Canadian golfers set the pace on Day 1 of NE Amateur; an ace helped leader get to 6 under

EAST PROVIDENCE — A pair of Canada natives took headlining places during Wednesday’s opening round of the 62nd Northeast Amateur.

Garrett Rank held a share of the clubhouse lead until Hunter Thomson charged through his back nine into the top spot. Both are well-positioned after a sultry, breezy first day at Wannamoisett Country Club.

Rank sits in a four-way tie at 4-under despite being just a couple of short weeks removed from the end of his latest NHL season as a referee. Thomson carded an ace at the par-3 third as part of his 6-under 63, a sterling debut at a prime event on what is generally a college and junior summer circuit.

“I got a lot out of the round today,” Rank said. “I putted almost perfectly — maybe one mistake. But I was super-thrilled with how it went on the greens.”

“Obviously, I knew the field was as elite as it gets in amateur golf,” Thomson said. “I was really pumped for the opportunity to compete against these guys. The course is amazing.”

Thomson started on the 10th and notched two straight bogeys before snapping into form. He collected four birdies before making the turn and striking gold at the signature 146-yard hole parallel to Hoyt Avenue. Thomson’s punched 9-iron took one forward bounce and disappeared — he confirmed it was in the hole courtesy of a quick peek through his range finder.

“I kind of tried to have no reaction,” Thomson said. “I made two hole-in-ones at a tournament when I was younger and I got way too high and ended up messing up. I just tried to stay as low as I could and stay patient.”

Thomson made two more birdies on the way in and finished with a routine two-putt at the par-4 ninth. The top-10 finisher at the most recent Big Ten championship with Michigan is one shot ahead of Valparaiso’s Anthony Delasanti and Virginia’s Deven Patel. Both closed with 5-under 64s while also playing in the more difficult afternoon wave.

“I saw a few 4-unders posted,” Thomson said. “First round, I usually just kind of go out there. I don’t really worry about what everybody else is doing.”

One of those belonged to Rank, who is fresh off working into the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time. The 36-year-old came up just shy of being selected for the ongoing Edmonton Oilers-Florida Panthers finals matchup and went back to his summer routine on the golf course. Rank hit for six birdies to stand even in an international trio with China native Paul Chang and Australia native Josiah Gilbert.

“It’s good to get a break and be excited to come back and play,” Rank said. “We play a lot of golf during the summertime.”

Rank is a veteran of this event and the amateur circuit. He was the 2016 champion at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur and has posted four other top-10 finishes — that’s for players ages 25 and older. Rank was also the runner-up at the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2012 and a winner at the Western Amateur in 2019.

“I was lucky enough to get a few assignments down south during the hockey season,” Rank said. “I probably played 10 times from January to the beginning of June.

“I’ve got a hitting net in my basement — off a mat. So it’s nice to see the ball fly in the air.”

Other contenders after the opening day include Massachusetts amateur champion Ryan Downes, world No. 1 amateur Gordon Sargent and decorated mid-amateur Stewart Hagestad. Downes is among five players at 3-under after four birdies against a lone bogey. Sargent and Hagestad are two of the eight players at 2-under and will be paired again on Thursday.

bkoch@providencejournal.com

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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Canadian golfers lead the way on Day 1 of NE Amateur