and I felt like I could make birdies and I could make a charge, so I’m really happy I was able to do that,” added Henderson.

Highlights from @BrookeHenderson’s final-round 65 at the @KingsmillLPGA ??? pic.twitter.com/4kSBOW7M1n

— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) May 21, 2018

Ariya Jutanugarn arrived at Kingsmill Championship with no expectations, and it was a strategy that paid off handsomely.

The 22-year-old Thai star birdied the second hole of a playoff Sunday to win the LPGA Tour event for the second time in three years.

“I’m going to say I didn’t expect anything this week because I think I have been playing … very good like the last few tournaments and I’m still not winning the tournaments,” she said. “So show up this week, I just tell myself I’m not going to expect anything. I’m going to really focus on the things under my control and make sure I’m going to have good commitment every shot.”

“When I’m thinking about winning, I never win,” Jutanugarn said. She became the 12th winner in as many events on the tour this season.

Jutanugarn closed with a 5-under 66 to match Nasa Hataoka (67) and In Gee Chun (68) at 14-under 199.

Jutanugarn and Hataoka both birdied the first extra hole, with Chun dropping out. The 19-year-old Hataoka putted first on the second extra hole and missed badly from just off the back of the 18th green before Jutanugarn rolled in a 15-footer for her eighth career victory.

“I couldn’t believe I played in a playoff in such an early stage in my career,” Hataoka said. “I’m just going to try to keep going for the rest of the year.”

Jutanugarn’s older sister, Moriya, won the HUGEL-JTBC Championship in Los Angeles in April for her first LPGA Tour victory

Jutanugarn started the day two shots behind Chun and used a stretch of five birdies in six holes to build a two-shot lead before making bogey at the par-5 15th,, one of the easiest holes on the course.

“After that I got a little bit mad, but my caddie just told me … we can’t go back and change anything,” she said. “All we can do is just what we have now. Try to hit a good shot.”

Hataoka, playing with Chun in the final threesome, birdied No. 15 to join Jutanugarn at 14 under, and Chun made a long birdie putt on the par-3 17th to also get to 14 under.

It was the eighth top 10 finish of the season for Jutanugarn, the only player on the women’s tour to have made the cut in every event she’s played.

It was the fourth playoff in the history of the tournament.

The tournament was cut from 72 holes to 54 when rain washed out play Saturday.

Megan Khang was fifth after her third straight 67.

Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., finished at 3 under, while Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was at 1 over.

.@BrookeHenderson on her 4th place finish at the @KingsmillLPGA ???? pic.twitter.com/M0oUeV0w3p

— CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) May 21, 2018

DALLAS – The wind finally blew on the new Trinity Forest course at the AT&T Byron Nelson.

Aaron Wise wasn’t rattled, not even by a bogey that dropped him into a tie for the lead on the final hole Saturday. Now the 21-year-old PGA Tour rookie is ready for another run at his first victory.

Wise shot a 3-under 68 to pull even with Marc Leishman, four shots ahead of Matt Jones and Kevin Na going into the final round.

It’s not the first time Wise has been in this position, though. Two weeks ago, he finished tied for second at the Wells Fargo Championship, two shots behind Jason Day.

Besides, Wise has won at every level – including the 2016 NCAA individual title while helping Oregon win the team championship just before turning pro. He was the first player in eight years to pull that NCAA double.

“There’s a little more pressure on it because there’s more people and it’s a bigger scene, but I felt like I did a great job of handling all that at Quail Hollow,” Wise said. “Being my second chance at it, I feel like it’s only going to be better than that.”

Leishman shot 69 after setting a 36-hole tournament record previously shared by Tiger Woods. The 34-year-old Australian had a career-best 61 in the opening round.

Hometown star Jordan Spieth couldn’t make a move from eight shots back, shooting par 71 and falling 10 strokes behind.

Wind gusted above 25 mph at times after two rounds of calmer conditions and lower scores on the treeless, links-style layout a few miles south of downtown Dallas. The Nelson spent the previous 35 years at a more conventional venue in suburban Irving.

One illustration of the struggle came late with the strong crosswind at the par-4 18th, where five of the top six on the leaderboard had bogey or worse.

Na (69) and Jones (68) had to settle for 13 under. Jimmy Walker shot 70 with a double bogey on the final hole that dropped him to 12 under, with Brian Gay, who bogeyed 18 for a 72.

Nick Taylor (69) is the top Canadian at 7 under. Corey Conners (73) is 2 under.

Wise played in more wind than Leishman and most of the other leaders Friday when it kicked up in the afternoon, and still said Saturday’s conditions were significantly different. And he still said it was fun.

“I love playing really firm golf courses because it brings a lot of thinking in,” Wise said. “I didn’t have quite as many drivers as I had the last couple of days because it was firmer.”

With one notable exception: his 402-yard drive on the downwind par-4 ninth. All Wise had left was a flip wedge on the 504-yard hole, and he made the 11-foot putt.

“It’s pretty cool to be able to make decisions like that and kind of use my advantage, which is my driving when I can,” he said. “But you still got to play safe. This course has enough teeth where you can’t just bomb driver everywhere.”

Spieth was hoping for the teeth on one of his home courses, but couldn’t take advantage of his experience with it. The Dallas native even admitted he’s still struggling to figure out the greens.

The 24-year-old had three birdies and three bogeys and is in danger of going another year without surpassing his best Nelson finish – a tie for 16th when he was a 16-year-old high school junior in 2010.

“I finish 16th tomorrow and people are going to say, ‘What’s wrong?”’ said Spieth, a three-time major winner. “It’s funny how expectations change. But certainly my own do as well.”

Wise said the difference with strong wind on the course co-designed by Ben Crenshaw showed up quickly when his tee shot on the par-3 second hole ended up 30 yards right of his target.

For Leishman, it was the long ninth hole when he hit a 3-wood to try to land short of a fairway bunker 340 yards away but “went straight in it.”

“That’s a bit of getting used to,” the three-time tour winner said. “Normally I can’t hit my driver anywhere close to that.”

After 41 scores of 66 or better in the first two rounds, there were just two Saturday. Charles Howell III shot a 65 for the lowest and only bogey-free round of the day.

“It’s a lot different,” Jones said. “This is what the course is built for.”

Leishman, who still has a chance to be a wire-to-wire Nelson winner two years after Sergio Garcia did it, retook the lead with birdies at Nos. 14 and 15. Wise answered at 16 and 17 before his three-putt at 18.

“He’s a solid player for I heard this morning he’s only 21. I didn’t realize that,” Leishman said. “I guess I was in high school before he was born. You hear guys talk about that all the time, but I’ve never said that, I think.”

The Aussie will be dueling Sunday with the youngster, born in South Africa but raised in the United States.

“It’s easy for me to get ahead of myself,” Wise said. “I’m getting some great experience for a kid this young. It’s only going to serve me well down the road.”

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Canada’s Brooke Henderson was able to beat the rain at the LPGA Tour’s Kingsmill Championship, entering the clubhouse with a 6-under 65 before the heavy rainfall began at the Resort River’s Course on Friday. Play has been postponed indefinitely, forcing the tournament to be reduced to 54 holes.

Sixty players failed to finish the second round. They will do that beginning at 7:30 a.m. Sunday. After that, the field will be cut and tee off on the first and 10th holes at 10:30 a.m.

In Gee Chun leads among players who have finished two rounds. She is at 11 under, with Austin Ernst and Nasa Hataoka one shot back.

In Gee Chun shot a 5-under 66 on Friday to take the lead in the suspended second round of the LPGA Tour’s Kingsmill Championship.

Three-quarters of an inch of rain fell overnight on Kingsmill Resort’s River Course, delaying the start of play an hour. Storms developed again in the afternoon and play was suspended for more than hour, then finally called for day at 7:25 p.m.

Chun played in the morning. The South Korean star had six birdies and a bogey to get to 11-under 131.

“I felt good,” Chun said. “I could see the putting lines very well today.”

Chun’s two victories came in major championships in the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open and 2016 The Evian Championship.

“I really like this course,” Chun said. “I always happy to play here and see all the good people from here. Everything was very comfy. Everything is very comfy.”

Austin Ernst (65) and Nasa Hataoka (66) were a stroke back after bogey-free rounds.

“Just really solid,” Ernst said. “Hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens, and then my speed was really good, so I never really had to work too hard all day.”

Ariya Jutanugarn (67) and Angel Yin (66) were 9 under, and Megan Khang (67) was in at 8 under. Jessica Korda also was 8 under with four holes to play.

“Every year here is just like all weather pretty bad,” Jutanugarn said. “Just keep changing.”

Canada’s Brooke Henderson had a 65 to get to 7 under.

“It was a great day,” Henderson said. “I’m happy to move up the leaderboard as much as I did today.”

Defending champion Lexi Thompson (69) and three-time winner Cristie Kerr (68) were 3 under.

Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., is T20 at 5 under par. Maude-Aimée LeBlanc of Sherbrooke, Que., sits tied for 30th at 3 under par.

MESA, ARIZ – Grace St-Germain, member of the Canada’s National Development Squad, finished at 8 under on Thursday at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Women’s Golf Championship in Mesa, Ariz.

The Ottawa Ont., native tied her teammate, Jiwon Jeon, recording scores of 71-70-72-67 while Jeon turned in a 74-69-69-68 performance.

The Camelot Golf & Country Club member was one stroke back of Jeon as they went into the final day at Longbow Golf Club. St-Germain capped memorable final round with four birdies and an eagle on the par-4 17th.

St-Germain and Jeon went into a three-hole playoff, both making a birdie on the first and second holes. Jeon continued with a birdie om the third hole and St-Germain could not match, finishing in second place, one place higher than last year’s championship.

This fall, St-Germain will be heading to the University of Arkansas which is one of the top NCAA Division 1 teams in the U.S. (currently ranked at No. 2)

The success of both Grace and Jeon helped the Daytona State Falcons to a repeat of the National Championship, beating out 2nd place Seminole State.

 Click here for full scores.

DALLAS – Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., are the top Canadians at 2 under after the first round at the AT&T Byron Nelson in Dallas, TX. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., (70) is right behind the duo while David Hearn Brantford, Ont., (71) is even.

Marc Leishman enjoyed the old home of the AT&T Byron Nelson as much as anyone, considering he made the last nine trips there and had one of the best scoring averages in tournament history.

The Australian might take a liking to the new place as well.

Leishman shot a 10-under 61 on the links-style Trinity Forest course to take the first-round lead Thursday and was eight shots clear of hometown star Jordan Spieth in the event that returned to Dallas after 35 years at the TPC Four Seasons in suburban Irving.

Considering the criticisms of Trinity Forest from others – mentioned vaguely by players who did show up – Leishman wouldn’t have needed much to join that chorus after a history of high finishes in Irving despite a couple of recent missed cuts.

Instead, Leishman opened with an eagle, started the back nine with three straight birdies and reached 9 under with another eagle at the 14th.

The 34-year-old, a three-time PGA Tour winner, had chances to go lower but settled for a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-3 17th for the lowest round of his PGA Tour career. He was a stroke shy of the Nelson record.

“Probably would have been the harshest critic, I think,” Leishman said with a smile. “I played very well over there. When I got here and saw instantly, you know, was happy that we’re here and it’s just a cool spot.”

J.J. Spaun and Texan Jimmy Walker were three shots back at 64. Spaun had six birdies in a span of seven holes for a 30 on his second nine – the front nine on the undulating layout with no trees or water hazards a few miles south of downtown Dallas.

Walker had a chance to get to 8 under when his shot from the edge of a fairway bunker on 18 rolled within a foot of the cup before settling 14 feet away. He missed the birdie putt.

Sam Saunders, Aaron Wise and Keith Mitchell shot matching 65s playing in the first group off the first tee. They were part of an eight-way tie four shots behind Leishman. Defending champion Billy Horschel shot 68.

Spieth, one of just two world top-10 players in the Nelson field at No. 3, didn’t have many chances and missed on some of the few that he did, starting with a short birdie putt for a disappointing par 5 on the opening hole.

It was another frustrating round for the 24-year-old Spieth, a Trinity Forest member who was hoping the venue change would help him top his best Nelson finish. That was a tie for 16th when he was a 16-year-old amateur playing for a private high school in Dallas.

Spieth had just three birdies when the course was at its easiest because of calm winds. His bogey on the short par-4 fifth came after he drove the green and then sent an 82-foot putt off it.

“Looking back the last year and a half I’ve had maybe four, five opportunities where I’ve actually been in a tournament after the first round which is really frustrating,” Spieth said. “Thursdays for whatever reason just haven’t been good days for me.”

Saunders, Wise and Mitchell each opened with a birdie as the first to tee off on the par-5 first. Saunders had the most birdies of the trio with eight, Wise had seven and Mitchell had a bogey-free round.

The grandson of the late Arnold Palmer, Saunders played Trinity Forest before the Nelson last year and made up his mind then he would return for the debut.

“I think it’s a very fair test of golf,” said Saunders, who missed the cut at the last two Nelsons in Irving. “There was a lot of thought put into all the slopes out there. You’ve got to think your way through it a little bit more than some of the courses we play.”

Horschel said he didn’t do enough thinking after losing the momentum of an eagle at the par-5 14th on his front nine with bogeys at 16 and 18, both par 4s. And yes, he said they still count as mental mistakes even though he and most of the field don’t know the course very well.

“It’s stupid idiot errors,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s knowing what I shouldn’t do and it’s just me trying to get greedy. I know better than that on certain shots.”

With a forecast of stronger winds and temperatures in the mid-90s on Friday, Trinity Forest figures to play a little tougher after 103 players broke par in its debut. Spieth will be surprised by a repeat of Leishman’s number.

“Looking at the forecast, I don’t think that will happen again,” Spieth said. “I’m excited there’s wind. I wish it was windy every day. I really struggled when there’s been no wind compared to the field this year and today was no different.”

And all too familiar for Spieth in front of the home folks.