JELD-WEN Tradition: First-Round Notebook  PGA TOUR Staff SUNRIVER, Ore. -- Mark McNulty and Mike Reid share the first-round lead in the Jeld-Wen Tradition following 6-under-par 66s on Thursday. McNulty's round included nine birdies and three bogeys, while Reid played a bogey-free round. This marks the first time McNulty has led or shared a first-round lead since the 2006 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. Reid, however, has never led or shared the lead in a Champions Tour event in his previous 69 career starts. The last time he led or shared the lead after the first round came at the 1997 United Airlines Hawaiian Open, where his opening-round 62 earned him a share of the lead with Brian Claar, who now serves as a Tournament Director (Rules Official) for the Champions Tour.  Mark O'Meara had just one of four bogey-free rounds on Thursday. (WireImage)
• After 15 consecutive rounds of 70 or higher, Mark McNulty has now strung together three straight rounds in the 60s after his opening-round 66. After opening with a 73 in his last start at the 3M Championship, McNulty followed with rounds of 69-66 to finish tied for 22nd near Minneapolis. He has been plagued during the current season with back problems and is currently 51st on the current money list after finishing in the top 30 the previous three years. He has yet to post a top-10 finish in 2007. • Mike Reid, Bruce Summerhays, Mark O'Meara and David Edwards all played their rounds without a bogey. Reid's 6-under-par 66 was his best round since a 66 at the Toshiba Classic in March. • Don Pooley made one of the day's best shots, chipping in from 37 yards for an eagle-3 on No. 16. Tom Kite had the day's other eagle, holing a wedge for his third shot on the par-5 second hole. • It was a good day for the 60-year-old gang. Sixty-three-year-old Bruce Summerhays and 60-year-old Hugh Baiocchi each fired 4-under-par 68s. Baiocchi, who turns 61 on Friday, had the day's best front nine, a 5-under-par 31. • Defending champion Eduardo Romero shot a 2-over-par 74 on Thursday and is T52. • With a win, two top-10 finishes and two other top-20 finishes in his last five starts, Lonnie Nielsen continues on his way to what is going to be a career-best year for him on the Champions Tour. Nielsen shot a 3-under-par 69 on Thursday and is tied for seventh. • Thursday's scoring average was 72.595, a slight drop from last year's opening round at The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club in Aloha when the field averaged 72.747. A total of 10 players had rounds in the 60s on Thursday and 25 players finished under par. • The most difficult hole was No. 18 with an average of 4.380 (+.380) and only three players made birdies (Mike Reid, Morris Hatalsky and Denis Watson). Hole No. 2 was the easiest at 4.734 (-.266). • Dick Mast had the day's fewest putts (24) despite a 10 on No. 12 where he hit two balls out of bounds and another in the water. Mast also had the day's longest drive of 338 yards on No. 11. • Tom Watson shot a 4-under-par 68 and is tied for fourth in his attempt to win his second consecutive major title for the second time in his career. Watson nipped Stewart Ginn and Mark O'Meara last month by a stroke to win the Senior British Open at Muirfield. He is seeking his sixth major title on the Champions Tour. • The Champions Tour's leading money winner Jay Haas shot a 2-under-par 70 on Thursday. Haas has finished in the top-10 in all three major championships on the Champions Tour in 2007. He was tied for fourth at the Senior British Open, tied for fifth at the U.S. Senior Open and tied for ninth at Senior PGA Championship. He is also seeking his eighth consecutive top-10 finish on the Champions Tour. |
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