RBC Canadian Open 2015: Leaderboard Scores and Highlights from Thursday

One of the better kept secrets on the global golfing scene may be ready for a coming-out party at the 2015 RBC Canadian Open.

Emiliano Grillo, a 22-year-old from Argentina who's ranked 96th in the world, fired an eight-under 64 on Thursday at Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville, Ontario, to seize the first-round lead.

The PGA Tour's official Twitter account provided context for why Grillo was teeing it up north of the border:

Grillo carded eight birdies to zero bogeys, unsurprisingly led the field with 4.423 strokes gained putting and found 14 of 18 greens in regulation. It's hard to be displeased with anything out of that stellar all-around performance.   

The question is whether Grillo will be able to keep it up. His talent alone to be in this position suggests he has the firepower, but the stakes are enormous for the precocious South American.

Golf Channel's Justin Ray noted how well Grillo's game has traveled around the world this season as he's steadily climbed the rankings:

Last week's tournament opposite The Open Championship was an opportunity Grillo seized, and he's carried the momentum over to jump out in front of a strong field at Glen Abbey.

But the quick turnaround created some difficulties for Grillo when he attempted to get through customs to Canada, courtesy of golf journalist Adam Stanley:

Those trying circumstances make Grillo's hot start Thursday all the more impressive. For all the adversity the man at the top of the leaderboard dealt with, a tough calendar year continued in such bizarre fashion for joint last-place participant Robert Allenby.

The Aussie was allegedly kidnapped earlier this year and has seen his game suffer in the aftermath. Allenby lost his caddie on Thursday when the pair disagreed on a club choice at the par-five 13th hole, Allenby's fourth of the day, leading to a shot that found the water short of the green.

Allenby and caddie Mick Middlemo got into a heated debate thereafter, which Allenby described after his disastrous nine-over 81, per Golf.com's Marika Washchyshyn:

"

He just told me I could go eff myself. And I said, 'Look, you need to slow down. I mean just calm down.' And then he just got right in my face as if he wanted to just beat me up. I said, 'Stop being a such and such and calm down and get back into the game.' And he just got even closer and closer and I just said, 'That's it, you're sacked.' I said, 'I will never have you caddie ever again.'And we never spoke for the rest of the (first nine) and when we got to 18 we walked off and he said some smartass remark to me and I said, 'You don't deserve to be caddying out there.' And he just got right in my face and threatened me so I said, 'Go.' So he left.

"

After nine holes, Allenby took up a fan's offer to carry his clubs the rest of the way. Allenby indicated that he'd withdraw. Now that this extraordinary interlude is out of the way, let's return to what happened to those who are in contention.

Brian Harman, who won the 2014 John Deere Classic, and Vaughn Taylor are one stroke back at seven under. PGA Tour Media referenced how Taylor has parlayed his position at the Barbasol Championship into great things in Canada thus far:

Much bigger names are still well within striking distance of Grillo's lead as well. Most notable is the star power contained within the cluster of golfers at four under par. Past major champions Bubba Watson, Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink all opened with rounds of 68.

Beginning on the back nine, Watson roared out of the gates, even managing to hunt for flagsticks from spots of bother, such as the fairway bunker he found at No. 11:

That was the second of six birdies for Watson on his opening nine. The two-time Masters Tournament winner couldn't keep it going, though, going double-bogey-bogey at Nos. 5 and 6 before getting a shot back at the par-three eighth.

A couple of younger players on the same four-under number who competed well last week at St. Andrews in Scotland are Jason Day and Brooks Koepka. En route to his sixth major top five since 2011 at the British Open, Day left his birdie putt on the 72nd hole just short to enter the three-way playoff Zach Johnson eventually won.

After Day carded an inauspicious even-par 35 going out, his fortunes turned in an instant when he holed out for eagle at the par-four 10th (it was No. 10, not the ninth):

Big numbers and overall inconsistency over a given round tend to burn Koepka at times. No one can deny he has the length to overpower any golf course, though. Koepka averaged 344.5 yards off the tee in Thursday's round and birdied his final three holes, capped by a routine two-putt at the par-five 18th.

Koepka won earlier this season in Phoenix, tied for 10th at The Open Championship without a bogey on his final 37 holes and has all the game to be a legitimate star. He's just 97th in proximity to hole this season, so he'll need his irons to be a bit sharper in order to climb the leaderboard in the next three rounds.

Grillo has quite a stable of competitors young and old—rising and accomplished to hold off over the next 54 holes. Ranked 38th in the European Tour's Race to Dubai, Grillo has the game to hang tough and appears due for a victory that would catapult him into uncharted but welcome territory.

Note: Stats courtesy of PGATour.com and EuropeanTour.com unless otherwise indicated.