Locke even par in opening round of Canadian championship

The four-day tournament is being played at Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club, where four players turned in scores of four under to share an early first round lead.

Locke, the Nova Scotia junior champion, turned in an even par score of 72 to lead his Nova Scotia teammates. The score also gave the 15-year-old sixth place in the tournament’s juvenile division.

The inter-provincial team competition will be resolved today, and Ontario had a 13-stroke lead, with Nova Scotia in fifth spot after Tuesday’s opening round.

Playing conditions at the Alberta golf club were described as pristine, with 14 players from the field of 155 turning in under par scores. While early morning tee-times led to some great scores, players with afternoon tee-times found a pesky but sometimes formidable wind.

Play resumed this morning with the second round teeing off at 7:30 a.m. (MDT).

As part of the RCGA’s Pathway to Champions, the Canadian junior boy’s champion will earn an exemption into the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

Positions and scores of the other Nova Scotia players were: 33rd, Ally Tidcombe, Wolfville, +2; 72nd, Thomas McLellan, Halifax, +5; 90th, Eric Banks, Truro, +6; and 129th, Luke Dempsey, Bedford, +10.