Blanks shoots 67 to lead PGA event

Associated Press

VANCOUVER, British Columbia

Kris Blanks has been to Vancouver before, usually just to visit his wife’s family, and never with his golf clubs.

The 38-year-old from Georgia is glad he brought the clubs this time.

Blanks shot a 3-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead after a tough first day at the Canadian Open on Thursday.

“When you are traveling with two kids and a suitcase full of Christmas presents the last thing you want to do is drag your golf clubs,” Blanks said.

If Blanks, whose wife Tami is from the Vancouver suburbs, can hang on for his first PGA Tour win, the presents might be a lot bigger on his next trip back to Canada’s west coast. But after only making the cut in half of his 22 events this season, the third-year PGA Tour pro knows there is a lot of golf — and likely a lot of bogeys — left this week.

“I can’t see any day this course is going to be easy,” Blanks said. “It’s definitely going to be national championship style, where pars are good, and when you get in trouble just make sure you don’t get anything over bogey.”

Only 21 players finished under par on the tight, tree-lined Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club. Blanks had the best round in the morning, after overnight rain made the tiny greens more receptive. It also made it that much harder to get out of thick rough many players were comparing to U.S. Open conditions.

Matt McQuillan was the lowest of 17 Canadians in the field with a 2-under 68, putting the 30-year-old PGA Tour rookie in a tie with 11 players, including World Golf Hall of Famer Ernie Els, one shot off the lead.

Rickie Fowler, Anthony Kim and Lucas Glover — playing together in softer morning conditions — all shot 69 to finish in a group of nine that also included fellow Americans Sean O’Hair, Ben Crane, and Chad Campbell.

O’Hair got to 4-under in the afternoon before bogeys on his final three holes.