Geminiani Leads By Three After Opening Round of the 2024 National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship

There was familiarity at the top of the leaderboard after Thursday’s first round of the National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship at PGA Golf Club.

Domenico Geminiani, who won this championship two years ago and has dominated the PGA Winter Championships recently, fired a 7-under 65 on the renovated Wanamaker Course to take a 3-shot lead over defending champion Preston Cole, Andre Chi of Deepdale Golf Club and Tommi Avant of Lone Tree Golf Club.

Geminiani, who was born in Lugo, Italy and works at Old Corkscrew Golf Club in Naples, eagled the par-5 seventh hole with a 6-iron from 215 yards to 3 feet and added six birdies on his final 10 holes to take early control of the 72-hole event.

“I had a couple of good breaks, and some putts rolled in,” the 28-year-old Geminiani said in his typical low-key manner. “The eagle was nice. It got me started.”

Playing alongside Geminiani, Cole didn’t show any of the heroics from last year, when he won the championship with a walk-off eagle from 124 yards on the final hole. Then again, he didn’t need to, after hitting 17 greens and making four birdies against no bogeys.

“It’s always good to have a clean card; that’s the goal at the beginning of the week,” said Cole, the reigning Carolinas Section Player of the Year who works at Quail Hollow Club. “If you keep it clean, you’re going to have some opportunities to make some birdies.”

It wasn’t lost on Cole that he opened last year’s tournament with a 68, a score he would repeat twice more, including the low score in the final round.

“Same first-round result,” Cole said. “Hopefully, same result at the end of the week.”

Avant was looking for a bogey-free round, but failed to convert a par putt at the 17th, but offset that with five birdies. His best finish in this tournament is a T12 and this was the first time he shot in the 60s in the first round.

“I have plenty of experience here, and I’m starting to understand this place,” Avant said. “I made my birdies when I needed to and was conservative on the holes you need to make par on. It’s my time to be out here and show what I can do.”

Chi started and ended his round with birdies, adding four more against two bogeys. This is his debut in this championship.

“I didn’t hit the ball too great, but I was able to score and putt really well,” Chi said.

Liam Friedman of Wollaston Golf Club and Michael Kartrude of The Bear’s Club are tied for fifth after 69s.

Another recognizable name on the leaderboard was Alan Morin, the recent Senior PGA Professional Champion who has been Player of the Year in the competitive South Florida PGA Section more than a dozen times.

Morin of Royal Palm Beach, FL., is tied for seventh after an opening 70. The National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship is one of the few national PGA of America events he’s failed to win, coming close several times.

“I’ve always had it on my bucket list,” said the 55-year-old Morin, who works at The Club at Ibis in West Palm Beach. “I’ve come close a few times. This is my 14th one, and to qualify for this event as many times as I’ve had is something I’m proud of. I’ve proven I can still hang with the kids.”

Morin will attend the Champions Tour’s Q-school for the final time in two weeks. He’s tied with Alastair Tidcombe of The Reserve at Lake Keowee, Danny Harcourt of Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club, Lowell Miller of Rockaway River Country Club, Dakun Chang of Seminole Golf Club, Daniel Iceman of Weissinger Hills Golf Club, Corey Weckerling of Moraine Country Club and Zac Oakley of Bidermann Golf Club.

They all face a formidable challenge to run down Geminiani if he continues to stay hot. He’s a ball-striking machine.

“I watched Dom play great all day, so I kind of know what I’m chasing,” Cole said. “He has a great iron game and he hits it a long way.”

“You know Dom is going to be there at the end,” Morin said. “That’s a given.”

However, Geminiani wanted no part of the “I’m the one to beat” this week. He’s too humble for that.

“There’s a lot of great players here,” he said. “I just love being around these guys and meeting new people from different areas.”

As expected, Wanamaker’s greens were a little firmer than normal after the renovation, but the putts ran true. The 36-hole cut will be at 70 players and ties. First prize has been increased this year to $14,700.