Cox Classic: Mulroy out front

Garth Mulroy fired a career-low 10-under-par 61 Thursday to take the Cox Classic lead after one round, but he knows the real challenge is backing up one low round with another.

“Jack Nicklaus recently talked about how he did it, by going to the range and hitting balls, (mostly) to get the adrenaline out of you,” Mulroy said. “I'll go do that, because he wasn't too bad.''

Mulroy finished the day with just a one-stroke lead over Matt Every in the $725,000 Nationwide Tour event at Champions Run.

In all, 104 golfers broke par on a nearly calm day, and another 17 were at par.

“The course has firmed up,” Mulroy said. “There's definitely more 3-woods off the tee tomorrow. A lot of my drivers got too close to the greens with front pins, and I couldn't get my pitch shots close.''

Mulroy also started fast last year in Omaha with a 64 and 65 before tying for third — his best finish of 2008.

The 30-year-old South African, now living in Raleigh, N.C., is in much better shape for his career after winning the South Georgia Classic in April and standing fourth on the season money list with $195,679.

“I've really been looking forward to these next two weeks, Omaha and Columbus,'' Mulroy said. “I played well both places last year, and in the back of my mind I'm thinking I can wrap up my (2010 PGA Tour) card in the next two weeks.

“To be in the top three or four on the money list will get you into the West Coast events (next winter), so every spot on the list is going to mean something in the end.''

His biggest payday ever was from winning the 2005 Big Stakes Match-Play Championship with David Ping, who's now living in Omaha. Mulroy is his house guest for the week.

Thoughts of breaking 60 first crossed his mind, Mulroy said, as he lined up the 6-footer on Champions' sixth hole that would be his second eagle of the round. He couldn't get there, missing birdie putts in the 20-foot range on the next two holes, before two-putting from 40 feet on the course's ninth hole to get to 10 under.

“All I was thinking about, on the hole after the eagle, was not a 59 but that in this position, give the putts a chance and I did,” said Mulroy, who played the back nine first Thursday.

Every, who missed the Cox Classic cut last year, finished his 62 with an eagle, a chip-in from 60 feet.

The former Florida Gator, 25, was 6 under for his final six holes, with four birdies and the eagle.

Mulroy and Every played in the afternoon, as did J.J. Killeen when he shot 63. The best from the morning half of the 156-man field were 64s from Jin Park, Brian Smock and Brent Delahoussaye.

Also with 64 were Jonas Blixt, Dave Schultz and sponsor's exemption Tadd Fujikawa.

Steve Friesen of Lincoln was at 66 along with Michael Sim, the tour's leading money-winner and one of the year's two two-time champions.

Today's second round begins at 7:15 a.m. and will finish around 7:30 p.m.

Contact the writer:

444-1041, stu.pospisil@owh.com