TRIPLETT’S 62 LEADS U.S. SENIOR OPEN
Triplett is 10th to shoot a 62 in a senior major
PEABODY, MASS.» Kirk Triplett shot an 8under-par 62 on Thursday in the first round of the U.S. Senior Open to match the lowest round in a PGA Tour Champions major.
Loren Roberts is the only other player to shoot a 62 in the tournament, setting the record in 2006 at Prairie Dunes in Kansas.
Triplett led by one stroke at the Salem Country Club over Olin Browne.
“Even though there are some red numbers on the board, if you messed up on the wrong side, you were cooked,” said Browne, the 2011 Senior Open champion. “The greens were receptive and the wind was down. So the ball was going where we started it. But if you didn’t hit good shots, you were going to pay the price.”
Doug Garwood was another stroke back at 64. Paul Goydos was at 65 along with Tom Lehman, Kenny Perry, Jerry Smith, Barry Lane and Duffy Waldorf.
Ten players have shot a 62 in major tournaments on the Champions Tour, including Browne in the 2012 Senior Players Championship.
Wie starts strong.
OLYMPIA FIELDS, ILL.» Michelle Wie launched a 3-wood into swirling gusts and toward the 18th green, wondering if the shot had enough steam to get there. A shift in the wind took the guesswork out of the equation.
“It died down and I got a little surprise,” Wie said. “I got all the way there.”
The 215-yard shot rolled within 30 feet of the flag to set up a two-putt birdie and a 3under 68 that left Wie two shots off the lead during the opening round in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She wasn’t the only long-hitter to benefit from windy conditions and a tough front nine at Olympia Fields Country Club.
Defending champion Brooke Henderson matched the 3-under start, which left her two back of Chella Choi and Amy Yang. Choi shot a 66 in the morning, and Yang was on the 18th hole at 5 under with a chance to grab the outright lead when play was suspended because of dangerous weather in the area.
Swede Lingmerth leads in PGA event.
POTOMAC, MD.» David Lingmerth, a 29-yearold Swede who doesn’t have a top-10 finish on the PGA Tour this season, shot a 5-under 65 to take the first-round lead in the Quicken Loans National.
Troy Merritt was a stroke back along with Marc Leishman, Johnson Wagner, Sung Kang, Nick Taylor and Daniel Summerhays.