John Cook takes the first day lead in Schwab Cup Championship
53-year-old American, John Cook took the lead in the first round of the Schwab Cup Championship, which was staged at Harding Park on Thursday. The player shot a score of 7-under 64 to lead the field of thirty players.
Schwab Cup Championship is the final event of the Champions tour, which takes place every year in October/November with top thirty money winners. Last year, Cook won the title at Sonoma Golf Club, with a lead of one stroke over
Fred Funk and Tom Pernice Jr.
The tournament started with all the media attention on Fred Couples and Bernhard Langer, but as the event proceeded three men stole the limelight; Fred Funk, Tom Pernice Jr. and John Cook. However, the real challenge was set
by Tom Lehman, who vaulted a score of 66 early morning. The player teed off from the front-nine and carded six birdies on his way to the clubhouse. The early birdies set the entire field in stress, but in no time Cook shot equal birdies without dropping a
shot to take the lead.
Thursday's 7-under attempt simply extended his spotless game in recent weeks. Cook has been winless on the Champions Tour this season, but has finished in the top seven in four of last five starts. Moreover, he has posted six consecutive
rounds in 60s.
Cook needed to score low to secure the early lead, provided Harding Golf Course proved generous for a round. This is what happened as the condition of the greens were intense, which was sigh of relief for the players who were not
looking for a modern and long course. Commenting on the conditions of the course, Cook said, “It’s such a great variety of long holes and short holes. You’re never really in a flow. That's old-time golf, and it's just wonderful."
On the other hand, Fred Funk enjoyed the new start after having a knee-replacement surgery in November of last year. The player had terrible time in last season's event, owing to the problem in the right knee. Funk kept on repeating,
"I'm done with this."However, few weeks later he had an operation and has fully recovered.
On the fifth spot were a group of five players, Olin Browne, Tom Kite, Peter Senior, Jeff Sluman, Russ Cochran and Bernhard Langer. The group scored 4-under-par to take the place. However, the best game was delivered by Bernhard
Langer, who picked up two eagles and five birdies against two bogeys. The safest game was played by Russ Cochran. He carded four birdies without dropping a single shot. Langer is the Schwab Cup point’s leader with Couples trailing behind. Even if Couples
wins the title, Langer would take the top prize with a two-way tie for fourth or better.
On the 11th spot was the Ryder Cup striker, Corey Pavin. The American carded 68 by picking up five birdies against two bogeys. Pavin, who teed off from the front-nine birdied two holes of the first three holes off the
front-nine, but missed a shot at the eighth. However, to recover the lost shot, the 51-year-old picked up a birdie at the last hole and wrapped it with 2-under-par. On his way to the clubhouse, he picked up two more birdies against one more bogey and finished
the first round of the tournament with a three-under.
This is it for the first round of the Schwab Cup Championship, which is taking place at Harding Golf Club in San Francisco with a field of thirty players. There will be no half way cut in the tournament and the winner of the title
will win an additional $1 million, which is a huge sum for the fifty plus aged golfers.
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