Doeden holds first-round lead at PEI Open
Match chief Justin Doeden and Drew Nesbitt, who’s in second, pushed one another to the highest of the leaderboard within the first spherical. “He type of acquired it going sooner than I did,” Nesbitt mentioned. “I type of turned and acquired sizzling in the direction of the later a part of that.” Doeden (8-under) has a one-shot lead over Nesbitt (7-under).
Justin Doeden is taking part in his thirty fourth profession spherical as a PGA TOUR Canada member. He performed full time in each 2018 and 2019. In 2021, he performed on the Forme Tour. In 2019, he posted his finest PGA TOUR Canada end, a tie for third on the Lethbridge Open, every week that included a 9-under 62. A 12 months in the past, on the U.S.-based Forme Tour, Doeden had back-to-back top-five finishes, on the Auburn Invitational in Alabama (tied for third)—one other event the place he shot a 62. Three weeks later, outdoors Chicago, on the Bolingbrook Invitational, Doeden tied for fourth.
That is solely Kieran Vincent’s third skilled begin. The Liberty College product by the use of Zimbabwe had six birdies and one bogey (at No. 8).
Per week after finishing his PGA TOUR Latinoamerica season, Austin Hitt, medalist on the Orlando-area Qualifying Match, is making his PGA TOUR Canada debut this week. Hitt, a former College of North Carolina golfer, completed 14th within the last TotalPlay Cup standings, PGA TOUR Latinoamerica’s equal to the Fortinet Cup. Hitt loved three top-10 finishes throughout the season, together with a runner-up exhibiting on the Jalisco Open in Guadlajara, Mexico, in late-Might. Hitt started the PEI Open with a 4-under 68 and sits in a tie for seventh with People Andrew Dorn, Brian Carlson and Mitchell Schow and Germany’s Lukas Euler.
Like Austin Hitt, Canadian Noah Steele can be exempt on PGA TOUR Canada however missed the primary tournaments of the season as he accomplished his PGA TOUR Latinoamerica 12 months. Steele, a local of Kingston, Ontario, can be making his debut at this week’s event. In Latin America, Steele performed in 11 of the 12 tournaments, ending the 12 months 71st within the TotalPlay Cup standings and was unable to retain his membership card. Steele opened with a 3-under 69 and is tied for twelfth
It wasn’t the most effective of outings for the Monday’s qualifiers as not one of the eight had been capable of break par on day one. Thomas Code (1-over), Artwork Griffin (1-over), Harrison Ott (1-over), Matt Kreutz (3-over), Sudarshan Yellamaraju (3-over), Jonathan Hewlett (5-over), Calvin Ross (7-over) and Patrick Sullivan (8-over).
After his season-opening playoff win over Jake Knapp on the Royal Seaside Victoria Open, Scott Stevens didn’t make the reduce on the ATB Basic in Edmonton. Stevens had a troublesome opening spherical Thursday, capturing a 78 to sit down at 6-over after the primary spherical.
Quotable
“We had been feeding off one another—Drew and I—and we had been simply type of making birdies left and proper. That’s all the time enjoyable.” —Justin Doeden
“Whenever you see a man hit numerous good photographs, it simply offers you that optimistic (feeling).” —Drew Nesbitt
“It was a superb day. Every part was clicking. I actually didn’t go away myself in a nasty spot all day.” —Cooper Dossey
“It was simply preparation. I used to be capable of execute the sport plan that I arrange this morning, and in order that was key.” —Kieran Vincent
“I really feel like I’m taking part in some fairly good golf for the final two or three weeks. I made each cuts, simply having made a bunch of putts, and I believe the ball was lifted as we speak. It’s nearly staying affected person out right here. I really feel like my sport is in a great place.” —Justin Doeden on his begin to the 2022 season
“It’s good to get off to a terrific begin. Any time you possibly can play a extremely good spherical one it simply type of units up for a superb week.” —Drew Nesbitt
First-Spherical Climate: Largely sunny and delicate. Excessive of 23. Wind W at 2-4 kph.
