Two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen birdied 10 of the first 14 holes in a 10-under 62 to take the first-round lead on Thursday in the PGA Tour Champions’ Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai in Hawaii.
He started with a par on the first, but then birdied the second to get his scoring going. He made four birdies in a row from the fourth, before rounding out his opening nine with another gain on the ninth. He made four more on his way in, and that put him one ahead of Darren Clarke after his 63.
The tournament is the first of the year, but the season is a continuation from last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down the tour for four months. It is being played for the 25th straight season at Hualalai Golf Course, the longest run a venue in PGA Tour Champions history.
“The putter,” Goosen said when asked what the key was to his round. “You shoot 10 under, you make everything and that’s what happened today. I saw the greens yesterday in the pro-am, I made nine birdies and today I made 10 birdies. So, I’m seeing the lines very well on the greens at the moment and the putter’s working.”
He won his lone senior title in 2019 in the major Senior Players Championship.
Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez, playing alongside Goosen, had a 69. Ernie Els also shot 69.
