Colbert, Kiefer, Marsh (65) Play Like Champions

Jim Colbert, caught off guard by his success on the difficult St. George’s course, shot a six-under-par 65 on Thursday for a share of the first-round lead in the du Maurier Champions.

“I was surprised at the scores. Maybe I shouldn’t say that because most of the guys can really play,” said Colbert, tied with Jack Kiefer and Australia’s Graham Marsh. “I mean the rough is pretty heavy and there’s a bunch of trees out there. A lot of the pins were pretty tough.”

Marsh got off to a fast start with five birdies on the front nine.

“If you get away to a nice start here, the golf course looks a lot easier,” Marsh said. “But if you’re dragging your feet coming into those last nine holes, you’d have to play very well to pick up some ground.”

Colbert, an 18-time senior winner and the tour’s money leader the last two seasons, shot his lowest round of the year, making the turn at three-under 32 and adding three birdies on the back nine.

Calvin Peete, a 12-time PGA Tour winner who is winless in five senior seasons, opened with a 66 in the round delayed by rain for nearly two hours.

“I thought that was a very good score, especially on this golf course,” Peete said. “You’ve got to place your tee shots, plus you have to place your iron shots and your approach shots to have those aggressive putts.”

Bob Eastwood shot a 67, and John Bland was three back along with Dick Hendrickson, Tony Jacklin, Jerry McGee, Walter Morgan and Vicente Fernandez.