The weather was warm Monday.
Michael Simms was hot.
The 18-year-old out of Clovelly in St. John’s took full advantage of sunny skies, a warm breeze and receptive greens as he had three birdies in posting a superb three-under par 68, by far and away the best score on the opening day of play at the 2019 Royal LePage provincial junior golf championships at GlenDenning Golf in the Southlands area of the capital city.
In the junior boys division, Simms has a nine-stroke lead over Ethan Efford of Bally Haly Country Club in St. John’s. Efford’s 77 Monday puts him three strokes up on Alex Dolomount of Clovelly. Luke Lahey of the Grand Falls Golf Club recorded an 81 and is fourth, a stroke behind Dolomount.
Simms and Dolomount are the two most recent champions in the juvenile boys division, but are now only age-eligible for the junior section.
This year, it’s Efford who holds down first place in the juvenile division, seven strokes ahead of Nathan Young of Clovelly who record and of 84 on Monday. Evan Mitchell of Bally Haly is in third after an 87.
In bantam boys play, Karsen Best of Bally Haly had an 89, putting him nine strokes ahead of Jack Pelley-MacHardy of Grand Falls Golf Club. Evan Snow of Gander Golf Club sits third.
Coming off her third-place finish in the provincial women’s amateur championship, held last week at GlenDenning, Taylor Cormier of Blomidon Golf Club in Corner Brook carded an 84 to hold down top spot over Sanjana Gullipalli of Clovelly.
Cormier’s round included an eagle of the Par 4 fifth hole.
Round 2 of the three-day, 54-hole event begins early this morning.
For more details and full scores from Monday, go online here.
Twitter: @telysports