DiMarco, Langer, Jimenez top leaderboard after opening round at Hoag Classic
The wet weather appears to have subsided for the weekend, but those teeing off in the Hoag Classic certainly aren’t sorry it happened.
Soft greens yielded big rounds all around for the competitors at Newport Beach Country Club, with Chris DiMarco, Bernhard Langer and Miguel Angel Jimenez entering the clubhouse as the leading trio at seven under par after Friday’s opening round.
“The first hole that I played since Tucson was the 10th hole today, so I guess I went out with [no] expectations,” DiMarco said. “[I] knew I was playing good, knew I was hitting it good, knew I was putting really good, so for me, just going out and kind of firing at pins, and I hit some really good, close shots. It just kind of built up. It just was one of those rounds.”
DiMarco played the back nine at five under par to begin his round. He seeks his first win on the PGA Tour Champions since joining the senior circuit in 2018.
“To win out here, you need to have at least one or two really low rounds, and then just kind of not shoot yourself out with the other one,” DiMarco said. “I got my one today, so hopefully we’ll get another one maybe tomorrow, and then another one the next day and just do something crazy and have one of those three-day-in-a-row things that happen.”
Langer continues to defy age. The 65-year-old German shot his age or better for the ninth time in his career. A lengthy birdie putt caught the left edge and lipped in on No. 18 to bring Langer into a share of the lead.
“I was aware of the leaderboard, that seven under was leading at the time, and that I’m one behind,” Langer said. “Obviously, I was aware that six under would be my age and seven would be one better than my age, so I was happy to see that one wiggle in.”
A group of big names fed off each other, as Langer was paired with Mike Weir (-6) and Jim Furyk (-5).
Langer, who won at Newport Beach in 2008, remains in pursuit of his 46th PGA Tour Champions win, which would put him ahead of Hale Irwin for the most wins in tour history.
“Not really,” Langer replied when asked if the tour’s record for titles was on his mind. “But I’m going to get asked every week, so I might as well say yes. I’m trying to play every hole as good as I can and then see where the chips fall.”
Doug Barron and Weir are one stroke back of the leaders at six under par.
A total of 55 golfers carded rounds under par on Friday, with a dozen ending the day within two shots of the lead. That group includes Newport Beach resident Fred Couples, who birdied his first three holes and his last in a bogey-free round to finish among seven players tied for sixth at five under.
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