Waite out in front

Waite finished second at the 2000 Canadian Open

Leading first round scores

New Zealand's Grant Waite fired an eight-under-par 64 on Thursday to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the Canadian Open.

Waite enjoyed a bogey-free round and made five birdie putts en route to his lowest score of the year.

If I get into another good rhythm tomorrow, I'll have a chance to be there on the weekend

New Zealand's Grant Waite

Billy Andrade, champion here in 1998, led a pack of players two shots behind at 66 that included Neal Lancaster, Greg Chalmers and Sweden's Per-Ulrik Johansson.

Waite has good memories of the Angus Glen Golf Club, having scored a runner-up spot in 2000 when he was edged on the final day by Tiger Woods.

"I enjoy coming to Canada," said Waite, who has missed nine of 14 cuts on the US Tour this year.

"I've said many times, I played the Canadian Tour for four years up here in the earlier part of my career.

"It was instrumental in me getting to the next step, which was on the USPGA Tour. I have good memories."

Waite began the day nervously with his opening drive narrowly missing the water, but he recovered well to register a bogey-free round.

He said: "All you're doing in the first round is giving yourself a good start. If I get into another good rhythm tomorrow, I'll have a chance to be there on the weekend."

Canada's number one Mike Weir hit a two-under-par 69, recovering from a bogey on the par-five 14th to string together four straight birdies on the front nine.

"My history is not good here," said Weir, who missed the cut in his first nine attempts at his national open.

"To get off to a good start is a boost."

---

Leading scores after the first round of Canadian Open (US unless stated).

64 Grant Waite (Nzl)
66 Billy Andrade, Greg Chalmers (Aus), Per-Ulrik Johansson (Swe), Neal Lancaster
67 Carlos Franco (Par), Frank Nobilo (Nzl), Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Vijay Singh (Fij)
68 Bob Estes, Stephen Gangluff, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Rod Pampling (Aus), Loren Roberts
69 Pat Bates, Olin Browne, Scott Dunlap, Charles Howell, Kent Jones, Jonathan Kaye, Ian Leggatt (Can), Justin Leonard, Graeme McDowell, Jesper Parnevik (Swe), Corey Pavin, Paul Stankowski, Mike Weir (Can)