SNOQUALMIE — Some balmy weather on a golf course softened by recent rain produced a bevy of low scores during Friday’s first round of the Boeing Classic golf tournament at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge.
And in the 78-man Champions Tour field, no one went lower than South African Nick Price, who prepped for his opening round by taking practice swings in his hotel room on Thursday night.
The 53-year-old Price, an 18-time winner on the PGA Tour with three major championships, put together a dazzling round of 9-under-par 63 — 10 birdies, one bogey — for a one-stroke lead heading into today’s second of three rounds.
Price started his day with four straight birdies and came within a whisker of closing his round with another four in a row, but a short birdie putt on the par-5 18th green slid just right of the hole.
“I’m a little disappointed I didn’t make birdie (on 18),” Price said, “but I think I made my fair share today. … It was really a good day. All in all, I putted beautifully today.”
Price was one of 38 players who bettered par on Friday, or one less than half the field. Tom Pernice Jr. is in second after a round of four birdies and two eagles for an 8-under 64, with Hal Sutton and recent U.S. Senior Open champion Bernhard Langer tied for third with 6-under 66s.
Seattle native Fred Couples, who played in a threesome with Price and Langer, was very good at times, not so good at others, and finished with a 4-under 68 that has him in a six-way tie for seventh.
“I had a couple of bad shots … but other than that I played well,” said Couples, the U.S. Senior Open runner-up to Langer at Sammamish’s Sahalee Country Club four weeks ago. “I just didn’t make any putts.”
Putting was hardly a problem for Price, who one-putted 12 of 18 holes and needed just 25 putts for his round. He also reached 16 of 18 greens in regulation.
“Nick played an incredible round,” Couples said. “He’s a phenomenal player. … He had it really working and he was playing well.”
Price was coming off a disappointing showing at last week’s JEN-WELD Tradition in Sunriver, Ore., where he finished in a tie for 38th. He then had some troublesome practice rounds at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge earlier in the week, leading to a late Thursday afternoon session on the driving range where caddy Matt Minister spotted a flaw at the top of Price’s backswing.
Price began hitting the ball better, but still took some additional swings in the quiet of his hotel room “just to try to get the feel back,” he said.
The result for Price was a score that tied the Boeing Classic record for a low first round. His 10 birdies were also just one less than he managed in four rounds of last week’s JEN-WELD Tradition.
The 50-year-old Pernice, who is splitting this season between the Champions Tour and the PGA Tour (he tied for seventh at the HP Byron Nelson Championship in May), had perhaps the best shot of the day on the par-5, 590-yard 15th hole. He hit a layup wedge from 92 yards that bounced past the flag and then trickled back into the hole with backspin for one of his two eagles.
“That obviously was the highlight of the day,” said Pernice, who added, “To make two eagles and then two birdies on the (par 5s), you’re talking 6 under par. So I felt very fortunate. You don’t have those days very often.”
Langer, playing on his 53rd birthday, had a round of five birdies, one eagle and one bogey. He capped his day with three birdies over the final five holes.
“Bernhard is having a phenomenal summer and it seems like he’s the guy to beat every week he plays,” Couples said. “And today he played very, very well.”
Of course, most of the crowd is hoping to see Couples, the hometown boy, win this tournament. He needs to make up some ground over the last two rounds, “but if I have another really well-played round and make some putts and … move my way up, I could still win this thing. And that’s my goal,” he said.
Tap-ins
Friday’s attendance was an estimated 20,000, which is a first-day Boeing Classic record, although admission was free on Friday. … Defending champion Loren Roberts is one of six players tied for fourth at 4-under 68. … No first-round leader has won this tournament in the previous five years. … Sutton has a Boeing Classic string of 46 straight holes without a bogey over two years. … Olin Browne extended his string of consecutive Champions Tour holes without a three-putt to 204. … Today’s starting times, which begin at 11:45 a.m., were ordered based on Friday’s scores. Price, Pernice and Hal Sutton (66) tee off at 1:45 p.m., with Couples, Roberts and Jeff Sluman (68) teeing off at 1:15 p.m.
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