Sport Staff

Brian Hadley has the personality of a guy who remains relaxed even in the most furious conditions.

So, it was no surprise to see him leading the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada presented by Titleist & FootJoy after a blustery first round at Port Royal Golf Club yesterday.

Hadley, the head golf professional at Thames Valley Golf Club in London, Ontario, posted a one-over-par 72 in sustained 40km/h winds.

“Other than the double I made on the seventh hole, I played pretty solidly out there today,” said Hadley about this first round that featured three birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey.

“My game plan today was to just get it in play off the tee, hit a lot of greens and shoot somewhere around even-par.”

Scott Allred of Elbow Springs Golf Club in Alberta, and Craig Hocknull, of the Outback Golf Academy & Golf Show, sit two-shots back of Hadley in a share of second place after matching 74s.

Danny King, last year’s champion, Lindsay Bernakevitch, of Victoria Golf Club, and Ian Doig, the 2004 winner, are in a three-way tie for fourth at three over.

While he has never won on the national stage before, Hadley is no stranger to playing well in big events. Earlier this season he won the PGA of Ontario Championship for the third time since 2012.

He also played in the 2013 RBC Canadian Open on the PGA Tour after winning the Ontario qualifier, and shot a 59 in the first round of the 2013 PGA of Ontario Championship.

However, even with a history of playing well when it counts, the 35-year-old said he is not about to get ahead of himself this week at Port Royal.

“There’s still a lot of golf to played out here this week,” he said. “I don’t think the wind is going anywhere, so I’ve just got to keep doing the same things that worked for me today and avoid the big number.

“But, this is a PGA of Canada national championship so it would be pretty fun to be in contention later this week.”