Chipper Chi Chi Back in Form
Chi Chi Rodriguez shot a four-under-par 67 Friday to take a one-stroke lead over three golfers in the first round of the $850,000 Royal Caribbean Classic.
Jack Kiefer, J.C. Snead and Bruce Summerhays are three under on the Crandon Park Golf Course in the opening event of the Senior PGA Tour season.
“I haven’t won, I haven’t played well,” said the popular Rodriguez, who had not led after the first round of a tournament since October 1993. “I really had lost my enthusiasm for playing the senior tour.”
His enthusiasm has come back and, if Friday’s performance is any indication, so has his game.
“I was happy with my putting today. I didn’t three-putt all day,” said Rodriguez, who tied for 32nd in last year’s event.
A new interlocking grip as well as new golf balls from a company of which he is a part owner also have helped Rodriguez regain his form. Rodriguez says the balls are injected with something.
“The scientists won’t tell you what it’s injected with. They’re trying to get a patent,” Rodriguez said.
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