By Dalton Balthaser

 

NORTH KINGSTOWN – A total of four players share the lead after Round One of the 90th Rhode Island Open Tuesday at North Kingstown Golf Course (par 70, 6,269 yards).

 

New professional Davis Chatfield along with fellow pros Corey Eisenband, Tim Umphrey and Ian Thimble all carded opening rounds of 66.

 

Defending champion Matt Shubley shot a round of 67 and sits in a tie for fifth with Ryan Davis.

 

Chatfield, the 2016 Rhode Island Amateur champion, made his professional debut Tuesday and wasted no time. Coming off a successful college career at the University of Notre Dame, he was ready for the next step.

 

“It’s obviously going to be a little different from here on out,” said Chatfield, 23, of Attleboro, Mass. “I tried to just treat it as another round of golf. I have played so many rounds of golf in my lifetime that I just figured what would happen was going to happen. I’m playing for money now, but I still need to look at golf as winning the day and hopefully winning some tournaments.”

 

Chatfield played a steady round of golf with five birdies and one bogey. He made the turn at 1 under.

 

On the back nine, he birdied Nos. 13 (par 4, 407 yards), 17 (par 4, 325 yards) and 18 (par 3, 160 yards).

 

On No. 13, he rolled in a 10-footer after hitting a sand wedge from 110 yards. He hit a crisp spinner from 70 yards to six feet on No. 17. On the last, he rolled in a cross-country 40-footer to close out his 66.

 

“If you hit it straight, you can take advantage,” said Chatfield, of Wannamoisett Country Club. “I am not surprised that there were a lot of low numbers out there.”

 

Eisenband started his round with a double bogey. But he stayed patient to grab a share of the lead

 

“I got a bad bounce on the first hole and my ball went out of bounds,” said Eisenband, 26, of Larchmont, N.Y. “I felt like the course owed me a break. I sure got one.”

 

In the form of a grand finish, Eisenband finished 3-1 to get to 66. The final hole at North Kingstown is a par 3. He jarred a 9-iron for his first ace.

 

“It was pure joy,” said Eisenband, who plays out of Fenway Golf Club. “For me, I blacked out for a second. All I know is that I jumped in the air. There isn’t a better feeling."
 

Umphrey is a University of Connecticut product who plays out of Tatnuck Country Club.

 

He got off to an unbelievable start. He was 7 under through 11 thanks to eagles on Nos. 4 (par 5, 501 yards) and 9 (par 4, 290 yards). 

 

“I’ve been playing well this summer,” said Umphrey, 25, of Northborough, Mass. “It’s the best golf I have played in the last couple of years. Everything is balanced and all facets of my game have been gelling.”
 

He hit an 8-iron from 176 yards to 15 feet on No. 4 and holed out a bunker shot for a two on No. 9.

 

“Staying patient is important,” said Umphrey. “I started to think ahead after I was 7 under through 11 and I didn’t play well coming in. Just need to play one shot at a time. It is all about managing your thoughts.”

 

Thimble, who plays out of George Wright Golf Course, finally reaped the reward of his solid play.

 

“I feel like I have had my C game all summer,” said Thimble, 32, of Boston, Mass. “I feel like I haven’t been playing bad, but my scores haven’t been very good. I have just been out of rhythm.”

 

He made the turn in 3 under and made two birdies and a bogey on the back nine.

 

On No. 16 (par 4, 405 yards), he stuffed a pitching wedge from 135 yards to two feet.

 

It was a solid round for Thimble considering he played the course for the first time on Tuesday.

 

“I just wanted to keep the ball in play,” said Thimble. “I didn’t want to have to hit a shot I wasn’t comfortable with. I am in a good position. Hopefully I keep it up tomorrow.”

 

Notes

• For the first time, a woman competed in the Rhode Island Open. Susie Cavanagh, a two-time Rhode Island Women’s Amateur champion (2014, 2016) and assistant professional at Ledgemont Country Club, teed it up. She carded an opening round of 80.
• This year, there is a Senior Division of the #RIOpen. Players will be competing for a $4,000 purse. After the first round, Charlie Blanchard of Wannamoisett and Artie Wilson of Valley Country Club share the lead at 1 under.