Retief Goosen opened his campaign in the PGA Tour Champions’ American Family Insurance Championship on Friday with a four-under-par 68 to take up a share of third after the first round.
He made an eagle, four brides and two bogeys as Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain took the first-round lead at seven-under-par. Jimenez had a two-stroke lead over American Jerry Kelly, while Goosen shared third with five other players including Fred Couples, Jim Furyk and Colin Montgomerie.
Goosen started with consecutive birdies on the first two holes, and added a third on the par-five sixth. He followed that with a bogey on seven. Another dropped shot came on the par-three 12th, but he picked up his eagle on the par-five 16th. He rounded things off with a closing birdie on 18.
Ernie Els started with a level-par 72, while David Frost signed for a one-over 73.
On the Korn Ferry Tour, play was suspended due to lightning in the BMW Charity Pro-Am with Dawie van der Walt three-under through 15. He was eight-under for the tournament with the lead held by Justin Lower of the United States at 16-under. Tyrone van Aswegen was two-under through 15 and on seven-under.
On the LPGA Tour, Ashleigh Buhai carded her second successive one-under-par 71 on Friday to be in a share of 20th in the LPGA Mediheal Championship at Lake Merced Golf Club, Daly City, California. The tournament is being led by Danielle Kang on seven-under, and she has a one-stroke lead over fellow-American Lauren Kim and Ireland’s Leona Maguire. Paula Reto missed the cut by one stroke at five-over.
