Aoki Leads as ‘Beer Man’ Picks Up a Following

On a summer-like day during which even the wind offered little relief, a 62-year-old Hall of Famer walked coolly off the Valencia Country Club golf course holding the first-round lead of the SBC Classic.

But there was a beer-truck driver among those hot in pursuit.

Isao Aoki, who last year was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, rolled in a nine-foot par putt on No. 18 to finish with a 69 on the par-72 layout.

Trailing by one stroke, at two under, are Champions Tour rookie Mike Reid and Mark Johnson, whose claim to fame, even he acknowledges, is not as a golfer but as the driver of a Budweiser truck. Four golfers were two shots behind the leader at 71.

Johnson, 50, a former California amateur champion who delivered suds for 18 years, was followed by dozens of fans who came via bus from his hometown Barstow area.

They sighed after every bad swing and cheered his good ones. Johnson, who embarked on a pro golfing career five years ago, finished with four bogeys but made up for them with an eagle and four birdies, including a 28-foot putt on No. 18.

That brought out the cry, “Way to go, beer man!”

Johnson, who played on the Canadian and Nationwide tours and participated in two PGA Tour events before turning 50 in May, said afterward that he liked the nickname and he really appreciated so many of his friends coming out to support him.

“What’s also pretty neat is that my mom and dad get to see my first [senior] pro event, and my brother and girlfriend are here, so everything is good,” he said.

Everything is also OK for Reid, who considers himself fortunate after a round in which he countered four bogeys with four birdies and an eagle, a 15-foot chip-in. One of the birdies also was a chip-in. He three-putted from six feet for one of his bogeys.

“A friend told me, ‘Don’t you realize that all the roller coasters are across the street [at Magic Mountain]?’ ” he said of his day.

Aoki was particularly pleased with his putting on Valencia’s large, undulating greens. He had five birdies versus two bogeys and moved to three under with a seven-foot putt on the 13th hole. He bogeyed No. 14 but birdied No. 16, with a 22-foot putt, to go back to three under.

Afterward, he said he hardly recognized any of the newer players and said he knew nothing of the beer-truck driver.

“Maybe tomorrow in the same pairing I will see him,” Aoki said.

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Defending event champion Gil Morgan shot a four-over 76.... Champions Tour leader Hale Irwin shot a one-over 73, ending a streak of 11 rounds under par.... John Jacobs withdrew on No. 18 because of what was believed to be dehydration. He was taken to Henry Mayo Memorial Hospital and was expected to remain overnight.

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Leaderboard

First-round leaders of the SBC Classic at Valencia CC. Par: 36-36--72.

*--* Isao Aoki 35-34--69 -3 Mark Johnson 34-36--70 -2 Mike Reid 33-37--70 -2 Des Smyth 34-37--71 -1 Bob Gilder 37-34--71 -1 Raymond Floyd 35-36--71 -1 D.A. Weibring 36-35--71 -1 Don Reese 36-36--72 E Jerry Pate 35-37--72 E Tom Purtzer 38-34--72 E Don Pooley 35-37--72 E Mark McNulty 35-37--72 E Craig Stadler 37-35--72 E Keith Fergus 36-36--72 E

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