American Jewell sets early tone at Canadian Tour’s Florida Q-School; Canadian Kenney one back

BROOKSVILLE, FL (March 9, 2010) – American Vince Jewell set a scorching pace Tuesday to get the early jump at the Canadian Tour’s Florida Qualifying School.

The native of Dallas, Tex. posted an 8-under 64 at Hernando Oaks Golf Club, three shots clear of Toronto’s Nick Kenney and Joel Dahmen of Clarkston, Wash.

David Williamson of Halifax and Jason Anthony of Fairfield, Calif. opened with 65. Stephen Fritsch of Manotick, Ont., the younger brother of Canadian and Nationwide Tour player Brad Fritsch, carded 72 and is currently in 23rd spot.

Former LPGA Tour regular Izzy Beisiegel of Montreal is in a logjam for 47th following a 76.

When play got underway Tuesday morning, 68 players hailing from 15 countries began the chase for one of the eight exempt and eight non-exempt cards that will be handed out after Friday’s final round. Along with Canada and the U.S., the nations of Mexico, France, Colombia, Japan, Switzerland, Peru, Finland, England, Spain, Chile, Australia, Serbia and Argentina are also represented this week.

Starting his day on the 10th tee and playing in the final group of the morning, Jewell, from Dallas, Tex., birdied his first hole before ringing up four birdies in a five-hole stretch to turn at 5-under 31. He added four more birdies on his inbound nine, including two straight to finish his round. The lone blemish on his scorecard came with a bogey on the par-3 third hole.

Kenney, who also started on the back nine, racked up six birdies Tuesday, including two on par-3 holes. His only bogey of the day came on the par-3 seventh.

The opening round was staged at Hernando Oaks before the scene shifts to nearby Southern Hills Plantation Club for Wednesday’s second round.

Later this month, the Canadian Tour will also stage a qualifying school in San Diego before jetting to Mexico for a pair of events. The summer-long Canadian swing gets underway the first week of June with the $250,000 Times Colonist Open in Victoria.

The 2010 season will be highlighted by several significant purse increases, including three tournaments at $250,000, the $300,000 Players Cup in Winnipeg and the $325,000 Canadian Tour Championship in St. Catharines, Ont., the largest purse in tour history.