Notebook: Price has work to do Champions Tour Media Official World Golf Hall of Famer Nick Price carded a 1-under 71 today in his first round as a member of the Champions Tour. Price is bidding to become the 12th player in Champions Tour history to win in his debut on the circuit and the first since fellow countryman Mark McNulty (2004 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am). In 1985, Gary Player won his inaugural Champions Tour event in Boca Raton at the Quadel Seniors Classic, defeating both Jim Ferree and Ken Still by three strokes. Craig Stadler's 9-under-par 63 today was his lowest round on the Champions Tour since posting a career-best 10-under 60 on Saturday at the 2005 Blue Angels Classic near Milton, FL. Stadler is trying to win for the first time since the 2004 SAS Championship and is also bidding for his second Champions Tour victory in Florida (2004 ACE Group Classic). Craig Stadler, Mark James, Jay Haas and Dave Eichelberger all posted bogey-free rounds. James, fresh off of three weeks of skiing in the French Alps, made eight birdies, the most of any player in the field, in his first appearance on the Champions Tour this year. The most difficult hole on Friday was the par-4, 15th with an average score of 4.443. The hole yielded six birdies. The par-5, 18th hole played as the easiest at 4.342, yielding five eagles and 43 birdies. Loren Roberts' 4-under 68 today gives him 21 straight rounds of par-better. That streak dates back to an opening-round 67 at the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach last fall. Roberts also has posted seven straight rounds in the 60s in 2007. Tom Kite was the only player in the field to hit all 14 fairways today. Allen Doyle, Keith Fergus, Mark Johnson and Wayne Levi all hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation. Morris Hatalsky and Mark James both had 10 one-putts. Bruce Fleisher's 361-yard drive at the 18th hole was the longest measured drive today.
. |