Funai Classic: Haas takes early lead
Hunter Haas fired a nine-under-par 63 to grab a one-shot lead after the first round of the $4.4m (€3.6m) Funai Classic at Disney World on Thursday.
A lowly 166th on the PGA Tour money list, Haas took advantage of benign morning conditions to plunder the Palm course to the tune of nine birdies. That was enough to hold off Steve Lowery, Mark Calcavecchia, JJ Henry, Ryan Moore, Geoff Ogilvy and Pat Perez, all of whom shot 64.
All played the Palm, the easier of the two courses used for the event. Robert Damron’s 65 was the best score on the Magnolia course, which averaged 2.7 shots harder.
Tiger Woods did not take full advantage of his crack at the Palm, shooting a bogey-free 68. Vijay Singh was unhappy with his iron play as he battled to a 69 on the Magnolia.
“That’s the lowest round I’ve shot in competition,” said Haas, 28, who is in his second season on the PGA Tour after losing his card in his previous try in 2001. “My season has been mediocre at best. It’s not anything I would wish on anybody. It’s a grind out here, mentally and physically.”
It wasn’t on Thursday, however, as Haas enjoyed smooth sailing, picking up five birdies going out before adding four more coming home.
“I drove the ball well and hit a lot of greens,” he said. “I don’t think I missed but one green, and that was on the fringe and I made birdie. It was just a really solid day.”
Among those tied for second was the 45-year-old Calcavecchia, who is enjoying a late-career resurgence that included a victory at last month’s Canadian Open.
“I’m playing to get in the Tour Championship, instead of keeping my card,” said the 1989 British Open champion, who is 27th on this year’s money list after struggling with injury last year.
Calcavecchia did not play last week’s Las Vegas Invitational in order to avoid temptation.
“I skipped Vegas for the first time in my career I was eligible,” he said. “My blackjack playing has been bad, just pitiful, so I decided to stay away. By not playing there, I probably saved myself 50 grand.”
Moore, the 2004 United States amateur champion who turned pro over the summer, doesn’t have the luxury of taking a week off because he is trying to lock up a card for next year.
Moore has earned 598,249, equal to 120th on the PGA Tour money list. With just two events after this one, he has to at least match the earnings of the 125th-ranked player to be fully exempt for 2006.
“I haven’t had what felt like an easy round in a long time, and it felt easier today,” he said. “I found something on the range last night with my stance and it just felt immediately better. I controlled the ball all day today. My speed control on the greens was really horrible though. I’m lucky a couple of putts hit the middle (of the hole), because they were going really fast.”
At 38th on the money list, Ogilvy also has something to play for. If he finishes in the top 40, he will qualify for The Masters for the first time.
“The Masters is the main goal,” said Ogilvy, who eagled the first hole by hitting a six-iron to 12 feet. “I hit all the par-fives in two (shots), making an eagle and three birdies. That’s five shots right there. It’s nice to have the Palm first. You’ve got to have your score out here.”
The Palm averaged 68.0 strokes, while the Magnolia, which has been stretched more than 300 yards since last year, averaged 70.7.
