By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Manu Gandhi says he didn’t get much out of his game at the recent B.C. Junior Boys Championship, where the 17-year-old from West Vancouver finished sixth. 

He felt like he was playing better than his score indicated. Finally, in Tuesday’s first round of the 120th B.C. Amateur Championship, Gandhi says his score reflected his solid play. The Seymour Golf & Country Club junior member fired a six-under 66 at Christina Lake Golf Club to grab the first-round lead.

Gandhi got his round going when he eagled the par 5 seventh hole at Christina Lake. “That was nice,” he said.

“I hit a good drive and hit my second shot to the middle of the green. I really didn’t want to get too far back there because you can get into some trouble long of that green. I made a nice 35- or 40-footer for eagle. That sort of kick-started the round.”

Gandhi, who had just one bogey on his card, had the benefit of playing in the morning wave on what was a scorching hot day. “The course was pretty gettable,” he said. “It was nice early on because it wasn’t super hot early. Probably around the 11th or 12th hole it started to really heat up. It wasn’t too windy or anything.”

Gandhi just completed Grade 11 at West Vancouver Secondary and is easing his way back into competitive golf after being forced to take some time off. “I had some lower back problems to sort out,” he said. “Right now, I am trying to play some good golf and see where that takes me.”

Gandhi has a number of close pursuers, including the father and son team of Scott and Cooper Humphreys of Kelowna. Scott Humphreys, Nathan Szpakowicz of Vancouver, Jace Minni of Delta and Jackson Rothwell of Victoria are just one shot back at five-under, while Humphreys’ son Cooper is among a group at four-under par.

Gandhi had not played Christina Lake before practice rounds earlier this week, but has quickly gained a feel for the course. “I think it’s important to hit it well off the tee,” he said.

“It’s not as open as I was told it was. There are some narrow chutes out there you have to find. It tests your whole game. There are a couple of really demanding par 3s you have to hit good shots on. And you have to chip it well, especially on the front nine, because it’s quite difficult with those fall-offs around the greens. But I think driving is the biggest thing. If you can drive it straight you can attack the course.”

Rothwell, the 2019 B.C. Amateur champion, had a roller-coaster of an opening round that began with a double-bogey, but also included two eagles and five birdies. His second eagle came on the par 4 13th when he holed his approach from 140 yards. 

Thirteen-time champion Doug Roxburgh opened with an even-par 72 that included three birdies and three bogeys. The 70-year-old Roxburgh is making his 55th appearance at the B.C. Amateur and in Wednesday’s second round will attempt to make what would be his 52nd cut. The field will be cut to the low 70 and ties following the second round.

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