CALGARY - Having already won four PGA Tour Champions events this season, Spain乌鸦传媒 Miguel Angel Jimenez has put himself in great position for another potential victory.
Jimenez and New Zealand乌鸦传媒 Steve Alker both carded rounds of 7-under 63 to sit atop the leaderboard after the first round of the 2025 Rogers Charity Classic on Friday.
When asked what has led to his tremendous success this season, the 61-year-old Spaniard replied that he hasn鈥檛 done anything special.
鈥淚 feel great on the golf course and that乌鸦传媒 it,鈥 Jimenez said. 鈥淚 feel like a bull 鈥 strong like a bull.鈥
Jimenez had seven birdies, including three in a four-hole span on the back nine at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club to take the lead by himself.
鈥淚 played very solid and I hope to continue the rest of the weekend,鈥 said Jimenez, who has played at the senior-circuit event in Calgary seven times over the past decade. 鈥淚t乌鸦传媒 very nice people. It乌鸦传媒 a nice city. I enjoy it because I keep coming here. I like the golf course.聽
"When you feel confident in a place, you like to come because you make good scores.鈥
Meanwhile, Alker rolled in birdie putts on his final two holes to pull into a tie with his rival.
鈥淎lways nice to be off to a great start,鈥 said Alker, who finished sixth at last year乌鸦传媒 tournament. 鈥淚鈥檝e shot some low rounds here in the past, so just kind of had the momentum to keep going here.鈥
Shane Bertsch and Tommy 鈥淭wo Gloves鈥 Gainey are tied for third after shooting 6-under 64 on the opening day of the three-round tournament.
After teeing off among the early groups, Bertsch birdied three of his final five holes to take the early clubhouse lead.
鈥淪omeone might pass 6 under by the end of the day, you never know,鈥 said Bertsch, whose only previous PGA Tour Champions win was back in 2020 at the Charles Schwab Series at Bass Pro Shops Big Cedar Lodge.聽
鈥淚鈥檓 starving, but it乌鸦传媒 hard out here. It乌鸦传媒 hard, but it乌鸦传媒 doable. You鈥檝e just got to keep playing well. I鈥檓 just thinking about the first tee shot tomorrow and then trying to improve on a couple of things that I didn鈥檛 do so well today.鈥
One day before his 50th birthday, Gainey carded a round of 5-under 65 at Highwood Golf and Country Club on Tuesday in High River, Alta., to earn one of three spots into the event at the final tournament qualifier.
鈥淚鈥檝e been counting it down for the longest time,鈥 Gainey said of his eager anticipation to play in his first Champions Tour event. 鈥淚t has been on countdown for about at least five years.
鈥淚t has been an awesome week to turn 50 and be out here with these legends (and to) get to play with Corey Pavin and Glen Day to start with. It was so much fun being out here with some of the guys I grew up idolizing, watching, and then (having) a chance to play with them.鈥
Calgary乌鸦传媒 Wes Martin had four birdies and just one bogey to card a round of 3-under 67 to finish as the top Canadian in a five-way tie for 17th place.
鈥淭oday was pretty much almost a perfect day,鈥 Martin said. 鈥淚 birdied four out of the first five holes, which is a total dream start. Honestly, it was all foggy. I was just swinging and it was going right where I wanted and the putts were falling. It was incredible.鈥
Like Gainey, Martin only secured his spot in the tournament on Tuesday after shooting a sizzling 9-under 62 at Highwood Golf.
鈥淚t乌鸦传媒 just been a lot of work to get to this point,鈥 said Martin, who admitted to tearing up before hitting his first tee shot of the day. 鈥淵ou never know when it乌鸦传媒 going to happen. To hear the support and just the cheers and to hear your name like that 鈥 I couldn鈥檛 help but to get emotional.鈥
Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., shot an even-par round of 70 to finish in a nine-way tie for 48th place.
Fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Stephen Ames and Gordon Burns of Holland Landing, Ont., finished one shot back of Weir at 1-over 71.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025.