Golf news: Calcavecchia shines at Del Monte after 28 years
Mark Calcavecchia leads at the Champions tour taking place at Del Monte. On Friday, he shot an eight-under-par 54, which led to him a two-stroke lead from Tom Pernice Jr. Pernice golf at Pebble beach which is the other course catering to the 50-and-over tour. Before the start of the first round, there was a forty five minute delay due to fog and unclear weather.
Being victorious thirteen times on the PGA tour, Calcavecchia completed his first round with no bogies and a birdie on the par-five ninth hole. He is playing the champions tour for the first time and made his lowest score as a senior golf player. The 1989 British Open champ started on the back nine, and then had achieved his first birdie on the 11thwhere he then converted a 15-footer. Following that, he shot three consecutive birdies and from 15th, his score leaped to minus four. At 15, he rolled a six-foot birdie effort and then shot in a 2-footer on 16. Mark got up and down for birdie on 17 from a greenside bunker.
Calcavecchia birdied the first and second along the third. Following a par on the third, he obtained a seven-under due to a 0-foot birdie putt at the par-three fourth. He parred four in a row and at the par-five ninth which was his final one, he two putted for a birdie to achieve a bogey-free round. He got to the course early morning and says he is glad to shoot such a good score.
"It's a tricky little course. I steered my way around pretty well," said Calcavecchia. "I got off to a great start which is important on the Champions Tour." This being the first time Calcavecchia played a competitive round at Del Monte Golf course since 1982, he was sure to make the spotlight.
Tom Pernice Jr. scored a six under 66 and remains the only golfer in second place. He birdied the first four holes to jump up the leader-board. Subsequent to a par on No. 5, Pernice birdied the sixth then ran off 10 consecutive pars from the seventh. With a birdie on the par-three 17th, his par run ended. Tom parred the last to end two back.
Being number two on the Champion tour money list, Fred couples is at third place at minus five. Along with Calcavecchia, Fred couples also had a brilliant game plan in mind. Even though he hasn’t won on the champion’s tour since March, he has been very close. Out of the six tournaments yet, Couples has got five top fives which includes seconds at the Senior U.S. Open and at the Senior PGA Championship.
The third position is also occupied by 2006 First Tee Open winner Scott Simpson, Chip Beck, Wayne Levi, Bob Tway, 1992 U.S Open Champ, Tom Kite and Olin Browne. Jeff Sluman, who has won the champions tour two times, carded a four-under 68 and is now tied for 10th. Along with Beck, the 2010 Champions tour rookie Fred couples was also at 5-under 67.
In the last two weeks, Simpson finished T-10 at the Jeld-Wen Tradition and the Boeing Classic. He says that his game is on an upswing. He loves to play at this course and according to him, that’s a very important reason one does well. According to him, he hit his short-irons good today and drove it well.
Just like Pernice Jr., Beck was one of the players scoring low early at Pebble Beach. This gave him a heads up in entering the second round of the tour. In the five starts occurring previously, he hasn’t improved from a tie for 40th. He says that the golf course is in amazing conditions. The greens putted better than before and he himself had an amazing time playing at Pebble. Finishing at almost a 40-footer on No.9- no doubt Beck had an amazing time.
As these senior golfers compete at their best of their ability, they carry with them history and legends of very memorable moments in Golf. Just their past and the wisdom make watching tournaments such as the Champions tour worthwhile.
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