Scott Parel takes early Rogers Charity Classic lead in Canada

Things to know

• Vying for a fifth career win on PGA TOUR Champions, Scott Parel leads a trio of players by a stroke, including 2019 champion Wes Short Jr. to whom Parel finished a stroke back.
• Short Jr. opens with a 6-under 64 in his bid to have each of his first three PGA TOUR Champions wins come on Canadian soil (2014 Quebec Championship).
• Defending Rogers Charity Classic champion Ken Duke signs for a 1-under 69 to extend his perfect streak of scores in the 60s in the event to 10.

Scott Parel – 32-31—63 (-7)

• Despite finding just four of 13 fairways off the tee, opened his eighth Rogers Charity Classic with a bogey-free 7-under 63.
• Is 1-for-9 when attempting to convert an 18-hole lead/co-lead into a victory on PGA TOUR Champions (2018 Boeing Classic).
• His lone top-10 finish in seven previous starts in the event, a T2 in 2018, left him a stroke behind Scott McCarron, who trails Parel’s first-round lead this week by a stroke.
• Closed the 2018 event with a final-round 8-under 62, his career-low score on PGA TOUR Champions.
• Seeks a second top-10 finish of the season and first since claiming T5 honors at the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
• Most recent of four PGA TOUR Champions titles: 2022 Invited Celebrity Classic.

Additional notes

• Making his ninth start in the Rogers Charity Classic, Short Jr. offset one bogey with four birdies and an eagle to sign for a 6-under 64 (T2); only other PGA TOUR Champions victory, also on Canadian soil, came at the 2014 Quebec Championship
• Highlighted by eagles on Nos. 11 and 18 – both par-5s – 2017 and 2018 Rogers Charity Classic winner Scott McCarron opened with a 6-under 64 (T2); in 19 rounds in the event, has posted 18 scores of par-or-better; seeks a first top-10 finish of the season, his 12th PGA TOUR Champions win and first since 2019
• In his bid for a third-consecutive top-20 finish (T16/2022, T19/2023) in as many starts in the event, Mario Tiziani birdied five of his first six holes (Nos. 10-15), en route to a 6-under 64 (T2); seeks first win on PGA TOUR Champions (52nd start)
• Making his Rogers Charity Classic debut, Charles Schwab Cup leader Ernie Els opened with a 1-under 69 (T47) in his bid to become the season’s first four-time winner (Principal Charity Classic, American Family Insurance Championship and Kaulig Companies Championship); has finished no worse than T8 in seven of his last eight starts (T13/DICK’S Open) and comes off a T2 at last week’s Boeing Classic
• Also vying to become the season’s first four-time winner, Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Stephen Ames opened his 10th Rogers Charity Classic with a 3-under 67 (T22); previous top-10 finishes in the event: T5/2015, T6/2021; comes off his third win of the season at last week’s Boeing Classic; with a win this week, would join Els (Principal Charity Classic, American Family Insurance Championship) as players to win in consecutive weeks this season
• Canada’s Mike Weir offset four bogeys with six birdies to open his fourth Rogers Charity Classic in 2-under 68 (T37); lone top-10 finish in the first three, a T9, came in his first start of 2021
• Playing on a sponsor exemption, standout Calgarian golfer Steve Blake opened his third PGA TOUR Champions event with a 9-over 79; in September, Blake was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and given a prognosis of having 12 to 24 months to live

• Other Canadians in the field: Alan McLean (-4/T13), Gordon Burns (+3/74th)
• In his bid to join Scott McCarron (2017-18) as players to successfully defend a Rogers Charity Classic, 2023 champion Ken Duke opened his fourth Rogers Charity Classic with a 1-under 69 (T47); in his first two starts before last year’s win, finished T8/2019 and T9/2021; extends his perfect streak of tournament scores in the 60s to 10
• Justin Leonard was disqualified after informing rules officials of inadvertently leaving the slope function activated on his distance-measuring device over multiple holes, a violation of the USGA/R&A rules regarding the use of rangefinders