Charles Fitzsimmons (Golf Canada Photo)
Charles Fitzsimmons of King City, Ont., carded a 5-under-par 67 to lead after the opening round at the 2023 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, held at The Algonquin Golf Course in St. Andrews, N.B.
Fitzsimmons made a total of six birdies during round one; the lone blemish for Fitzsimmons was a bogey on the par-3 eighth hole. He holds a one-stroke lead over Simon McInnis and Ryan Terry, who remain in a tie for second place after shooting 4-under 68 on Monday.
“I had my putter rolling today, I struck it really nicely and made some important putts at certain times which was very helpful,” said Fitzsimmons. “It’s really nice to be back playing, it’s been a tough season with injuries and stuff like that so to be out here competing feels awesome.”
With having won the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship in back-to-back years in 2021 and 2022, the thirty-six-year-old is looking to etch his name on the Presidents Cup for the third time.
“I mean the reality is, dealing with the injuries and all, I just started playing again this week so I’m really just going to try and take care of the body and hope it holds up. Beyond that, keeping the pedal on the gas. There are some really good players in this field and it also really depends on the weather we get. If we get weather like we did today that was scorable, then you definitely have to try and score low because there are guys here that are going to be able to do that,” Fitzsimmons added.
With the course in great condition Fitzsimmons shares “St. Andrews and The Algonquin Golf course are both really awesome places. I played here a number of years ago at another tournament, I always make such amazing memories and the place has gotten even better somehow, so its just a true pleasure. I think all the players are really grateful to be here and have such a wonderful host of this championship.”
McInnis from Crystal Beach, Ont., and Ryan Terry from Brentwood, Tenn., are one stroke behind Fitzsimmons. Champion of the 2023 Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur and captain of this years Ontario Provincial Team, McInnis carded a total of five birdies and made a bogey on the par 4- 18th hole. Terry recorded a total of five birdies, three bogeys, and an eagle on the par 5- 13th hole.
“I played with my fellow team members in the practice round and I think we just got a good feel for the golf course. We talked about a lot of stuff, and I think we had a good plan, I stuck to it and committed to targets. It wasn’t too windy so the ball didn’t blow around too much, so I struck it well,” said McInnis.
Phil Arci of Woodbridge, Ont. sits in fourth place after recording a total score of 3-under 69.
Jim Born Jr. from Lloydminster, Alb., leads the Mid-Master Division – a separate division for players 40 and over – by one-stroke. Born Jr. shot a 2-under par 70 carding six birdies during the opening round to sit atop of the leaderboard. Edward Reevey of Rothesay, N.B., currently sits in second place after shooting a 1-under 71. Edward Bellrose of Campbell River, B.C., and Darryle Czuy of Warman, Sask., are tied for third shooting an even-par 72 after day one.
Team Ontario owns a five-stroke advantage in the Inter-Provincial Team Championship over New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. McInnis’s 4-under and Arci’s 3-under contributed to the total team score of 7-under.
“First off, its an honour to be representing the province, especially with two of my good friends, Russell Bowie, and Phil Arci. They are both really talented guys; Russell had a little bit of a tough start but grinded it out and Phil’s been playing great golf and continued that into today with shotting 3-under. It’s an honour and an incredible place to be playing the inter-provincial at, were just hoping that we can all play well tomorrow and be hoisting some hardware, but we still have some work to do,” said Ontario Team Captain McInnis.
Team New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are tied for second after concluding day one with a total score of 2-under. The team component will conclude following tomorrow’s second round with the winner being awarded the Bruce Forbes Trophy.
ABOUT THE Canadian Mid-Amateur
72 hole stroke play championship.
Mid-Amateur
Any Male golfer who has reached their 25th birthday
by the first scheduled day of
the championship and the player must have a
handicap factor of 5.0 or less.
Mid-Master
Any Male golfer who has reached their 40th birthday
by the first scheduled day of
the championship and the player must have a
handicap factor of 5.0 or less.
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