Miguel Angel Jimenez felt a breeze in his back, and pulled out a 6-iron believing that it would be the perfect club for Tucson National’s 7-hole, measuring 196 yards.
He was still alive.
Jimenez’s ace helped him to a 6-under-66 score in breezy conditions Friday to match Jeff Sluman to take the lead for the Cologuard Classic’s first round.
Jimenez stated that the ball never left the flag. “Piece luck, it was a hole in one there and I put me 4-under par.”
Jimenez won the PGA Tour Champions’ season opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii. He then started his round at Tucson National with an ace. The 58-year old Spaniard beat Sluman by overcoming a par-5 eighth hole bogey and adding three birdies to his back nine.
Sluman, 64, opened with a birdie at the par-4 first hole. He added three more holes to make it 4-under 32. At Nos. 13-14, he had consecutive birdies. 13-14 was his best PGA Tour Champions round, since a 66 at the 2018 Regions Tradition.
Sluman, who did not have a bogey during the opening round, hasn’t won on senior circuit since 2014.
Sluman won the 1997 Tucson Chrysler Classic. “I have had some success here, which makes it feel that if I play well I at least know how to play golf.
Tom Lehman tied the lead at 6 over with a birdie at the par-5 17th. However, he failed to make it up at No. 18 for a birdie to shoot 67. Woody Austin shot seven birdies, while Rod Pampling was bogey-free to shoot 67.
Six players were present at 68, including Jerry Kelly and Chris DiMarco.
Bernhard Langer, the reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion, had three birdies but bogeyed No. 18 after hitting into water on the par 4. To shoot 2-under 70. After breaking his own record of being the oldest tour winner, the 64-year old struggled to get putts in the desert one week later.
Langer is two victories behind Hale Irwin, who has a PGA Tour Champions score of 45.
Jimenez, an 11-time winner of the PGA Tour Champions was followed by a Florida fifth last week. He made consecutive birdies at No. He made two birdies consecutively on No. 7 took two steps and then trickled into the hole.
Jimenez jumped from the greenside bunker of the par-5 17th to make birdie. He then missed a long birdie putt at No. 18 to tie with Sluman.
Jimenez stated that he couldn’t see the hole in the shade and the sun was coming towards his eye. Jimenez said that he hit a great putt and that it was a very good line.
Six-time winner of the PGA Tour, Sluman won six PGA Tour Champions wins over seven seasons after turning 50. However, he has never been close to winning again since finishing in third place at the 2017 Chubb Classic.
Sluman’s top-10 finishes in 55 starts over the past three seasons have been one. He opened 2022 with tie for 23rd, and 68th. Sluman did finish his final round on Tiburon Golf Club’s Black Course last week with three straight birdies, which helped him get in a good mood for the desert.
He said, “I felt like I straightened out my swing a bit there, then came straight here and got some practice in Tuesday and all.” “You know what, here we are. Except for Bernhard, golf at this age is somewhat of a mystery.
