Caledon, Ont. — When Taylor Pendrith hits the golf ball, people take notice, especially when he does so in the General Toronto Area.

Growing up in Richmond Hill, Ont, about an hour east of TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, site of this week’s Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos and CBM Aggregaetes, Pendrith feels right at home on the North course’s fairways, proven by Thursday’s 9-under 63, which leads the tournament by one-stroke among those to finish their opening round.

“I’ve been out here a bunch, living kind of close by,” said Pendrith. “I didn’t play very well here last year, so this is a little redemption.”

Being one of the longest hitters on not only the Mackenzie Tour, but any Tour, Pendrith says the wide fairways suit his style of play, despite missing the cut at the event in 2018.

“There’s lots of drivers,” said the 28-year old. “I can cut it over a couple bunkers, which is an advantage for me, and I drove it fantastic today, hitting lots of fairways and giving myself some opportunities.”

Pendrith did his damage on the back nine on Thursday. Making the turn at 3-under, the Kent State alum made four birdies on his next five holes to move to 7-under.

“Honestly, on the front nine I missed two or three very makeable putts and I was a little disappointed to be 3-under through 8,” said Pendrith. “I was hitting it great, I think I only missed one green, so I had a lot of opportunities and I was able to get the putter going on the back nine.”

Finishing with back-to-back birdies, the second coming after a weather delay that lasted nearly two hours, Pendrith signed for his lowest score of the season, and best opening round since his 62 to open the 2018 Windsor Championship.

“I’ve been pretty close to having a good tournament, I just haven’t capped it off,” said Pendrith, who has one top-10 finish this season and is coming off a T16 at last week’s Windsor Championship. “I’ve been hovering around 25th going into Sunday and I’ve played OK. It’s nice to get off to a good start and hopefully keep it going.”

Paul Barjon, who continued his strong 2019 season by posting a bogey-free 64, looking for his fifth top-10 finish this season, and Jeremy Gandon trail Pendrith by one stroke.

Due to Thursday’s weather delay, play was suspended due to darkness and 19 players will return to finish their opening rounds at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on Friday morning at 8:15 A.M., while second round tee times will begin at 7:15 A.M., as originally planned.

Key Information

Making two eagles on his front nine, Monday qualifier Ashton Van Horne shot an opening-nine 29 and is 9-under par with one hole remaining to finish on Friday morning.

David Sanchez, playing his first PGA TOUR-sanctioned event since 2012, shot a 3-under-par 69 Thursday. It was his first start on the Mackenzie Tour this season after earning status via Q-School. Sanchez broke his back in 2014 and did not play competitive golf for five years.

Without a bogey on his card, Jeremy Gandon shot the low round of his Mackenzie Tour career, playing his final six holes 5-under to sign for a 64.

Golf Canada Team Member Joey Savoie shot a 6-under-par 66, his lowest career round on the Mackenzie Tour.

Charlie Danielson finished T-15 last week at the 3M Open on the PGA TOUR, and opened this week on the Mackenzie Tour with a 6-under-par 66.

Paul Barjon, a winner already this year on the Mackenzie Tour at the Bayview Place DCBank Open presented by Times Colonist, shot an 8-under-par 64, his lowest opening round of the season. Barjon has not played a round over par this season on the Mackenzie Tour.

Taking last week off, adjusting to life after laser-eye surgery and resting back home in Germany, Jeremy Paul picked up where he left off, firing an opening-round 65 to put himself two-strokes back of Pendrith’s lead.

Opening with a 31 on his front nine, JD Fernandez made four birdies and added an eagle on the par-4 15thhole to close with a back-nine 30, folding into the group two-strokes back of the lead, at 7-under.

Patrick Fishburn became the first player on the Mackenzie Tour this season to make three eagles in one round, doing so on hole Nos. 1, 8 and 18 on his way to a 4-under 68.

Quotable

“I would have definitely loved to have finished and be back having a nap by now (laughs). It is what it is. I had 195 yards into the green on the last hole, and it was supposed to be a 7-iron, but it turned into a 9-iron because the wind started going [after the delay]. It was a nice way to finish, it really would have been unfortunate to miss that comebacker, but (making birdie) was a nice way to finish.” – Taylor Pendrith on the weather delay

“Health-wise, I’m good. I can practice the way I want to. I don’t have to flinch at the ball anymore.” – Taylor Pendrith

“It was a good start, I hit every fairway except No. 17 and the putts went in most of the time, and I chipped in on No. 10. Other than that, I had mostly putts inside 15-feet. The two par-5s I didn’t make birdie on are the only things I kind of regret, but how much can you regret after a 64? So, no, it was good, and it feels good not to be five-strokes off the lead after the first day.” – Paul Barjon

“I feel good. I’m carrying some confidence with my scoring abilities, so that’s been good. I don’t remember what I shot in Victoria, but starting well makes it easier, you don’t have to shoot 15-under over the weekend, so it’s important and you have no idea what’s going to be the winning score.” – Paul Barjon

“This place is great. The range is one of the best we have and the greens are maybe better than Lethbridge. These, in my opinion, are the best greens we’ve had. The course is in great shape and the staff is great, so I can’t complain. – Paul Barjon

“I practiced a little bit at home, as much as I could, but I didn’t mind not practicing much in the middle of the season. I played a lot in the winter in Arizona, so it was nice to get a bit of a break and I feel very mentally refreshed and I was really relaxed today. My expectations weren’t that high, and I didn’t know where my game is, so it was nice to see I hit it pretty good.” - Jeremy Paul

“It’s always nice to get a first round going, you basically just know if you get behind on this golf course you lose a lot of spots, so, to be in contention on the weekend, it’s important to have a good first round. Once you’re a bit behind and everyone is shooting five to 8-under, it’s hard to gain a lot of ground. It’s a course where scores will be really low so it’s important to get off to a good start.”- Jeremy Paul

“This place is insane. There’s so much land here, there’s three courses and conditions are really good, better than last year even. After the last few weeks it’s nice to hit so many drivers, the greens are kind of tricky, but I enjoy hitting driver, so I was looking forward to these weeks.” - Jeremy Paul

First-Round Weather: Sunny. High of 27. Wind up to 30 KM/h in the afternoon.