Three Golfers Share Lead in S. Africa

Americans Scott Hoch and Tim Simpson and South African David Frost shot 5-under-par 67s today to share the first-round lead in the Million Dollar Challenge, which offers the largest prize in golf.

The total purse for the four-day, 10-player event is $2.3 million, including $1 million for the winner.

Frost, a leading money-winner on the U.S. pro tour, fired five birdies on the back nine to catch Hoch and Simpson. They each had 32s on the front nine, including eagles at the par-5 9th, and 35s coming in.

No one else in the field broke par on the 7,665-yard course designed by South African golfer Gary Player.

Three Americans were tied for fourth at par 72: Ken Green, Scott Simpson and Chip Beck. American Don Pooley shot a 73, Scotland’s Sandy Lyle had a 75, defending champion Fulton Allem of South Africa opened with a 76 and veteran Andy Bean of the United States shot an 81.

Each of the 10 golfers is assured of a big pay day. In addition to the winner’s check, prizes range from $300,000 for the runner-up to $70,000 for the last-place finisher.

Meanwhile, Australian Peter Senior, who won the Australian PGA last month and the Australian Open last week, shot a 65 today to take a three-shot lead after the first round of the $800,000 Johnnie Walker Classic in Melbourne, Australia.

American Jim Benepe and Chris Moody of England are tied for second after shooting 68s on the par-72, 6,977-yard Royal Melbourne course.

Australians Mike Clayton and Rodger Davis, New Zealand’s Frank Nobilo and former American Walker Cup player Doug Martin are four shots behind Senior after rounds of 69.

Greg Norman, who earlier in the week was named Australian Sportsman of the Decade, had a 73.

And in Inzai, Japan, Bobby Gage of East Tennessee State defeated Japan’s Yoshiki Takagai 69-78 as a team of NCAA players won eight matches, tied three and lost one today to capture the 54-hole NCAA-Japan Collegiate Golf Championship 43-17.

In other men’s matches, Trev Anderson of Arizona defeated Kouichiroh Sugisawa 72-74, Robert Sullivan of UCLA edged Mitsunori Kaneko 73-75, Kevin Wentworth of Oklahoma State beat Katsunori Kuwabara 70-78, Rex Kuramoto of East Tennessee State defeated Jin Kurakami 72-77, Hub Goyen III of UNLV topped Eiichi Shimomuki 73-79 and Omar Uresti of Texas and Kouichi Nogami tied with 72s.