Past Champion, James Love, holds a slim one shot lead after day one

SUNDRE, Alta. (Alberta Golf) – The 2017 Scott Venturo Rudakoff LLP Alberta Open Championship is feeling like a flashback as James Love sits on top of today’s leaderboard. In 2015, Love made a second day charge to win the event in dramatic fashion. This year it’s a different story. “I got off to a good start. I birdied my first two holes. So that sets the tone pretty easily for the day,” Love said.

It took four birdies on the front nine and three more on the back to secure a one stroke lead over Evan Holmes. The conditions today made for good scoring with 15 players at even par or better.

Love said the course was just working for him, having not played the track since the renovations 10 years ago. “This is a good course here. You want to keep hitting it in front of you, and you want to keep out of the trees. I pretty much did that today.”

A practice round wasn’t even needed, as the Calgarian travelled in from the Kelowna area after playing in the GolfBC Championship on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada event held last week. Love said that he is hoping to keep his momentum going into round two. “You know, I’ve been playing well most of the year. So there isn’t a lot of stuff that I need to do differently. I will hopefully get off to a good start again and keep that rhythm going.”

TOP 10 – ALBERTA OPEN LEADERBOARD

For the full leaderboard, click here.

Evan Holmes is looking for some redemption at the Sundre GC. Having narrowly missed at the Alberta Men’s Amateur four years ago at this same course, he is proving to be a notable contender, as he sits alone in second place and only one shot back of Love.

PGA of Alberta Professional, Craig Gibson, from the Sirocco Golf Club, is in third place at three under par. Notably, Dustin Risdon had it to five under par through 12 holes before a double bogey on 13 stalled his round. He sits three shots back and will surely be a player to keep an eye on in the final round.

Tomorrow’s champion will earn a spot in the ATB Financial Classic on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada. The top 16 amateur players will advance to the Scott Venturo Rudakoff LLP Alberta Match Play Championship the following two days. The Match Play Champion will become the second teammate on the 2018 Pacific Coast Amateur Alberta Morse Cup team.

For photographs from round one of the championship, click here.

The final group will tee off at 1:10 PM.

Follow along using #ABOpen.

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ABOUT ALBERTA GOLF

Alberta Golf hosts 13 annual provincial championships in order to identify the best golfers in various age and gender catergories. A mix of nearly 1,500 pro and amateur golfers compete on high quality member facility courses across the province. Championships are hosted by a core team of staff and over 100 volunteers. The tournaments promote competition, build pride in the community, support charitable giving and inspire future generations of golfers. They also serve as an opportunity for golfers to qualify for national amateur championships.

The Alberta Golf Association was incorporated as a society in 1912 and continues today as a not for profit Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) operating as Alberta Golf. As the PSO, we are commited to realizing the positive impacts of golf on indivudals and communities across Alberta. Our vision is that through golf, Albertans will enjoy a high quality of life, improved health and wellness, a strong sense of community, economic benefits and personal fulfillment.

ABOUT SCOTT VENTURO RUDAKOFF LLP

Scott Venturo Rudakoff LLP is a multi service law firm based in Calgary, Alberta. Since its establishment in 1986, the firm has become one of Calgary’s leading legal service providers, focusing on delivering high quality, efficient solutions for clients. The partners, associates and staff of Scott Venturo Rudakoff LLP come from a wide range of backgrounds, and this experience enables us to offer responsive, effective and creative legal solutions to our clients.