Koch Sets a Record With 62

Gary Koch shot a tournament-record 62 to take a three-shot lead after the first round of the ACE Group Classic on Friday at Naples, Fla.

Koch, who finished at 10 under par, holed a 50-foot bunker shot for eagle on No. 17 and nearly made a 20-footer for birdie on the final hole.

“I wish this day would never end,” Koch said.

Tour rookie Lonnie Nielsen shot eight-under 28 on the back nine to finish two shots behind at 64. Hale Irwin, who has won this event twice, and Larry Nelson are three shots behind.

Two-time champion Gil Morgan is in a group of five players at six under.

Koch, who started on the 10th hole, made the turn at two-under. He then made birdies on three of his first four holes after the turn.

“About that time, you start thinking that maybe today’s your day,” Koch said.

It was. He followed with a birdie from nine feet on No. 14, a 2 1/2-footer on No. 16 and then the bunker shot for eagle on No. 17.

Nielsen, playing in one of the final groups, quietly made his move and, like Koch, did it on the back nine after a shaky front side.

He made six birdies and an eagle on the back, making a five-footer on the par-five 13th, as the field took advantage of no wind and soft greens.

“You’re just not going to get a better day to play golf than we had today,” Nielsen said.

Jack Nicklaus birdied three of his first seven holes and was at five under at one point but bogeyed No. 7, his 16th hole, and finished at four under. He is in a tie for 14th place.

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Laura Davies played so poorly in the ANZ Championship at Port Stephens, Australia, she might not make another appearance in a men’s event. She was next to last after two rounds, finishing 154th and missing the cut.

“You never say never, but no at this stage if I was invited to play at another event,” said Davies, who missed the cut by four strokes at the men’s Korean Open in October.

Davies, the first woman to compete in an event sanctioned by the European and Australasian tours, had a two-day total of minus-13 points. That was 40 points behind leader Steve Webster under the Stableford scoring system.

Davies had a double bogey and nine bogeys in the second round to miss the cut by 22 points.

In stroke-play figures, she had rounds of 75 and 83.