Legendary golfers tee off at Bear Mountain
John Daly gave the fans what they wanted, providing a large gallery plenty to cheer about in his opening round of 6-under 65 on a warm sunny day at the PGA Tour Champions’ Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship on Friday.
It’s still a shot back of leaders Steve Flesch and lesser known Jerry Smith, who toured around the well-manicured Mountain Course in impressive 7-under 64s, a stroke better than Daly, Jerry Kelly, David Toms and Bernhard Langer on a crowded leaderboard.
“It’s great. Canada has always been great. It’s one of the prettiest countries you can ever visit,” said Daly. “Golf wise, the fans are great. There are more hockey fans, I guess, but they love their golf up here, too. Over the years it has been a wonderful place to come and play.
“I always feel [the support]. I’ve always been one who loved the fans and playing for them. It’s a hell of a lot better when you’re playing good, though. For me, the support of 20-some years has been unbelievable.”
Daly actually started the day with a bogey on the par-5 first, hitting it long, but left off the tee. It was one of just nine bogeys on the 540-yard first which surrendered three eagles, 26 birdies and 40 pars — the second-easiest hole on the day.
He birdied holes No. 4, 6 and 9, then eagled No. 12 and birdied 16 and 17.
“The back nine I hit it really, really solid and had a lot of opportunities,” said Daly, who missed his birdie putt on 18.
He spun a sand wedge to within six feet on No. 9 after hitting a monster drive on the 443-yard hole.
“I was hitting 8- or 9-iron there in the pro-ams and practice rounds and I had 102 yards today. I have to be careful of that hole [today],” he said of hitting it too far.
In Flesch, Kelly and Toms you have three rookie 50-year-olds who joined the tour this season.
“Well, rookie is using the term very loosely. Combined, that’s about 60 years of experience on tour. We’re rookies out here, but Jerry won a few weeks ago and David was knocking on the door early,” said left-hander Flesch, who was one of the favourites coming in.
“I’ve been playing some good golf. I’m still getting used to how you have to play on this tour. You have to come out sprinting on Friday because it’s not a pace yourself, four-day tournament. You have to get going right out of the gate.”
He did it well on Friday with birdies on holes 1,5, 9, 10, 12, 13 and 18.
“You learn early on that you better not stand around and make pars or they’ll run right by you,” added Flesch.
A bogey on No. 17 cost Kelly a share of the lead, he finished with birdie on the 603-yard par-15 18th though.
“It was good getting that last one back. I got a couple of good breaks, but a few of my best shots I let slip away with some missed putts early and I chunked a wedge on 17,” said Kelly.
“I tried to dial that one in, but I think I dialed it a little too tight. I over-thought it and the down slope got me — a very disappointing bogey from 80 yards out. A stupid mistake, but a good bounce-back on the last hole.” Toms also had smooth first day. “Today there were some holes where you could be aggressive with some of the pin placements and I took advantage of those,” he said. “Overall, it was a good, solid day, kept the ball in play, which is key around this place, and clubbed myself pretty well, which is also key with some of the downhill and uphill shots you have. I felt pretty good about the day.”
A group of four golfers, including Canadian Stephen Ames, were another shot back at 5-under 66.
The crowds were vocal, too, with the loudest cheer coming on 18 when Corey Pavin’s approach — out of the rough as his second shot ran through the fairway — took a few hops and rolled into the hole for eagle.
“Can I have your golf ball,” shouted a fan in the corporate booths behind the green.
“It’s going on his wall,” quipped Pavin’s playing partner, Scott McCarron.
“First eagle I’ve ever made,” joked Pavin, who, of course, hit the famous 4-wood to within five feet on the last hole at Shinnecock Hills to set up his five-foot eagle putt to win the 1995 U.S. Open.
CHIP SHOTS: Smith’s solid play was the second straight opening-round 64 at Bear Mountain as he turned the trick in 2016, meaning he’ll be playing in the final group on Day 2 for the second consecutive year. Leaders go out just after noon today. … Victoria’s Jim Rutledge struggled to a 4-over 75. … McCarron, last year’s runner-up, was even-par 71 and 2016 champion Colin Montgomerie was 1-under 70 after suffering a double bogey on 18 when he hit his approach into the water. … 31 of the 78 players did not break par.