AKRON, Ohio – Somehow, a resilient Quinn Riley overcame a sluggish start to secure a share of the first-round lead with Steve Kibare at the APGA Bridgestone Collegiate at Firestone Country Club on a cool, wet Monday morning.

Riley and Kibare both toured the famed South Course in 1-under 69. Yet, their paths atop the leaderboard took varying routes. Riley stumbled out of the gate while Kibare limped across the finish line.

It wasn’t pretty, but effective, as both finished a stroke ahead of Greg Odom Jr. and Marcus Smith Jr., both of whom fired even-par 70s to position themselves for a win during Tuesday’s final round.

Kieron van Wyk, who began as the tournament favorite, closed with eight straight pars – including a remarkable up-and-down on the par-4 17th and a devilish two-putt par that covered nearly 80 feet on the unpredictable 18th green. The South African’s 1-over 70 leaves him a shot clear of Kci Lindskog, Cameron Riley and Mulbe Dillard.

Riley was left to contemplate just how good his round could have been if not for a chaotic start. He carded bogeys on four of the first six holes before stringing together birdies on the short par-3 seventh and the par-4 eighth hole.

“I started off horrible,” said Riley, who finished fifth in the event last year. “I hit one in the hazard on one and didn't hit a green until the fifth hole. The course isn’t set up as hard as it was last year, mostly because we had a lot of wind.

“I just tried to fight back because I know I should be under par with this course set-up. I just wanted to shoot a number that would put me in contention.”

Riley finished better than he started. On the par-5 16th, he had 235 yards left to a defenseless green with the usually intimidating pond taken out of play. With a 4-iron in hand, he drew his approach shot into the green-side bunker before leaving his third 8 feet above the hole.

Riley, a Duke product, calmly rolled in the downhill putt to fight his way back to even par after a disastrous start. Amid a light rain, Riley gathered some momentum with birdies on the par-3 seventh and the par-4 eighth to close with a front-side 36.

“The rain wasn't too much of a factor,” said Riley, who during his senior season finished 12th in the ACC Championships. “It was just kind of like keeping your grips and gloves dry. It didn't really affect the way the course was playing or how the greens were reacting.

“I started spinning mid-irons back on the green later in the round. So, after the rain passed, I had to be careful about how high I hit the ball. 
And so some of the wet shots I hit coming in came in a little too high and spun back, but I was landing them on my number.”

Riley left himself the perfect number with a 3-wood off the 18th tee. He split the fairway, and had only 91 yards to a center pin. He spun a wedge to within 12 feet, then calmly rolled in his fourth birdie over the last 12 holes to secure a share of the lead.

“The putt was directly past the hole, so coming back it kind of wiggled right, but then the hole was cut on a slope, so it moved back left at the hole,” Riley said. “I played it just high enough.”

Kibare had enjoyed a three-shot advantage when he stepped into the tee box at 16. But he surrendered his advantage largely because he left an approach shot on the wrong side of the hole on 17 and his layup on the par-5 16th crept into the water.

“I hit a good drive right down the middle (on 16),” he said. "I had about 270 to carry the water, so I decided to lay up, and I hit a 6-iron and laid up in the water. It wasn't really a good swing.”

Kibare, though, followed with a solid wedge that left him with 7 feet to save par. But he slipped to 2-under as his putt slid right of the hole for bogey. Then, on 17, a three-putt bogey accentuated a messy finish.

The unforced errors may not have unnerved Kibare. However, his 16-foot birdie putt on the closing hole wasn’t a stroke of confidence.

“I hit the ball solid all day. I hit my driver great and missed only two fairways, which is really important here,” said Kibare, who headed out to the driving range soon after his round. “I’ve still got a shot even though it wasn’t the best finish.”