HILTON HEAD ISLAND, South Carolina, 18 April 2004 — Ben Curtis, who burst on the scene last year with a stunning win at the British Open, had more good fortune on his side Friday.
Curtis took advantage of three hole-outs at Harbor Town Golf Links to shoot a five-under-par 66 and take the lead midway through The Heritage.
The 26-year-old had a 36-hole total of eight-under 134, one stroke better than fellow American Heath Slocum and two in front of compatriot Ted Purdy, both of whom shot 67s.
“Three (holes with) zero putts,” Curtis said. “I haven’t had three zero-putts in a month.”
Curtis shocked the golf world last July at Royal St. George’s in England. But he has struggled considerably since becoming the first player in 90 years to win his first major appearance, making the cut at just five of nine events this season. But Curtis could do little wrong Friday in a bogey-free round as he matched the second-lowest score by a player competing in his first Heritage. He cautioned, however, that he still needs to be more accurate off the tee.
“I need to hit some better drives this weekend,” Curtis said. “I won’t get as lucky today as I did with some of those drives. If I can get that going and just continue with the short game, I’ll be fine.”
Curtis was hot around the greens, starting on No. 15 — his sixth hole — where he holed a 25-foot pitch from the front rough for a birdie.
At No. 1, Curtis holed a 109-yard wedge from the fairway for his second eagle in as many weeks on a par-four hole. He made one last week at the seventh hole of the first round of The Masters.
“I got a lucky bounce, hit on the front fringe and kicked to the right and bounced right in the hole,” Curtis said. “It was a lucky break.” Curtis’ run of luck was not over as he holed a 39-yard chip from the fairway at No. 3 for another birdie. Veteran Jay Haas, already eligible for the Champions Tour, signed for a 69 and is among five players tied for fourth at 137.
Five more are tied at 138, including Fred Funk and former Masters champion Mark O’Meara.
Haas was in contention after the first round of The Masters but has not won on the PGA Tour since 1993. He is playing his 28th consecutive tournament at Harbor Links, where he is winless. Haas found the greens tricky and fast. Slocum, who made five birdies, was in position to end the day with a share of the lead before a bogey at the par-three 17th.
Kerr Opens Four-Shot Lead at Takefuji Classic
In Las Vegas, Nevada, Cristie Kerr took advantage of benign conditions Friday and fired a flawless five-under-par 67 that opened a four-stroke cushion midway through the LPGA Takefuji Classic.
One of four players who shared the first-round lead, Kerr got in her round before the wind kicked up at the Las Vegas Country Club and was able to distance herself from the field at eight-under 136.
“Everybody has got to play their own rounds,” she said. “I can’t tell you what’s going through their heads. I’m just glad to be done. If the wind does pick up, it’s going to play harder, and it played hard as it was today.”
Heather Daly-Donofrio, Stacy Prammanasudh and South Korea’s Seol An Jeon are tied for second at 140. Of the trio, Daly-Donofrio — a former Oxford student and Yale golf coach — had the best round at four-under 68. The change paid off as the 34-year-old Connecticut native offset three bogeys with seven birdies, including a 25-footer and a pair of 15-footers.
Kerr did less scrambling, although she got her round started by chipping within a foot to set up a birdie at the 530-yard 10th hole. Her other four birdies were sprinkled on the front side.
