Butterflies flap fiercely all day long

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Tyler Mancini

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MOST golfers would prefer to get rid of their nerves as quickly as possible after starting a tournament.

Winnipeg's Tyler Mancini, one of three Canadian Tour pros from the province, might consider keeping his around more often.

"I was nervous as hell out there today, surprisingly," Mancini said after carding a three-under 68 on opening day of the Players Cup.

The score matched the best effort from a Canadian, also posted by Derek Gillespie, Yohann Benson, Kevin Stinson, Matt Hoffman and David Lang.

"Normally, you know the butterflies at the start of the day?" Mancini said. "There were just there all day long. Either way, I managed to keep focused and play well."

Last month, the second-year Canadian Tour player made his first cut, in Edmonton.

"I would say my game has definitely improved from last year," he said. "I still consider myself a new guy out here, just my second year having a card."

Winnipegger Scott Loewen, also a member of the tour, was the only other Manitoban under par at 70.

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Two locals managed to match par on Thursday.

Amateur Josh Wytinck, who plays out of Pine Ridge, shot 71, as did 1996 Manitoba Open champ Rob McMillan, who is no longer playing full-time golf.

"I like a steady paycheque," said McMillan, a three-time Canadian Tour winner. "I miss it a little bit when I'm out there but I don't miss everything that goes with it, the travel, eating in restaurants every day, being away. I miss the golf."

He's played at Pine Ridge all his life, so there's a little muscle memory involved.

"No question," he said. "I've always said knowing the course is an advantage, no question. But you've still got to hit it where you're supposed to hit it."

McMillan, who's been in contention at the tour event here at least a half-dozen times, has now played seven games of golf this season.

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Former PGA Tour member Jaime Gomez, 45, is among the many who like tournament golf at Pine Ridge.

He also likes coming north during the summer, where even though we're into a warm spell, it's not as much a furnace as his home in McAllen, Texas, where he teaches golf full-time.

"I have a day job, let's just say that," Gomez laughed Thursday after shooting four-under 67. "My break from Texas is coming up here. It's cooler. It's all relative."

He's sharing accommodations with fellow veterans Alan McLean and Kent Fukishima this week.

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Chan Song, brother of the Song sisters on the LPGA Tour, withdrew Thursday due to injury...Jame Allenby of B.C. was disqualified after shooting 71 but signing an incorrect scorecard...Non-shocking stat of the day, just four birdies on Pine Ridge's par-3 ninth hole on Day 1....Josh Habig is going for his 19th straight made cut this week.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 13, 2012 C6