Despite steady winds, a taste of smoke from a local fire and firm greens, Day 1 of the 2018 Royal LePage Provincial Amateur Championships at Bally Haly Country Club provided some excitement as 2017 Provincial Junior Champion Andrew Bruce of Humber Valley Resort and Corner Brook native Michael Tibbo of Bally Haly Country Club recorded identical scores of two over par 72 to tie for the lead in the men's amateur division.
Defending champion Mike Furlong carded a 73 to sit in third place heading into Day 2 of competition.
In the women's divisions ,Bally Haly Country Club member Janet Mills carded an 84 to hold a one-stroke lead over provincial development team member Taylor Cormier of Blomidon Golf Club.
Allison Crawford of Bally Haly and Rossie Boland of Clovelly round out the top three in the division. Mills holds the lead in the mid-amateur division by seven strokes over Karen Healey, also from Bally Haly while Crawford and Boland are tied for third with a score of 92.
Mills leads the senior division with a four-stroke lead over Sherilyn Beaton of Clovelly. Karen Healey is three strokes behind Beaton carding 91 in the first round. Beaton takes a five-stroke lead in the super senior Division heading into Day 2 over Linda Webber of Bally Haly who carded a 93. Bobbie Boland of Clovelly scored a 96 to find herself eight strokes from the leader.
In the men's mid-amateur division, Tibbo leads the field of 63 players with a total 72, leading defending champion Furlong by one stroke. Matthew Woodland of Bally Haly Country Club recorded a four over par to stand two strokes off the pace.
In the senior men's division, Chuck Conley of Bally Haly recorded a nine over par 79 to hold a one-stroke lead over clubmate Eddie Bearns.
John Bidgood of Bally Haly and Andrew Hynes of Clovelly carded an 81 to hold down third place. Andrew Hynes of Clovelly carded an 81 to lead the field by three strokes. Bob Skanes of Gander Golf Club and 2017 champion Don Boland and Colin Budgell, both from Bally Haly are tied for second with a score of 84.
During the first day of competition, Bram Dawe, Matthew Woodland, Mike Furlong and Justin Cluett of Grande Meadows each recorded an eagle while former champion Blair Bursey of Gander Golf Club and Utah Valley University Varsity Alumni recorded three birdies in the first four holes of play.
Round 2 goes on this morning at 7:20 a.m.
