Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am: First-Round Notebook

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LUTZ, Fla. -- Defending champion Tom Watson opened defense of his title Friday with an 8-under-par 63, including a 7-under-par 28 on the front nine (he started at No. 10). Watson's 63 was one shy of his career best on the Champions Tour and it matched the best first-round score in tournament history. Brian Barnes set the mark in 1998 and Tom Kite matched it in 2004.

Fuzzy Zoeller managed a 70 despite George Lopez's comedic antics. (Badz/PGA TOUR/WireImage)

Inside the Numbers

18-Hole Leaderboard

Player Score 1. Tom Watson 63 -8 T2. David Eger 66 -5 T2. Mark Wiebe 66 -5 T4. Scott Hoch 67 -4 T4. Mark James 67 -4 T4. Vicente Fernandez 67 -4 T7. Bobby Wadkins 68 -3 T7. Tom Purtzer 68 -3 T7. Mike Reid 68 -3

• Watson has carded several 62s and 63s on the Champions Tour over his stellar career. He had 62s at the 1999 Bank One Championship and the 2003 JELD-WEN Tradition (bot of which he won), and 63s at the 2006 MasterCard Championship at Hualalai (tied for fifth) and the 2000 TD Waterhouse Championship (came in second).

• Watson's 7-under-par 28 on the front nine tied the tournament nine-hole scoring record set in 2004 by Fuzzy Zoeller. It was a nine-hole career best for Watson.

• This marks the first time in tournament history the previous year's champion has held the first-round lead the following year.

• Watson's three-stroke lead matches the largest first-round margin in tournament history. Brian Barnes, who also shot an opening-round 63 in 1998, held a three-stroke lead that year.

• Jerry Pate withdrew prior to the start of the round with a knee injury. Danny Edwards took his spot in the field. Later in the day, R.W. Eaks withdrew after nine holes due to a bad back.

• Bobby Wadkins made the second double eagle of the Champions Tour season when he made one at No. 12. After hitting driver off the tee on the 495-yard hole, Wadkins sank a 5-iron from 191 yards. Wadkins' double eagle was followed by three consecutive birdies.

• It marked the first time since 2005 there have been multiple double eagles in the same season. There were three that year. Earlier this year, John Cook made a double eagle in the second round of the Ginn Championship at Hammock Beach.

• Mark Wiebe continued his solid play. After going wire-to-wire in his last start for a win at the Cap Cana Championship, Wiebe fired a 5-under-par 66 in his opening round on Friday and is currently tied for second.

• Wiebe was one of just two players to post a bogey-free round on Friday. Joining him was Tampa resident Gary Koch, who shot a 2-under-par 69.

• Mike Hulbert made his Champions Tour debut and shot a 2-under-par 69 and is tied for 10th.

• Champions Tour pro Mike Reid and his amateur partner Lawrence Wosskow are tied with the team of Jim Albus and Robert Eanell in the pro-am portion of the event at 12-under-par 59. Among the celebrities in the event, Derrick Brooks of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (paired with Fulton Allem), is tied for third, and former Major League first baseman Fred McGriff (with Jeff Sluman) is tied for sixth. David Eger and Vince Gill are tied for eighth.

• The most difficult hole was No. 17 with an average score of 3.320 (+.320), while No. 6 was the easiest at 2.747 (-.253). However, the most difficult hole to birdie was No. 3 with just two players recording birdies -- Jeff Sluman and Tom Watson.

• The field averaged 71.480 in Friday's opening round. That was the lowest first-round average since 2004, when the field averaged 70.681.

• Bob Gilder and Hubert Green hit all 14 fairways to lead in that category, while John Cook, Tom Purtzer, Mark Wiebe, Fuzzy Zoeller and Tom Watson hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation. David Eger had the fewest putts: 25.