Woods Gets Only Slim Lead With 61

L.A. Times Archives

May 14, 1999 12 AM PT

<i> From Associated Press</i>

Tiger Woods found it strange that he could shoot a 29 after nine holes and not even be the best in his own threesome. It was even more remarkable that no one was terribly surprised with his 61 on Thursday in the GTE Byron Nelson Classic at Irving, Texas.

The pins looked as if they belonged on the senior tour and young guns such as Woods and 19-year-old Sergio Garcia took aim.

Woods assaulted Cottonwood Valley with nine birdies and no bogeys. It was his lowest score as a professional and the lowest first round on the PGA Tour in eight years--but it was good enough for only a one-stroke lead.

Garcia, playing only his second tournament as a professional and first in America, had a chance to match Woods until a bogey on the 18th hole on the TPC at Las Colinas dropped him to 62, tied with Paul Goydos and Steve Lowery.

Corey Pavin, continuing to show signs of getting back to his U.S. Open championship form, was at 63, along with Justin Leonard and Nick Price.

Woods’ 61 tied the tournament and course record set by Ernie Els when he won in 1995.

“It’s always fun when you can really get it going like this,” Woods said.

He wasn’t alone, and he didn’t have to look far to find how easy the conditions were--mild temperatures, sunny skies, no wind, soft greens and pins that were generously cut away from the fringe.

Woods played with Goydos, who had a 28 at the turn.

Nick Price had the worst score in the group. He had a 30.

“Granted, par is 34 [on the front],” Woods said. “But it still was kind of strange when you shoot 29 and you’re not leading in your own group.”

Garcia caused one of the biggest stirs of the day with eight birdies on his first 15 holes, and was in the middle of the fairway on the par-five 16th. A 59 crossed his mind, but slipped away when he hit into a bunker and had to settle for par.

“A 62 is OK,” he said.

The last time anyone had a 61 in the first round was Robert Gamez in Milwaukee and Marco Dawson in Chattanooga in 1991. Neither of them went on to win.

Isao Aoki shot a seven-under 65 to lead after the first round of the $1.4-million Las Vegas Senior Classic at the Tournament Players Club at Summerlin, Nev.

Aoki leads Dave Stockton, who shot a six-under 66. Leonard Thompson, Mike McCullough and Dewitt Weaver were four under.

Aoki had seven birdies. He sank a five-foot putt for birdie on the 15th hole and a 25-footer on the par-five 16th.

Stockton was one under through nine holes. He bogeyed the fifth hole but came back to chip in for birdie from the back of the green on the sixth. He dropped a 20-foot putt on the ninth hole.

Stockton birdied Nos. 11, 13, 14, 17 and 18 coming home.

“The balls were rolling further and the greens are absolutely perfect,” Stockton said. “Wind was never a factor today.”

Hale Irwin, who has won the last two Las Vegas Senior Classics and also last week’s Nationwide Championship in Alpharetta, Ga., shot a one-under 70.

He was five under after 15, but finished with two bogeys and a double bogey.

Phil Price of Wales and Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain shot seven-under 65s in the opening round of the Benson and Hedges Open at Thame, England, and shared a two-stroke lead.

Roger Wessels of South Africa finished at 67. Six were three back at 68, including Europe’s top money winner the last six seasons, Colin Montgomerie, and Nick Faldo.

Faldo has made only four of 10 cuts this season.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

In Front

Leaders through Thursday’s play (Complete scores, Page 13):

GTE BYRON NELSON CLASSIC--PAR 70

Tiger Woods: 29-32--61 -9

Paul Goydos: 28-34--62 -8

Steve Lowery: 32-30--62 -8

Sergio Garcia: 29-33--62 -8

Corey Pavin: 29-34--63 -7

Justin Leonard: 33-30--63 -7

Nick Price: 33-30--63 -7