Aug 22, 2008 - 11:57 PM
0 shoutsSNOQUALMIE, Washington (Ticker) - Mark Wiebe used a torrid start to grab a share of the first-round lead at the Boeing Classic.
Buoyed by four birdies in his first five holes, Wiebe shot a 5-under-par 67 on Friday to tie Scott Simpson atop the leaderboard of this $1.6 million event.
Wiebe held a two-shot cushion with three holes to play at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, but his only bogey of the day at the par-5 18th, when he flew a sand wedge over the green, allowed Simpson to join him in the lead.
"The course was there for the taking. I played well most of the day," Wiebe said. "I like the way I'm playing now. Just made a couple of mistakes today."
Simpson, who has six top-10 finishes this season and is coming off a sixth-place finish at the JELD-WEN Tradition, carded five birdies in his bogey-free round. He was the only player in the field to not have a bogey.
"I played real consistent (and) hit the ball pretty straight today," Simpson said. "I had a lot of birdie putts. A really good round."
Wiebe and Simpson are a shot ahead of Gary Hallberg, David Edwards and Bob Gilder, who are tied at 4-under 68. Hallberg reeled off three birdies on each nine as he made just his eighth start on the Champions Tour this year.
"I played smart and conservative," Hallberg said. "It's been about six years since I've won. I didn't put well the last few years, but I'm putting better now."
Marquee names Tom Kite and Hale Irwin head a cluster of six players at 3-under 69. Kite, the 2006 champion here, had five birdies in his first eight holes but offset it with four bogeys.
Defending champion Denis Watson, a two-time winner this season and the reigning Rookie of the Year, struggled out of the gate with two bogeys in the first four holes and never got untracked en route to a 2-over 74.
Last year, Watson had to work overtime for the win as a seven-way playoff was needed to determine the champion. Watson finished 54 holes at 9-under 207 and eventually defeated Craig Stadler and R.W. Eaks on the second extra hole after four players were eliminated after the first hole.
First prize is $240,000.
