Ben Curtis’ game is starting to come around, just in time for the British Open.
The 2003 British Open champion shot a bogey-free, 7-under-par 64 on Thursday in Lemont, Ill., giving him a share of the lead at the Western Open with Jim Furyk and Todd Fischer. The score was one shy of the course record, and gave the trio a two-stroke lead over former Western champion Robert Allenby, Harrison Frazar and Chad Campbell.
“I made it very simple on myself, didn’t get in any trouble off the tee with the thick rough,” Curtis said. “I just played very solid. … Everything clicked together today.”
Fan favorite John Daly, playing his first Western since 1996, finished at 2-under 69 after almost holing his second shot on the par-4 18th.
Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh didn’t look like the top two players in the world. Woods, who couldn’t get the ball close to the pin all afternoon, shot a 2-over 73 and has some work to do to make the cut. Singh shot 72.
“If I shoot 64, 65, I’ll be right back in this thing where I could win it,” Woods said.
Curtis was a rookie just trying to hold onto his PGA Tour card when he won the British two years ago, beating Singh and Thomas Bjorn by a stroke. Though he’s had some good rounds here and there, he’s never come close to duplicating his run at Royal St. George’s.
He had one top-10 finish last year, and finished 141st on the money list. This year, he’s made the cut only twice in 14 tries, and his best finish was a tie for 56th at Wachovia.
“I am in a slump,” he said. “This year has just been up and down. It just seems like one week I’d hit the ball poorly and then the next week I’d putt poorly. So it’s been everything, to be honest.”
Furyk, who won the 2003 U.S. Open at nearby Olympia Fields, missed most of last year because of wrist surgery. He played only 14 tournaments and finished without a victory for the first time since 1997.
Furyk has three runner-up finishes this year, but is still looking for his first victory since the 2003 Buick Open.
European PGA: South African Trevor Immelman shot a 6-under 66 to take the lead after the first round of the European Open in Straffan, Ireland, while newly crowned U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell struggled to a 74.
Campbell finished at 2-over after three consecutive bogeys starting at No. 16.
“I was very flat today,” Campbell said. “I’ve been on a high for the last 10 days or so and today was a prime example of not being sharp around the greens.
“My putting was very average. Basically, I wasn’t there. My mind was focusing back to what happened two weeks ago, I think, and just wasn’t on the job today. Hopefully the next three days I’ll shoot low and be in contention.”
Defending champion Retief Goosen shot a 5-under 67, tied with Francois Delamontagne at one stroke back. Ireland’s Gary Purphy and Jonathan Lomas of England shot 68s.
