Graysen Huff among four-way tie for lead after Round 1 at Bromont Open presented by Desjardins

BROMONT, Québec – Graysen Huff, Ki Taek Lee, Jay Card III and John Keefer opened with a 7-under 63 on Thursday to share the first-round lead of the Bromont Open presented by Desjardins. Four players are tied for fifth in 6-under 64 leading into Friday’s second round.

Keefer holds the 18-hole lead/co-lead for the second consecutive week in his fourth start as a professional. The recent graduate of Baylor University recorded his second runner-up finish of the PGA TOUR Americas' season at last week’s Explore NB Open after being part of a five-way tie at the top of the leaderboard after 18 holes. He finished in solo second after back-to-back rounds of 64 to close out the 54-hole event.

The rookie made his professional debut at The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist last month after earning exempt status for the North America Swing via finishing No. 25 in the 2024 PGA TOUR University Ranking. In his first season as a professional, Keefer has posted three top-five finishes in three starts and tied his career-low in Thursday’s round with a 63, which included a 6-under 29 on his opening nine. The 23-year-old moved into the top 10 of the Fortinet Cup at No. 7 through the strength of last week’s runner-up finish.

Huff posted his career-low (63) in the opening round at Golf Chateau-Bromont after carding a 7-under 28 on the front nine. This was the third time a score of 28 has been posted this season. Huff combined five birdies and one eagle to secure an early spot at the top of the leaderboard after his first nine. He posted an even-par back-nine to enter the four-way tie in 7-under. The 27-year-old holds a share of the 18-hole lead/co-lead for the first time in his career heading into the second round.

Huff earned membership to the North America Swing via the mid-season Q-School site in Alabama. The Idaho native went without any PGA TOUR-sanctioned membership the first half of the year after finishing outside of the top 80 in the 2023 PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Totalplay Cup. The opening event of the North America Swing, the Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist, marked Huff’s best finish (T16/13-under) since the 2021 The Club at Weston Hills Open on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica where he finished tied for fifth.

Card III is part of the four-way tie at the top of the leaderboard for the first time in his career and tied his career low with a 63 on Thursday since the 2023 Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank and Intermountain Health on the Korn Ferry Tour. The 30-year-old earned exempt membership for the North America Swing via medalist honors at the mid-season Q-School site in Alabama, and looks to make his first cut in his fourth start. Card III withdrew from the opening event in Victoria, British Columbia after dealing with an injury and narrowly missed the cut by one stroke at the ATB Classic.

Lee recorded his career-low in 7-under 63 and holds a share of the lead/co-lead for the first time in his fourth start as a professional. Lee carded five birdies on his back-nine and posted one of three bogey-free rounds on Thursday. The 29-year-old earned exempt membership through the California Q-School site last month and made his professional debut at The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist, where he posted his best showing of the season (T37/-9).

Second-round tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. ET and will run until 2:40 p.m. ET off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees on Friday.

About John Keefer (T1/7-under)

Age: 23
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland
Residence: San Antonio, Texas
College: Baylor University
Fortinet Cup (start of week): Seventh

• Finished No. 25 in the 2024 PGA TOUR University Ranking and earned exempt membership into the North America Swing of PGA TOUR Americas
• Played five collegiate seasons (2019-24) at Baylor University where he recorded seven top-three finishes, highlighted by his two individual victories (2021/Rice Intercollegiate, 2023/Valero Texas Collegiate)
• Made his professional debut at The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist; recorded three top-five finishes in his first three starts, including back-to-back runners-up (T5/The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist, T2/ATB Classic, second/Explore NB Open)
• Only men’s golfer in Big 12 history to be named Scholar Athlete of the Year in back-to-back seasons (2022, 2023); named to the 2023 CSC Academic All-District Team; Three-time GCAA All-Region selection and Academic All-Big 12 Honoree (Rookie Team, First Team, First Team)
• As an amateur was named to the 2018 Rolex Second-Team All-American; played on the West Team in 2018 Wyndham Cup; claimed tournament titles at the 2017 AJGA Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation Junior Championship, 2017 TJGT Texas Junior Masters and 2016 AJGA Under Armour Jordan Spieth Qualifier
• Played lacrosse from age 5 until senior year of high school

About Graysen Huff (T1/7-under)

Age: 27
Birthplace: Eagle, Idaho
Residence: Auburn, Alabama
College: Auburn University
Fortinet Cup (start of week): 122nd

• Earned exempt membership to the North America Swing after a one-through-nine finish at the mid-season Q-School site at Alabama in May
• Played five collegiate seasons at Auburn University (2016-21), where he claimed two individual victories (T1/2019 SEC Championship, First/2015 ASU Fall Beach Classic)
• Amateur accomplishments include an appearance in the 2016 U.S. Amateur and the 2021 Patriot All-America Championship
• Says Royal Porthcawl GC in Cardiff, Wales, is the hardest course he’s played
• Has always been a fan of Steve Stricker

About Jay Card III (T1/7-under)

Age: 30
Birthplace: Shelter Island, New York
Residence: Shelter Island, New York
College: High Point University
Fortinet Cup (start of week): N/A

• Earned exempt membership to the North America Swing via medalist honors at the mid-season Q-School site in Dothan, Alabama, in May
• Played on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022 and 2023; recorded his best finish at the 2022 LECOM Suncoast Classic (T6/15-under)
• Played one season of collegiate golf (2013-14) as a sophomore at High Point University
• Performed with choirs at Carnegie Hall and the Vatican and sang two solos with an orchestra in front of 1,500 people
• Plays the flute, oboe and saxophone, and wants to become a better pianist and guitarist
• Worked at The Bear's Club in Jupiter, Florida, cleaning carts, and previously worked in landscape and construction
• Attended Shelter Island High School, a public school in New York, and had a graduating class of 16 people

About Ki Taek Lee (T1/7-under)

Age: 29
Birthplace: South Korea
Residence: Los Angeles, California
College: Arizona State University
Fortinet Cup (start of week): 164th

• Earned exempt membership into the North America Swing via a finish inside the top-nine of the mid-season California Q-School site last month; made his professional debut at The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist
• Born in South Korea and started playing golf at age 7
• Family moved to Vancouver at age 9, and he competed in Maple Leaf Junior Tour, Canadian Junior Golf Association and CN Future Links
• Played four collegiate season at Arizona State University (2013-17), where he recorded four top-10 finishes, highlighted by co-medalist honors at the 2016 Alister MacKenzie Invitational
• Awarded the Palms G.G. Marcy Hyman Scholarship in 2010, given to an individual with outstanding integrity and character

Competition notes

Course setup: Par 70/7,000 yards; Round 1 average: 68.96
Weather: Partly cloudywith a high of 74; wind from the west at 2-9 mph with gusts up to 22 mph

• Graysen Huff (T1/7-under) posted a 7-under 28 on the front-nine; the third time a 28 has been recorded this season.
• Ricardo Celia (T9/5-under) finished the first round as the low Latin in 5-under 65.
• Three Canadians are in the top 25: Ki Taek Lee (T1/-7), Quebec native Joey Savoie (T15/-4) and Fortinet Cup No. 2 and Team Canada member Matthew Anderson (T15/-4).
• Two-time winner and Fortinet Cup No. 1 Frederik Kjettrup is tied for 56th at 2-under.
• Max Theodorakis carded a 2-under 68 and is tied for 56th; he is the only Monday Qualifier who shot under par in the first round.
• Hole No. 2 – the 191-yard par 3 – is the most challenging hole at Château-Bromont; averaging a +.310.
• Lift, clean and place was in effect for Round 1.