Alan McLean opened the Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary on Friday with a two-under 68 that saw him at four under before bogeys on his final two holes of the day.
McLean is tied for seventh going into Saturday’s second round, four shots off the lead held by Padraig Harrington.
“I was very pleased to receive an invite this week. I’ve been chasing the Champions Tour for just about a year and a half and it’s really difficult to get any invites. It’s a tough way to get into a tournament through the qualifying process each week, so this week it was a little easier,” said McLean, a Canadian citizen since December, 2019.
“I’ve been playing well. I’ve been hitting the ball well and today, I did ride my luck a little bit, but you need luck in golf,” added McLean, who was born in Glasgow and raised in South Africa.
“It wasn’t a lot of luck, it wasn’t like I hit a tree and bounced on the green or anything like that, I just hit it in the trees a couple of times and I had passages where I could make something happen,” said McLean, who now resides in London, Ont.
Over the years, McLean has played on the European Tour, Sunshine Tour, PGA Tour Canada and Korn Ferry Tour. He qualified for the U.S. Senior Open and Senior Open Championship this year and hopes to make his adopted country proud this week.
“I hope I’m speaking to you on Sunday still the top Canadian, I would have done well. No, it’s great. It’s great to represent Canada, and I know both Mike (Weir) and Stephen (Ames) and Mr. (David) Morland are all great players. Hopefully, between us we can have a good round and make the Calgarians proud of us,” he said.
Ames is tied for 19th at one under after he opened with a round of 69. Weir and Dennis Hendershott are tied for 26th at even par.
The leaderboard is here.
Korn Ferry Tour
Ben Silverman was tied for ninth when second round play was suspended due to darkness on Friday after he finished the day with a one-under 70.
Silverman was nine under through his first two rounds, four shots off the lead.
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PGA Tour
With second round play suspended due to darkness on Friday, Taylor Pendrith, Nick Taylor and Michael Gligic were all tied for 50th at two under when play was called at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C.
Pendrith fired a three-under 67 in Friday’s second round, while Taylor finished the day with a 71. Gligic shot a 73 on Friday.
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PGA Tour Canada
American Ryan Gerard, at 11 under, holds a one-shot lead at the Quebec Open in Blainville, Que.
Gerard shot a four-under 68 in Friday’s second round. Joey Savoie is two shots back in a tie for third after he finished with a 67.
All of the scores are here.
Epson Tour
With second round play suspended due to darkness at the French Lick Charity Classic, Alena Sharp was tied for 12th after she completed a round of one-under 71.
The leaderboard is here.
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