Jimenez gains share of lead

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Miguel Angel Jimenez felt the breeze at his back and pulled a 6-iron, believing it would be the perfect club at Tucson National’s 196-yard seventh hole.

He was dead on. Jimenez’s ace propelled him to a 6-under 66 in breezy conditions Friday to match Jeff Sluman for the firstround lead at the Cologuard Classic.

“The ball never left the flag,” Jimenez said. “Piece of luck it was a hole-inone there and I put myself 4-under par.”

Jimenez won the PGA Tour Champions’ season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii and kick-started his round at Tucson National with the ace. The 58-yearold Spaniard overcame a bogey on the par-5 eighth with three birdies on the back nine to match Sluman.

The 64-year-old Sluman opened with a birdie on the par-4 first hole and added three more to turn in 4-under 32. He had consecutive birdies at Nos. 13-14 for his best PGA Tour Champions round since a 66 in the 2018 Regions Tradition.

Sluman, who didn’t have a bogey in the opening round, hasn’t won on the senior circuit since 2014.

“Tucson’s been good to me, Tucson’s been bad to me at times, or I’ve been bad to myself when I’m here,” said Sluman, who won the 1997 Tucson Chrysler Classic. “I’ve had some success here and kind of makes it feel like if I play well, at least I know how to play the golf course.”

Tom Lehman tied for the lead at 6 under with a birdie on the par-5 17th, but failed to get up and down at No. 18 for a bogey to shoot 67. Woody Austin had seven birdies and Rod Pampling went bogey free to both shoot 67.