Carrigan, the reigning B.C. Mid-Amateur champion, posted six birdies on the day to go along with an eagle on Point Grey’s 18th hole, a par-5.

“I started off incredibly nervous. I can't remember being nervous on the first tee (No. 10) in like two years,” said Carrigan, a product of the University of Texas at Arlington. “I hit a hybrid about 60 yards left on the first hole, found it, made bogey. I bogeyed my second hole and birdied my third, then bogeyed my fourth and from there I just fell into my own. I couldn't miss a fairway with my driver and as firm and fast as it was out here, it was just never stopping.”

Carrigan, who also placed fourth at the 2012 B.C. Amateur Championship earlier this year, pointed to his consistency off the tee as the key to a stellar opening-round score on Tuesday.

“I don't think I missed a fairway with my driver,” said Carrigan. “I hit it pretty good, relatively long in comparison. I scored very well on the par-5s, even the ones where I made par. It was just the first day, so there was not a lot of pressure on it. It's pretty effortless to go out there, especially when you're hitting it good.”

Saskatoon’s Tyler Frank and Calgary’s Jordan Irwin sit T2 at even-par 72, while Chris Moore of Vancouver, Mark Elgner of Toronto, Allan Stanley of Windsor, Ont. and Bryan Scott of Victoria, B.C. are T4 at 1-over par 73.

Three-time Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion Dave Bunker of Woodbridge, Ont. is T8 at 2-over par 74, while defending champion Rob Couture of Trenton, Ont., now a resident of Dallas, Tex., is T22 at 4-over par 76, nine shots off the lead.

In Inter-Provincial Team Championship play, the British Columbia contingent of Carrigan, Scott and Bryan Toth of Victoria, B.C. carded a combined 4-under par 140 to lead the Alberta squad of Irwin, David Schultz of Calgary and Tom McKinlay Jr. of Lacombe, Alta. by seven strokes heading into Wednesday’s final round of team competition. Alberta sits at 3-over par 147, while Team Saskatchewan, Team Ontario and Team Quebec are T3 at 7-over par 151.

Stanley, meanwhile, holds a one-stroke lead in the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship Mid-Master Division over Bunker and Victoria, B.C.’s Craig Doell.

The 2012 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship resumes tomorrow, Wednesday, September 5, 2012, with second-round play beginning at 7:30 a.m. (PDT). Starting times, post-round results, a full field list and live scoring are available here.

At the conclusion of play on Wednesday, the field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties and Golf Canada will also crown the 2012 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship Inter-Provincial Team Champion.

The 2012 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship winner will earn an exemption into the 2013 RBC Canadian Open at the historic Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

View results for Canadian Mid-Amateur