Roller-Coaster Round Leaves Blancas on Top

Homero Blancas took a wild ride over the tame rises and depressions of the Newport Beach County Club Friday in the first round of the Toshiba Senior Classic.

He had seven birdies, including chipping in twice, but made four bogeys to finish at three-under 68, which put him in a five-way tie for the lead.

“All in all, I think it’s one of of my better hitting and putting rounds in a long time,” Blancas said.

He twice was at four under, the only player to reach that score, but needed a six-footer for birdie on 18 to get back into a tie for the top.

Blancas, who has one victory in eight-plus seasons on the Senior PGA Tour, got to four under the first time with a birdie from 20 feet above the hole on the severely sloped green at the par-four seventh. “That was a gift,” he said.

Then he three-putted the par-three eighth. He got to four under again with an amazing shot on the 370-yard par-four 12th, after hitting his drive into the left rough and leaving his second in the high rough, 75 yards short of the green.

From there, he hit a sand wedge that landed about 16 feet short of the hole, then rolled into the cup for a birdie.

“Of course, I didn’t see it,” he said. “There was a tree and a trap in front of me.”

He got back on the bogey train at the par-four 14th and made another at the par-four 16th to fall to two under. On that hole, he hooked his drive, then--despite having a clear shot at the green--pulled his second shot. His chip from left of the green was about 10 feet past the hole, and he needed two putts from there.

He hit two drivers to get within 20 yards of the 510-yard par-five 18th and chipped to six feet. His birdie putt dropped into the middle of the cup.

“I played with some members Monday during the pro-am,” Blancas said, “and they gave me some good reads on the greens.”

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What could have been: For a time Friday it looked as if Chi Chi Rodriguez, one of the most popular players on tour, would be high up on the leader board at the end of the day. Things were going well early for Rodriguez, who has struggled with his putting lately.

He rolled in birdie putts on Nos. 2, 3 and 7 to get to three under and the already-sizable gallery started to swell. But he bogeyed No. 8 and 12, then three-putted the par-five 16th and the par-three 17th to move to one over. But Rodriguez was able to make a birdie on 18 to finish at par 71.

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First things first: Miller Barber not only hit the first shot of the tournament, but he also made the first birdie when he rolled in a 15-footer on the first hole at 8:49 a.m.

Orville Moody, playing the same group, made the first bogey when he three-putted the same hole. Barber finished at 73 and Moody shot 72.

The first quip was delivered by Rodriguez, as was expected. Rodriguez, playing with Gary Player and John Paul Cain, hit a towering drive at the second hole, then turned to the crowd and said: “I’ve been reading Gary Player’s book.”

Player hit an equally impressive drive and Rodriguez said: “You’ll never make it with that swing.” Player also shot 71.

Isao Aoki, who leads the tour in driving accuracy (90.3%), became the first player to drive into a sand trap, on the first hole. He hit his second shot into a tree about 70 yards short of the green but hit a wedge inside of a foot and salvaged par. He shot 71.

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Speaking of numbers: Tournament officials estimated the crowd at about 15,000 Friday and expect more, given the forecast of clear and warmer weather for today and Sunday.

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Golf Notes

Tom Wargo was disqualified for failing to sign his score card. . . . Jimmie Adams of Newport Beach shot a five-over 76 and tees off at 8:10 a.m. today with Deane Beman and Lou Graham.