Ben Griffin may not believe in griffins — the mythical monster — but he certainly played like a beast Thursday, using a last-minute sponsors’ exemption to share the lead at the course he works at in Round 1 of the Mackenzie Tour’s Bayview Place Island Savings Open presented by the Times Colonist.
The Uplands Golf Club assistant pro was one of two competitors to record a rare albatross (double-eagle 2 on a par-5) on his way to a 6-under 64 to clutch a piece of the PGA Tour Canada lead with his talons.
American Brad Benjamin, of Rockford, Illinois, had the other albatross on lucky No. 7 to also finish at 64 on a strange day at Uplands. It was the first time two albatrosses have been recorded in the same round in Mackenzie Tour history and they came within an hour of each other.
Langley’s Adam Cornelson and Americans Jeff Rein and Chris Evans also had solid 6-under 64s as five players shared the lead. Cornelson and Evans turned the trick in a much tougher morning flight that came in brutal winds.
Griffin was the story of the day, however, as he admitted it was a pinch-yourself moment. He had previously shot a 7-under 63 on the course, but never against such a tough field.
“I just kept saying to myself, ‘Why not me? Why not?’ Someone has to play well. I just wanted to keep the momentum going and get it into the clubhouse,” said Griffin, who had a gallery amass as word got out on social media of his round, especially after the albatross.
“That definitely got the adrenalin going. I was just trying to calm down and settle down,” he said of jarring a 3-hybrid from 240 yards out. “That got me going. I had birdied the hole before and chipped in on nine.
“I just had a hot front nine and just wanted to keep it going, not look at the leaderboard too much. I peaked over there on the par-5 [No. 12]. That was pretty cool,” he said of seeing his name at the top. “The first time that’s ever happened [on tour].”
He had the lead to himself after the birdie on No. 10, but gave it back on No. 16 as nerves kicked in as he neared the clubhouse. He made a 12-foot putt to save par on 15.
“It was a little bit of a steer job over the last couple of holes just to get it to the clubhouse, for sure,” he said with a chuckle.
Obviously, course knowledge paid off for Griffin, 36, who first became a member at Uplands when he was 13
Meanwhile, Benjamin canned a 3-wood from 251 yards on the very same 7th hole, which played to 513 yards on the whacky day. He, Griffin and Rein took advantage of pretty benign conditions after a very different morning.
Wicked winds died down to stillness and players were firing away at softened greens from Wednesday night’s rain.
Cornelson’s and Evans’ 64s were much tougher, having to gauge the wind.
“I like where I’m at,” said a relieved Evans, who has conditional status on the Web.com Tour and is playing in Victoria for the first time, although the Shelton, Wash., native visited here with family when he was 12. “Being from the Pacific Northwest, I love to get a chance to come back up here.”
Cornelson, meanwhile, is a regular in these parts.
“Right from the get-go, when we woke up, you could see the wind. The flags were whipping pretty good and you knew it was going to be a tough day to control your golf ball. I had to lean on the short game a bit and fight it out,” he said. “The trouble I did get in to I was able to save par. Fortunately, when I had some looks at birdie, I rolled them in.”
Seann Harlingten of Vancouver also continued his stellar play on the Island, with a 5-under 65 and is tied for sixth with fellow Canadian Aaron Cockerill of Manitoba and Florida State product Hank Lebioda, who is making his pro debut this week.
“I love this city. It’s where I met my girlfriend, too. It’s a great spot. It’s more relaxing and a nice lifestyle so you take that out to the course. It feels like I play better when I’m more comfortable,” said Harlingten, who shot a 7-under 65 in the RBC Canadian Open regional qualifier at Bear Mountain Resort on Monday.
CHIP SHOTS: It was a tougher day for the rest of the locals. Riley Wheeldon of Comox was a respectable 1-under 69, while Victoria’s Cory Renfrew, Lindsay Bernakevitch and Dylan Bell were all 1-over 71; Gordy Scutt, Brian Sluggett and Darren Day were 72; while Greg Palmer of Port Alberni shot 77; and Jim Rutledge struggled to a 78.
