PARKER — Morning tee times proved advantageous today in the opening round of the Senior PGA Championship.
Bernhard Langer and Robin Freeman hold the early lead at 6-under after the first round at Colorado Golf Club, with Highlands Ranch pro Bill Loeffler in a tie for fourth at 3-under.
“I think it’s going to blow this afternoon, which means it’s probably going to blow tomorrow afternoon,” said Leffler, who is the general manager of The Links Golf Club in south Denver. “I’m glad that I got my round, a good round, in this morning, because if I would have shot 75 or something or 73, the I’m looking at starting at 12:50 tomorrow with possibly 40 mile an hour winds.”
Langer, who started on No. 10, holed out a 90-yard wedge for eagle on the par-4 No. 14. He hit 3-iron on the 329-yard hole, “then a full wedge and backed it up into the hole. That was pretty exciting.”
The gusts started in the morning, but after the lunch hour the wind stayed above 20 mph. The last tee time was 2:55 p.m.
Paul Azinger was one of three pros to withdraw this morning from the tournament. Azinger has the flu, while Peter Jacobsen (illness) and Hal Sutton (hip) also pulled out. The tournament got underway this morning.
The winner of this weekend’s tournament will net $360,000 of the $2 million in total purse.
Of the 156-man field, the top 70 will get at least $3,725. If more than 70 make the cut Friday, those below 70th place, will be paid in diminishing increments of $25 each (i.e., $3,700 for 71st, $3,675 for 72nd, etc.).
Those who don’t make the cut after the second round will be paid $1,000.
The rest of the top 10: $216,000 for second; $136,000, third; $96,000, fourth; $76,000, fifth; $66,000, sixth; $62,000, seventh; $58,000, eighth; $54,000, ninth; and $50,000 for 10th.
