Mark Valliere from Courtenay carded a 1-under 71 on Tuesday and is tied for 28th place after the opening round of the Canadian Men's Amateur Golf Championship at Cumberland and Rockland, Ont.
The 17-year-old Valliere had a fourth-place finish at the recent Canadian Junior Championships in Nova Scotia.
"I had a very solid round going until I had a doublebogey on the 17th hole,'' said Valliere, who is the top Island golfer after the first round. "I flew the green with my approach shot and then I had an unplayable ball.
"I usually don't get into too much trouble on the course. I'm consistent and hit a lot of greens.''
Alex Carrigan of Guelph, Ont., is the first-round leader after firing a 6-under 66. Carrigan has a one-shot lead over Brian ChurchillSmith from Oakville, Ont.
Tied for third, two shots behind Carrigan are Jerry Christiansen from Saskatoon and Stephane Dubois from Brantford, Ont.
Kevin Kwon from Pitt Meadows is the top B.C. player after a 3-under 69. He is tied for fifth.
Valliere is followed by Royal Colwood's Dustin Yeager and Bryan Scott, who had even par, 72s.
Riley Fleming from Airdrie, Alta., who won the recent B.C. Amateur, also had a 72.
In the field of 240, Darren Day of Royal Colwood is tied for 108th after a 4-over 76. Matt Haddad from Qualicum shot a 78 and junior Alex Cartwright from Olympic View had a 79.
rrauch@timescolonist.com
