In Defense of the Captain: Gallo grabs early Captain’s lead with opening 67

            Brewster, MA-Defending Champion Kyle Gallo posted a 5-under par 67 on the strength of a torrid front nine stretch en route to assuming the opening round lead of the 5^th Annual Captain’s Open.  Dave Gunas, who is set to make his debut on the Golf Channel’s “Big Break 2” in less than three weeks, sits just one shot back after a 4-under par 68. Rob Openheim, Gary Carpenter and Mike Carbone, who is a member of the host club, also posted 68’s on day one.

            “I made a lot of good putts,” said Gallo, who took much of the past two weeks off following a nagging elbow injury that forced him to withdraw from the Nevele Grande Open.

            Even par after two, Gallo two-putted the par 5, 3^rd hole from twenty five feet for birdie. After a par on the fourth hole, Gallo then reeled off birdies on the 5^th and 6^th holes and two-putted from thirty five feet for eagle on the par 5, 7^th hole to get to 3-under par.

            “The golf course yields a lot of birdies,” added Gallo, who has already won three tournaments this season, including two state opens and a Cleveland event. “I feel comfortable with the game plan on every hole.”

            For the round, Gallo’s group, which also included money leader Sean O’Hair and Andover product Rob Oppenheim, was a collective 12-under par. “We were all feeding off of each other,” said Oppenheim, who finished 16^th on the Canadian Tour Order of Merit, pocketing $33,171 in 13 events.

            Gunas, meanwhile, also took advantage of a fast start. After an opening par on the first hole that a required a backwards chip shot from the trees, Gunas notched a trio of birdies over the next five holes. A three putt par on the 7^th hole, however, followed by bogeys on the 8^th and 13^th holes stalled his early momentum.

            Despite the mid-round troubles, Gunas proceeded to birdie three of his final four holes to card a fine 68. “The strong finish made lunch taste better,” said Gunas, who has 28 professional victories under his belt. 

            Carbone, who has been a member of the Captain’s since he was a youth, carded the only bogey free round of the day on his way to a spotless 4-under par 68. “I didn’t really make any mistakes,” said Carbone, who admitted to being in his comfort zone on such a familiar track. “These are the shots I’ve played my entire life,” he added.

            Only the top 32 players and ties will advance to Friday’s final round in which a purse of $72,000 and a winner’s check of $12,000 will be at stake.