By Tim Wharnsby
OAKVILLE, Ontario, July 23 (Reuters) - Argentina's Emiliano
Grillo continued to make the most of his limited time on the PGA
Tour as he snatched the first-round lead at the Canadian Open on
Thursday.
The 22-year-old, who plays full-time on the European Tour,
followed up his top-10 showing at the Barbasol Championship in
Alabama last week with a bogey-free, eight-under 64 to finish a
stroke in front of Americans Vaughn Taylor and Brian Harman.
Grillo, who learned the game on the same course as his
compatriots Jose Coceres and Fabian Gomez, did not qualify for
last week's British Open in Scotland and instead accepted an
invite to play in the Barbasol event.
After taking the 36-hole lead there, Grillo needed to make
birdies at two of his final three holes to finish in a tie for
10th and earn a spot in the Canadian Open field.
But after flying to Buffalo, just 90 minutes from the Glen
Abbey layout, he experienced visa problems before he finally
managed to persuade customs officials to allow him entry into
Canada.
"I wasn't able to get a permit in time, so I kind of had to
go to the Canadian border and ask for permission to play in this
tournament," Grillo said.
"I got lucky enough to spend two hours in there, and they
told me, 'Hey, you can go. Just pay the permit and go ahead.'
"I'm here now and a good, solid round today."
It has been a solid season for Grillo, who is scheduled to
marry his fiancee Macarena on Sept. 5. He is 38th on the
European money list, thanks to three top-10 finishes, and ranked
96th in the world.
He came close to landing his first victory on the PGA Tour
when he lost out in a five-way playoff for the Puerto Rico Open
in early March when Germany's Alex Cejka made a birdie on the
first extra hole to clinch the title.
Grillo has a home in Bradenton, Florida but he is undecided
on which tour he will play if he gains his PGA Tour card.
"If I play well here, if I get my card here, then I'll
definitely play more often here," said Grillo, who hit 14 of 18
greens in regulation on Thursday.
"I don't know if I'll play full (time) here and nothing (in
Europe], but I'm going to try to maybe play both (tours)."
(Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)