Tom Kite has set a USGA championship, nine-hole record with a 28 and finished at 5-under 65 to take the early first-round lead at the U.S. Senior Open.
Kite matched the lowest nine-hole score of his career on the front nine yesterday at Indianwood. He had a second-round 28 on his first nine last year at the Champion Tour’s Hickory Classic.
His three-shot lead at the U.S. Senior Open was cut to one stroke over Lance Ten Broeck when a poor flop shot out of ankle-high rough led to a double bogey at No. 17.
SCOTTISH OPEN
Francesco Molinari tied the best round in the Scottish Open’s 40-year history, shooting a 10-under 62 to take a two-shot lead into the second day of the British Open warm-up tournament.
The Italian rolled in 10 birdies in his first 15 holes in calm early conditions on the Castle Stuart links course, but missed out on a chance to shoot the first 59 on the European Tour by finishing with pars on the final three holes.
Phil Mickelson shot a 73 on a day he was supposed to be at the Vatican in Italy with his wife and daughter. He decided to cut short his European vacation to get more practice ahead of the British Open.
JOHN DEERE CLASSIC
Troy Matteson scored 10 birdies in a bogey-free round of 10-under 61 for a three-stroke lead after one round of the John Deere Classic.
Matteson, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, birdied five holes on each nine of the TPC Deere Run to surpass the 7-under 64 of second place Ricky Barnes.
Barnes, out in the second group of the day, birdied all three par-5s and two of the four par-3s to pace the morning half of the field.
Robert Garrigus, among a group tied for third at 6-under 65, eagled the par-5 17th by hooking a 270-yard second shot around a tree to set up a 30-foot eagle putt.