Grenier Grinds at Tangle Creek

Claude Grenier cruised around a windy Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club and leads the Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada at 3-under-par thru the first round.

Grenier, whose card featured five birdies and just two bogeys en-route to his opening-round 69, said he’s very pleased with this start.

“I’m pretty happy with shooting 3-under in my first round,” the 56-year-old from Wimpassing, Austria said. “This golf course is very solid with greens that demand your attention with all the different levels.”

Located in Barrie, Ont., Tangle Creek’s layout offers a combination of links and parkland style holes with large sloping greens that are protected throughout the course by over 30 strategically placed bunkers. Golf Digest nominated the course “Best New Course in Canada” in 2003.

Lurking one shot back of Grenier is the Georgian Bay Club’s Gary Jeffrey, who posted a 2-under-par 70 on Wednesday. Jeffrey, who earlier this summer captured the PGA of Ontario’s Senior Summer Challenge, admitted he feeling the nerves early in his round.

“I got off to a pretty shaky start because I had the jitters,” the 52-year-old said. “But once I settled down I was pretty consistent,” he said, adding, “this golf course is just in fantastic shape and the greens are rolling really nicely.”

Club de golf Champlain’s Michel Daigenais rounds out the top three at 1-under, while Bob Beauchemin (Oakdale Golf Academy); Bruce Rogerson (North Granite Ridge); Ian Doig (Ian Doig Golf Academy); Daniel Talbot (Centre De Pratique De Golf Sports Montreal); Dave Wettlaufer (Dave Wettlaufer Golf Corp.); Jim Farrelly (Guelph Lakes Golf and Country Club); and John Rushnell (Oshawa Golf Club) round out the top 10 at even-par.

For the full leaderboard and second round tee times, CLICK HERE.

The PGA Seniors' Championship of Canada was first played in 1938 as a division of the PGA Championship of Canada. In 1973, the PGA Seniors' Championship of Canada became an independent event and has stayed that way ever since. Among the Canadian golf legends to win this championship are Stan Leonard, Moe Norman, Bob Panasik, Al Balding and Jim Rutledge. Norman won this championship a record seven straight years from 1979 to 1985, while Balding stunned the golf world by winning the championship at age 76 in 2000.

In 2015 Jim Rutledge captured his fourth Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada, winning at the venerable Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont.

Attendance to the Mr. Lube PGA Seniors’ Championship of Canada is free and spectators are encouraged to attend during tournament play.