Merrill Lynch Shootout: First-round notebook

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NAPLES, Fla. -- Champions Tour members Nick Price and Jeff Sluman opened the 2008 Merrill Lynch Shootout with an 8-under 64 to take a one-shot lead over Scott Hoch/Kenny Perry. Sluman (nine starts) is seeking his third win at the 20-year-old event, while Price is looking for his first win in his sixth start. Sluman teamed with Hank Kuehne to win in 2003 and 2004.

• The score of 8-under 64 has been posted by the eventual winners of the Merrill Lynch Shootout six out of the last eight years, with the only exceptions 2003 and 2004 -- when 7-under 65 led after day one.

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Jeff Sluman and partner Nick Price opened the Merrill Lynch Shootout with an 8-under 64 on Friday.

• The tournament record in the modified alternate shot (used on Friday) format is 57, set by the teams of Craig Stadler/Lanny Wadkins (1996) and Fred Couples/Raymond Floyd (1990).

• Sluman is coming off of a 2008 season in which he finished No. 4 on the Champions Tour money list, with $1,728,443. He posted 12 top-10 finishes and stepped into the winner's circle twice. Price racked up $1,195,264 in earnings in 18 starts, recording four top-3 finishes among his 12 top-10 finishes, and finishing second twice.

• Price recently teamed with Jay Haas and Fred Funk to help the Champions Tour win the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge, defeating teams represented by PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour players.

• Hoch and Perry birdied four out of the last five holes at the par-72 Tiburon Golf Club to post a 7-under 65. Hoch (12 starts) is seeking his first victory at the Merrill Lynch Shootout, while Kenny Perry (six starts) is looking for his second win in his sixth start. He teamed with John Huston to win the tournament in 2005.

• Defending champions Woody Austin and Mark Calcavecchia struggled to a 1-over 73 on Friday. They are seeking to become just the third team to repeat at the three-day event. The others were Brad Faxon/Scott McCarron (2000-01) and Kuehne/Sluman (2003-04).

• Merrill Lynch Shootout host Greg Norman is making his 20th start in the 20-year event, followed in the field by Mark Calcavecchia (15), Faxon (14) Hoch (12), Fred Couples (12), McCarron (11), Sluman (9), Funk (7), Perry (6), Price (6), Rocco Mediate (5), Stewart Cink (5), Paul Azinger (4), Jerry Kelly (4), Chris DiMarco (3), Zach Johnson (2), Camilo Villegas (2), Woody Austin (2), Scott Verplank (2), J.B. Holmes (2), Steve Stricker (1), Ian Poulter (1), Graeme McDowell (1) and Boo Weekley (1).

• Just seven players have won the Merrill Lynch Shootout in their first attempt: Mark O'Meara (1989), Curtis Strange (1989), Couples (1990), McCarron (1997), Kuehne (2003), Rod Pampling (2006) and Austin (2007). Four players are hoping to join that group this week, including first-timers McDowell, Poulter, Stricker and Weekley.

• Norman, playing this week with two-time PGA TOUR winner Villegas, opened with a 3-under 69 to sit in a tie for sixth place. Norman teamed with Bubba Watson on his way to a runner-up finish in 2007.

• The only teams with bogey-free rounds on Friday were Price/Sluman (64) and Hoch/Perry (64).

• Four players share the record with three wins at the Merrill Lynch Shootout, including Elkington (1993, 1995, 1998), Couples (1990, 1994, 1999), Faxon (1994, 2000, 2001) and McCarron (1997, 2000, 2001). While Elkington isn't playing this week, the other three got off to solid starts in their attempt to become the tournament's first four-time winner. Couples (teaming with Cink) opened with a 4-under 68, while Faxon and McCarron teamed up for a 3-under 69.

• The format for the first-round was Modified Alternate Shot. Saturday will feature the Better Ball format, followed by Sunday's Scramble format.