ROSE HALL, St James — Order of Merit leader Tom Whitney, who was celebrating his 30th birthday, shared the lead after the first round of the third BMW Jamaica Classic PGA LatinoAmerica tournament that got underway at the Cinnamon Hill Course in Rose Hall, St James yesterday.

Three players, including another American Hunter Hamrick and Canadian Stephen Thomas, shot seven under par 65 followed by seven other players a shot behind.

The cut will be made after today’s round with the top 55 players continuing to play tomorrow and Sunday, as they chase for the US$31,500 first prize and Order of Merit points heats up.

Californian Whitney, who now lives in Texas, shot five birdies and an eagle, the latter on the par five 18th hole in a round that he described as “a bogey free birthday”, ending with a bang as he also had a birdie on the 17th hole as well.

For the eagle, he told the Jamaica Observer his aggression helped.

“The 18th hole is a tight driving hole, but if you are confident and comfortable you can rip one down that firm fairway,” said Whitney.

After his tee shot, he said: “I had 130 yards in for a par five, so (I used a) driver gap wedge to six-seven feet and it dropped right in the middle.”

His round was far from perfect, however, and admitted he could have shot an even lower score.

Whitney says he intends to continue to play aggressive on today’s second round. “I am just planning to keep the pedal down and go out (tomorrow) with the confidence I had today.”

Hamrick also finished with a birdie-eagle on the last two holes, but for a bogie on the par five sixth hole, he could have been the leader after the first round.

Hamrick, an Alabama native who has been a professional since 2012, got of to a good start, birdieing the first hole and was two under par at the fifth hole before his hiccup at the sixth hole, but picked up back the stroke on the very next hole to be two under at the turn.

Thomas had an up and down round as he bogeyed the first and third holes and birdied the second before he settled down and ripped off four birdies between holes five and nine then had three-straight birdies to start the back nine and was sailing at six under par at the 11th hole.

He picked up a second bogey at the 14th, but regained the shot two holes later before birdieing the final hole of the day.

Americans Evan Harmeling and Chase Johnson lead the group that are a shot off the lead that includes Argentina’s Augusto Nunez, Mario Galiano and Mario Beltran of Spain, Mito Pereira of Chile and American Brian Hughes.

Trinidadian Talin Rajendranath was tied for 47th on two under par 70, while his compatriot Wan Ju Lee is the top amateur at one over par 73.

— Paul Reid