AT&T Champions Classic: First-round notebook

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VALENCIA, Calif. -- This marks the first time in his brief Champions Tour career that Nick Price has led or shared the lead. This is his 18th career start on Tour. Nick Price's 6-under-par 66 was his fifth consecutive round in the 60s this year. Price was the only player in the field to make birdies on all four par-5 holes.

2007 champ Tom Purtzer positioned himself well in the first round to defend his title. (Condon/PGA TOUR)

• Defending champion Tom Purtzer continues to master the Valencia Country Club course. Purtzer fired a bogey-free, 5-under-par 67 and trails Price by one stroke heading into Saturday's second round. A two-time winner of this event, Purtzer has posted five top-10 finishes in six starts with his worst finish being a tie for 14th in 2005.

• Purtzer was the lone player in the 79-man field to play a bogey-free round on Friday. With his 3-under-par 69 on Friday, Loren Roberts now has 16 consecutive rounds par/better, the longest current streak on the Champions Tour.

• Keith Fergus had 15 straight heading into Friday's opening round, but he finished with a 1-over-par 73. Speaking of streaks, Jay Haas posted his 10th consecutive sub-par round when he shot a 1-under-par 71. That is the best streak in that category this year.

• Hubert Green and Lonnie Nielsen both withdrew prior to their rounds due to illness. These came one day after current money leader, Scott Hoch, withdrew with a bad back. Greene was replaced by Terry Snodgrass (alternate from open qualifying) and Nielsen's spot was taken by Tom McKnight. Mike Reid moved into Hoch's spot.

• The field averaged 73.316 on Friday. That was more than two strokes higher than last year's opening-round scoring average of 71.227. This marked the seventh time in eight years the field has posted an average score over par in the first round. Last year was the lone exception.

• Don Pooley had the fewest putts on Friday (24), while Fred Funk, Bernhard Langer and Nick Price led all players in greens in regulation (16 of 18/88.9%). Funk and David Edwards led in driving accuracy, hitting all 14 fairways.

• Bob Gilder made his 99th consecutive start on the Champions Tour on Friday. The last time he missed an event came at the 2004 Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn. Dana Quigley holds the all-time record for consecutive events played, with 264.

• The most difficult hole was No. 6. Since the tournament moved to Valencia in 2001, that has been the most difficult. The field averaged 4.367 (+.367) on Friday. The average in the previous seven years was 4.280 (+.280). The easiest hole in the first round was No. 9 at 4.709 (-.291).