DP World Tour

Slattery takes 2-shot lead into Russian Open final round

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Lee Slattery (Harry Engels/ Getty Images)

MOSCOW – English golfer Lee Slattery recovered from a double bogey to move into a two-shot lead after the third round of the Russian Open on Saturday.

After taking five shots on the par-three 11th, Slattery recovered with three birdies on the remaining holes to finish off a 4-under-par 67.

That left Slattery, who won his only European Tour event in 2011, on 13-under 200 going into the final day.

Scotland’s Craig Lee (66) and Argentina’s Estanislao Goya (67) shared second place at 11 under.

One shot behind in fourth was last year’s winner, David Horsey of England. He and Lee carded the best rounds of the day with 66s.

Amateur Canadian Men's Senior Championship

Jack Hall captures Canadian Men’s Senior Championship

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(Andrew Penner/ Golf Canada)

MEDICINE HAT, Alta – Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga., shot 7-under par through three rounds to claim the 2015 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship at Desert Blume Golf Club in Medicine Hat, Alta.

Hall, 58, battled through rainy conditions on Friday to shoot 1-over par 73 to claim a narrow one-stroke victory that was not decided until the final hole.

“There are three big international tournaments that Americans look forward to playing in, one’s the British, one’s the Canadian and one’s the U.S. Senior Amateur. To have one on my resume is there forever and I enjoy it – love it,” said Hall, who captured his first international title.

“I’ve played a lot in the states and I’ve had a lot of good accomplishments, but once you’re in the international side of it, I just think it’s wonderful. So to me having won this, words can’t explain it,” he added.

Although wind-swept conditions postponed play and ultimately reduced the championship to 54 holes, Hall welcomed the added adversity. “It was challenging, let’s say that for sure. I played with a couple of Canadians who said it was cold and that made my day. It was the right golf course to handle those kinds of conditions. I thought the weather made the tournament. We’re getting older, but we like challenges too.”

Hall recently claimed the 2015 Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship and has played in over 30 United States Golf Association events. With the win, he has earned an exemption into the 2015 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship taking place at Hidden Creek Golf Club in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., from September 26 to October 1.

“It gives me more confidence, but I think the real plus for me is knowing that I can putt well. These greens here were absolutely wonderful. I think coming away from this event, I trust my speeds more and it gives you more opportunities to make more putts,” Hall explained, as he sets his sights on the competition ahead.

Pat Thompson of Asheville, N.C., and Hall entered the final hole deadlocked at 7-under par, but Thompson dropped a shot on the 18th to finish with a share of second. The 57-year-old began the national championship with a senior’s course record of 7-under 65 and led after 18 holes.

Fellow North Carolina native Paul Simson of Raleigh shot the low round of the day at 2-under and climbed four spots into a share of second with a three-round total of 210. Simson claimed victory at the 2010 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship and made history by becoming the first person to capture the British, U.S. and Canadian senior titles in the same year.

David Schultz of Calgary finished as the top Canadian in the field with a fourth place finish at 1-under par. The 2013 champion fired rounds of 72, 71, and 72 in order to finish with a one shot edge over fifth place.

With a score of 16-over, George Stokes of New Hamburg, Ont., claimed a one-shot victory in the Super Senior (70+) division which was contested over the course of the first two rounds.

Team Ontario emerged as champions in the Inter-Provincial team competition which was also played concurrently over the first two rounds. Michael Jackson (Collingwood, Ont.), Michael Mealia (Richmond Hill, Ont.), and Lars Melander (Oakville, Ont.) posted a combined total of 3-under par 285 for the victory.

Additional information regarding the 2015 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship is available here.

PGA TOUR Americas

David Skinns leads at The Wildfire Invitational

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David Skinns finished T6 at The Wildfire Invitational in 2013 (Steve Dykes/ Getty Images)

Lincoln, England’s David Skinns shot a 7-under 65 on Friday at Wildfire Golf Club to take the 36-hole lead at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial.

The 33-year old reached 13-under through two rounds and led by one shot over Taiwan’s C.T. Pan, Florida’s Chase Marinell and Michigan’s Ryan Brehm heading into the weekend.

“It’s what we’re all looking for and where we want to be, so I’m looking forward to it,” said Skinns of the chance to compete over the weekend. “I’ve played the par-5s decent and hit a lot of greens, so it’s been nice.”

Skinns finished tied for sixth at Wildfire in 2013, one of four top-10s that season, and said competing on a familiar layout helped him after he only arrived on-site Wednesday, having spent the previous five days at home to visit his wife Kristin and 1-year old son, Brayden.

“It’s just such a pleasure to play this golf course. You stand there and look at it, and it’s just a really nice place to be,” said Skinns, who played on the Web.com Tour last season but finished 101st on the Money List and returned to the Mackenzie Tour this season. “In 2013 I felt like I was in contention every other week, so I was able to get into the flow. This year I felt like it was a little more sporadic.”

Pan and Marinell, who shared the first round lead with four others after opening with a 8-under 64s, were tied with Brehm two shots heading back into the weekend. For Marinell, who owns three top-10 finishes on Tour this season, the weekend represents another chance to gain valuable experience in his first year on the Mackenzie Tour.

“It’s never easy being in contention, but you just know how to handle yourself and what to do and how to take your medicine. I know a lot more about that now, so I think I’m going to handle myself great this weekend,” said Marinell.

A shot further behind in a tie for fifth were Peterborough’s own Ted Brown and last week’s winner at The Great Waterway Classic, Brad Clapp and long with New York’s Michael Miller at 11-under.

PGA TOUR

Day, Spieth rolling in opposite directions at TPC Boston

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Jordan Spieth of the United States reacts after missing a putt on the nineth green during round one of the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston on September 4, 2015 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Ross Kinnaird/ Getty Images)

NORTON, Mass. –  Brendon de Jonge described his opening round Friday at the Deutsche Bank Championship as coming out of nowhere. Jordan Spieth’s start – his third straight round over par – was becoming far too familiar for him.

De Jonge ran off seven birdies in calming conditions at the TPC Boston for a 6-under 65 that gave him a two-shot lead over nine players, including Rickie Fowler, Henrik Stenson and Luke Donald.

“It’s been a tough stretch for me the last couple of months, unfortunately,” de Jonge said. “I felt like my game was OK, but the scoring wasn’t. And then, obviously, everything today sort of clicked.”

Jason Day, needing a victory to become No. 1 in the world for the first time, reached 5 under until two bogeys over his final five holes. He had a 68 and was right in the mix. Rory McIlroy, back at No. 1 and playing for only the second time since the U.S. Open because of an ankle injury, had a 70.

The shocker was Spieth.

He was visibly irritated just an hour into his round after two poor irons shots set up bogeys, and his day never got much better. The Masters and U.S. Open champion had eight bogeys in a round of 75, matching his highest start of the year. Coming off a missed cut at The Barclays, he goes into Friday in a tie for 80th. It was the first time since June 2014 that Spieth has had three straight rounds over par.

He left without speaking to reporters.

De Jonge played on the Presidents Cup team two years ago, though he doesn’t consider himself in the mix for the South Korea matches next month, unless he were to win. And that’s the one item – winning on the PGA Tour – that remains on his checklist.

This would be an ideal place. The second FedEx Cup playoff event assures the winner a spot in the top five at the season-ending Tour Championship and a clear shot at the $10 million bonus.

Of the players at 67, the most intriguing was Donald. A former world No. 1, he first had to make sure he got into the top 125 to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs, and then last week at The Barclays he had to play his way from No. 119 into the top 100 that got into the TPC Boston. Now at No. 87, the next goal for Donald is to crack the top 70 to get to the third playoff event north of Chicago at Conway Farms, his home course.

“First things first, I’ve got to get to Conway, which is obviously a place I’m very familiar with, my home course up in Chicago,” Donald said. “So keep playing some solid golf I’ll get there.”

Donald said it was tough to make birdies, and those are words rarely spoken on glorious days such as this one at the TPC Boston. A front came through that made temperatures pleasant, though the wind was strong at times in the morning and a few pins were on knobs.

Phil Mickelson, in dire need of a big week to bolster any chance of being picked for the Presidents Cup, had a pair of three-putt bogeys and shot 70.

“It was the most challenging I’ve seen this golf course play, especially given that the greens were very receptive,” Mickelson said. “But I played pretty good golf today. I hit a lot of good shots and I hit a few bad ones, but they weren’t too bad. And it was an OK start.”

Day looked like he might birdie them all after three holes. Ultimately, he knew that 68 was a decent start.

He stuffed his approach on No. 10 to 4 feet. He hit a towering 4-iron to 10 feet for birdie on the par-3 11th. He rolled in a 20-foot birdie on No. 12. And when his birdie putt caught the lip on No. 15, Day flipped his putter into the air in shock. He must have felt he was going to make them all.

“I was making everything I looked at, and then it slowly dried up,” Day said. “It was a very patient day. You can’t get out there and be so disappointed. Once you’re frustrated you’re going to make some mental errors and it’s going to be bad for you.”

DP World Tour

Dredge leads at Russian Open

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Bradley Dredge (Harry Engels/ Getty Images)

MOSCOW – Bradley Dredge shot 5-under 66 Friday to lead the Russian Open by one stroke at the halfway stage.

The Welshman started the day tied for third but had a bogey-free second round for 10-under 132 overall after teeing off on a damp morning at the Skolkovo Golf Club, near the center of Moscow.

The 42-year-old Dredge is chasing his first tour win since the 2006 European Masters.

England’s Lee Slattery is second after shooting 67, including five birdies on the back nine.

Daniel Gaunt of Australia, who had a share of the lead after the first round, shot 69 to drop to third at 8 under.

The other leader after the first round, Scotland’s Scott Jamieson, is tied for seventh after a par-71 second round, including a double bogey on the ninth. Last year’s winner David Horsey of England is tied for 11th on 5 under.

Former top-ranked tennis player Yevgeny Kafelnikov missed the cut, tied for 127th on 12 over. However, the 41-year-old Russian’s performance this week easily beat previous efforts at the Russian Open, where he has been as much as 40 over after two rounds.

Belgian amputee Ced Lescut, who plays with a prosthetic right leg following a motorcycle accident, placed last in his European Tour debut on 38 over, but finished with a birdie.

Seeking national supremacy in Ottawa

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Camelot Golf & Country Club ((facebook.com/camelotgolfclub))

ACTON, ONT. – A battle for national supremacy will be waged next week in our nation’s capital.

The PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf Canada will be contested over 54-holes at Camelot Golf and Country Club from Sept. 9-11.

“The PGA of Canada is extremely delighted to visit our nation’s capital of Ottawa and the outstanding Camelot Golf and Country Club,” said PGA of Canada president Constant Priondolo. “This year’s field is very strong and we’re definitely going to be treated to some amazing golf.”

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

Past champions teeing it up at the Thomas McBroom designed course include last year’s winner and No. 5-ranked Brian McCann who looks to win his third PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada trophy since 2010; as well as two-time (2011 and 2012) winner and the sixth-ranked Mike Belbin; and the association’s No.-1 ranked player Billy Walsh who captured his PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada in 2013.

For first and second round tee times, click here.

“We are truly excited to showcase our exceptional golf course and facility,” said Camelot Golf and Country Club’s head professional Bill Keating. “The PGA of Canada conducts world class championships and we’re pleased to have a chance to showcase Camelot to not only those in the talented field, but to the entire association as well.”

Camelot opened for play in 1992 and was awarded second best new golf course in Canada and rated fifth in North America by Golf Digest. The golf course has exceptional shot value, playability, design balance, memorability and aesthetics. Towering pines, majestic views of the Ottawa River and the Gatineau Hills, also complement the property.

In addition to Walsh, McCann and Belbin, other top 100-ranked players include Alf Callowhill, Brad Kerfoot, Christophe Belair, Colin Murray, Ed Maunder, G.W. King, Jim Zwolak, John Kelly, Keir Smith, Kent Fukushima, Kevin Senecal, Kyle German, Lee Cury, Louis-Pierre Godin, Marc-Etienne Bussieres, Maxime Barre, Nick Kenney, Nicolas Fortin, Oliver Tubb, Pat Marcia, Reg Millage, Scott Borsa, Tyler LeBouthillier, Walter Keating Jr.

A 36-hole Inter-Zone competition involving four-player teams representing their respective PGA Zones will be contested over the first two rounds.

PGA TOUR

No. 1 up for grabs at 2nd playoff event in Boston

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Jordan Spieth (Ross Kinnaird/ Getty Images)

NORTON, Mass. – The second FedEx Cup playoff event is all about the Big Three.

And the battle for No. 1.

Rory McIlroy returned to No. 1 in the world even though he skipped opening playoff event last week at The Barclays. That’s mostly about math, and an indication that McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are running nose-to-nose at the moment. Spieth has the easiest road back to No. 1 this week and likely only has to finish ahead of McIlroy.

Jason Day, coming off his six-shot victory at The Barclays, would have to win to have any chance.

The Deutsche Bank Championship gets underway Friday, and at least for the moment, the focus has shifted from the race for the $10 million bonus by winning the FedEx Cup to a world ranking that figures to keep changing over the next few months.

Tee times Friday at the TPC Boston are based on the FedEx Cup standings, meaning Day, Spieth and Bubba Watson will be in the same group for the opening two rounds. McIlroy slipped six spots to No. 15. He will be a couple of group ahead of them alongside Hideki Matsuyama and Kevin Kisner.

The original “Big Three” were Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player – all were represented by IMG founder Mark McCormack.

That led one reporter to ask Day and McIlroy which of the old “Big Three” they best resembled.

And both picked Player.

“He was the smallest,” McIlroy said. “Yeah, I’d probably be Player. Sitting here in 30 year’s time, if I had the career he head, I’d be pretty happy.”

Yes, but how many pushups can McIlroy do?

“Probably not as many as him,” he said.

Day also went with Player, later adding that he hoped to win enough tournaments to rate with Palmer and Nicklaus. Day has six, so he has some work to do.

“It’s funny to look at it that way,” Day said. “This is a totally different era. Back then, these are the guys that put golf on the platform that we’re on today. Arnold changed the way we look at golf. He came out when TV came out and really made golf sexy. Jack with his dominance. And then obviously, Gary being an international player, and also dominant, made a lot of fun golf to be watched.”

Here’s what to watch for Friday:

THE BASICS: Only the top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings qualified for the Deutsche Bank Championship, and two players have withdrawn. Sergio Garcia, who also skipped last week, has dropped to No. 43. Wil Wilcox had an injury. He was No. 89, so his season is over.

The magic number for the week is 70. That’s how many players advance to the BMW Championship north of Chicago in two weeks.

For all the talk about the Big Three, Spieth said there were 100 players “fully capable of having four good days and winning this event, and hopefully that can be me.”

The TPC Boston has been favorable to the higher seeds.

Only one winner – Charley Hoffman at No. 59 – outside the top 15 in the FedEx Cup standings has won the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Those are just the winners. A year ago, Geoff Ogilvy was No. 100, had a hot stretch for 27 holes, tied for second and went all the way up to No. 24.

THE STREAK: Hunter Mahan, barring a quick turnaround, is on the verge of ending the longest streak in the FedEx Cup era.

Mahan has never missed a playoff event since this lucrative series began in 2007. He was in trouble a year ago, but only briefly. He was No. 62 going into the playoffs and won The Barclays, sending him to one of the coveted top five seeds at the final tournament at East Lake.

Mahan is No. 91 going into the TPC Boston. The streak ends unless he can at least get to No. 70.

THE PRESIDENTS CUP: Another streak already has ended.

Phil Mickelson has qualified for every Presidents Cup team since it began in 1994. He was eliminated last week at The Barclays. Even if Lefty were to win the Deutsche Bank Championship, he would not crack the top 10. So his only hope is a win – or at least close to a win – to get one of the two captain’s picks by Jay Haas.

Mickelson has been part of every Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup team since 1994. That’s 20 in a row.

Chris Kirk is holding down the 10th spot, and Bill Haas (No. 11) would need fifth place to have a chance to move past him.

For the International team, Danny Lee is narrowly ahead of Steven Bowditch, with John Senden still in range. That team is decided by the world ranking.

PGA TOUR

Mickelson needing big week for chance at 21st straight team

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Phil Mickelson (Hunter Martin/ Getty Images)

NORTON, Mass. – Phil Mickelson only realized a few days ago his proud streak of qualifying for 20 consecutive teams was over.

Even if he were to win the Deutsche Bank Championship this week, he could not finish among the top 10 players who automatically qualify for the Presidents Cup team. That leaves him one important week to at least make an impression as a captain’s pick.

“I would love to be on the team,” Mickelson said Thursday after his pro-am round at the TPC Boston. “If I can play well this week, hopefully I’ll have a chance to be a pick. And if I do, then I’ll keep playing to try to stay sharp. If I don’t play well this week and I’m not a pick, then I’m not sure what I’ll do hereafter.”

It’s one of the most impressive streak in golf, a testimony to two decades of Mickelson consistently playing at a high level. He qualified for the first Presidents Cup in 1994, and then qualified for every Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup since then.

Tiger Woods was playing his third tournament as a pro during the 1996 Presidents Cup team. He missed the 2008 Ryder Cup with a knee injury and had to rely on a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup in 2010 and the Presidents Cup in 2011.

Jim Furyk played on every U.S. team dating to the 1997 Ryder Cup, a streak that ended when he was left off the 2013 Presidents Cup team.

Mickelson knew he needed a win during the FedEx Cup playoffs and one other good finish. He shot 73 on Sunday and tied for 50th in The Barclays. The Presidents Cup is based on FedEx Cup points. Mickelson is 1,559 points behind the 10th spot, and the most he can earn this week is 1,100 points.

The Presidents Cup is Oct. 8-11 in South Korea.

Mickelson was a runner-up at the Masters, tied for fourth at the Wells Fargo Championship and tied for third at the St. Jude Classic. He also was in the top 20 at two other majors. But he has been finishing middle of the pack at most events, and is in danger of going two straight years without a victory for the first time in his career.

“I think I need to have a good week to show that I’m playing well,” Mickelson said. “Again, it’s been close. I haven’t been playing horrific. I’ve been making cuts and having decent finishes. But I haven’t played to the level that I expect to play. I’d love to put it together this week and be on the team. But you’ve got to play the guys that are going to help you win.”

Eighteen players are ahead of Mickelson in the U.S. standings. Mickelson did not have an answer on what he needed at the TPC Boston to merit a wild-card selection.

“I’m just trying to play well this week and see how it goes,” he said. “I want to be on the team, not only to keep the streak but they’re my favorite weeks – playing with the guys and the match play format. I love being on the team. But if I haven’t played well enough to make it, then I understand that, too.”

He said he has spoken to Haas, and he said Haas has indicated he wants Lefty on the team.

“But from my standpoint, I’ve got to earn it, too,” he said.

Two years ago, Mickelson played the final round at the TPC Boston with 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, who closed with a 62. Spieth was so impressive that day that Mickelson sent a text to U.S. captain Fred Couples that said, “Dude, you’ve got to pick this guy.”

Maybe that’s the kind of performance Mickelson now needs himself.

Amateur Canadian Men's Senior Championship

Ontario crowned provincial team champions, George Stokes captures Super Senior division at Canadian Men’s Senior Championship

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Golf Canada Archives

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – The second round of the 2015 Canadian Men’s Senior Championship concluded Thursday at Desert Blume Golf Club in Medicine Hat, Alta., with Team Ontario emerging as provincial team champions.

The Ontario trio of Michael Jackson (Collingwood, Ont.), Michael Mealia (Richmond Hill, Ont.), and Lars Melander (Oakville, Ont.) posted a combined second-round of 4-under 140 to capture the Phil Farley trophy with a 3-under 285 total.

“We were behind by a couple of shots going into today and we knew a couple of good scores had to be done,” said Team Captain Michael Jackson. The three-man unit began the day down two strokes and benefited from a second-round 69 by Melander and 71 from Jackson.

The victory adds to Team Ontario’s successful summer which has already included team and individual titles at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. “I’m really pleased to be a part of that and represent the Golf Association of Ontario,” added Jackson.

The squad finished one stroke ahead of Team Alberta made up of Floyd Kilgore (Grimshaw, Alta.), Howard Broun (Calgary) and David Schultz (Calgary) who finished 1-under par on the day. Rounding out the top-three with a total of 287 was John Gallacher (Burnaby, B.C.), Doug Roxburgh (Vancouver) and Sandy Harper (Nanaimo, B.C.) of Team British Columbia.

In the 70-and-over Super Senior division, George Stokes of New Hamburg, Ont., claimed a one-shot victory over Ken Bradley of Moose Jaw, Sask. Stokes improved upon a runner-up result in 2014 by carding rounds of 78 and 82 in tough windy conditions to finish 16-over 160 for the victory.

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“It’s nice. It’s sort of the daily double because in 1998, I won the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship. So now that I’ve had a chance and finally won the Super Senior, it’s sort of a feather in my cap. I’m happy about it,” said the 73-year-old Stokes.

Bradley shot a 79 in his second round to finish 17-over par. Finishing in third was 2014 Super Senior champion Mickey Batten of Chateauguay, Que., with a total of 162.

Following tough windy conditions which forced the tournament to be reduced by 18 holes, the second round of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship was completed on Thursday with Jack Hall of Savannah, Ga., taking the lead at 8-under par.

“I have the speed of the greens down pretty well and most every putt I hit got to the hole. When you have the ball getting to the hole, some of them drop,” explained the 2015 Georgia Mid-Amateur champion. After a first-round 69, Hall carded a bogey-free 5-under 67 to lead by one stroke.

“If I can come out and get loose early, hit a couple fairways and greens and play my game, I should be fine,” said the second-round leader.

Pat Thompson entered the second round in the lead and followed his 7-under course record with an even-par round. The Asheville, N.C. native matched two birdies with two bogeys and sits tied for second. Joining Thompson at 7-under 137 is Ronald Kilby of McAllen, Texas who carded scores of 68 and 69 despite both his rounds being suspended due to the harsh winds.

“I have to say that obviously our group got the short end of the draw, and that happens – that’s just golf. You win some of those and you lose some of those. Having got through the hard part playing well and scoring well, I feel like I’ve given myself a chance to win the tournament,” said the 60-year-old Kilby.

Lars Melander from Oakville, Ont., and Brady Exber of Las Vegas, Nev., are tied for fourth at 5-under par.

A total of 70 players finished 155-or-better to advance past the 36-hole cut to the final round which begins Friday at 7:30 a.m. MDT.

The winner of this year’s championship will earn an exemption into the 2015 U.S. Senior Amateur at Hidden Creek Golf Club in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., from September 26 to October 1.

For additional information, including tee times and scoring can be found here.

Six players share first round lead at The Wildfire Invitational

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Adam Svensson held the 36-hole lead on the Web.com Tour last week (Chuck Russell/PGA TOUR)

Six players, including British Columbia’s Adam Svensson, Taiwan’s C.T. Pan, Kansas’ Michael Letzig, Florida’s Chase Marinell, Ohio’s Ethan Tracy and Texas’ Curtis Reed shot rounds of 8-under 64 on Thursday at Wildfire Golf Club to share the first round lead at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada’s Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial.

Svensson, who held the 36-hole lead on the Web.com Tour last week at the WinCo Foods Portland Open before finishing T13, two-putted for birdie on the par-5 18th in near darkness to share the lead. Play was suspended at 8:01 p.m. due to darkness with one group on the course left to finish.

“I’m taking last week as a confidence builder and just have to keep going and see how it ends,” said Svensson, who owns finishes of T2-T2-T3 in three starts on the Mackenzie Tour this season. “There are a lot of birdie opportunities out here, so I’m just trying to hit the fairway, hit the green and make a few putts.”

Earlier in the morning, Reed finished with an eagle at 18 for his 64. The Mackenzie Tour rookie said The Wildfire Invitational, which sees 128 pros compete with 64 amateurs over the first two days of competition, provided an enjoyable atmosphere that helped him go low.

“The two guys we played with today were fantastic,” said Reed of his amateur partners. “They were great guys and we had a lot of fun, and played really well. It’s a different feeling, and you don’t get caught up so much in what you’re doing. You laugh and talk in between shots, and it kind of helps take your mind off golf.”

Letzig and Pan, who sit sixth and eighth on the Order of Merit, respectively, boosted their chances for a good finish to try and move inside The Five with three weeks left on the schedule. The top five players on the season-long money list will earn status on the Web.com Tour for next year.

“The putter saved me big time,” said Letzig, who won earlier this year at the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open presented by SaskTel, of his round. “It’s nice to know you can shoot 8-under when you don’t have your best game with you. Whenever you can rely on your putter, it just simplifies everything.”

Pan, meanwhile, is coming off a disappointing weekend where he was T2 through 36 holes at The Great Waterway Classic but went on to finish T11.

“On the weekend I didn’t follow my pre-shot routine seriously. I made some adjustments today, and everything seems really good,” said Pan, who won at The Players Cup in July. “I fixed a couple of things with my game and just tried to stay steady to get in the rhythm that I wanted. Last week was a disappointing finish, but I’m still feeling good.”

One shot behind the group of six leaders was a group of five players that included last week’s winner Brad Clapp and Peterborough native Ted Brown, along with Washington’s Cameron Peck, New York’s Michael Miller and California’s Justin Snelling.

One group was left to finish when play was suspended due to darkness, and will resume in position at 7:15 a.m. on Friday morning. Round two tee times will once again begin at 7:00 a.m.