Russ Cochran clinches the first round lead at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am
Russ Cochran carded the event’s best first-round score of 7-under, 64 with a bogey-free round at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am, being played at the TPC Tampa Bay Course, Florida. Cochran is now the first round leader, two shots ahead of John Cook and Jay
Don Blake.
Cochran’s flawless round was also studded with no less than seven birdies and his total birdies for the season have soared to 85. He is also this year’s birdie leader on the Champions Tour. The American surpassed the record first round score of Tom Watson’s
8-under, 63 made in 2008.
The first round scoring average turned out to be the lowest since 2006 with last four holes at the back nine proved to be the toughest. Only 30 players on the leaderboard were able to break par as compared to 37 last year.
Although a first round leader/co-leader for a staggering seven times on the Champions Tour, Cochran has not been fortunate enough to go all the way and record a win. He only won once at the 2010 SAS Championship after leading the first round.
The year 2011 has not been equally rewarding year for Cochran and has finished tied for fourth at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai and the Allianz Championship. He also finished tied for third in the Ace Group Classic.
Tom Lehman, the current Charles Schwab Cup leader, had a disappointing day, finishing 2-over for 73. Lehman has already won two tournaments for the season and was looking to surpass Hale Irvine’s record of 13 straight sub-70 rounds.
Outback Steakhouse champion for the year 2009, Zimbabwe’s Nick Price scored an even par 71 and broke a streak of nine consecutive rounds of 60s. Price has finished top three in the last three events on the Tour.
Runner-up for the first round, Cook became the first player to score five straight birdies in two back to back rounds. The player started off at the third and his birdie streak ended at the seventh ending with a 5-under for 66. He scored his previous straight
birdies at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai where he went over to win the tournament.
Among other frequent players on the Champions Tour, Bob Gilder made his 174 appearance and scored a 2-under for 69.
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