• Where: Champions Run
• TV: None
• Purse: $725,000
• Yardage: 7,165, Par: 71
Leaders
Steven Bowditch............33-30--63
Kyle Thompson............30-33--63
Kevin Chappell............31-33--64
Scott Gardiner............29-35--64
Matt Marshall............32-32--64
Ewan Porter............33-32--65
Brandt Jobe............32-33--65
Hunter Haas............33-32--65
Ray Beaufils............34-31--65
Chris Kirk............31-34--65
Aaron Watkins............33-32--65
Berry Henson............32-33--65
Morgan Hoffmann............34-31--65
• Full Leader Board
Photo Showcase: Cox Classic
* * *
Can't fault the greens. Their pureness drew raves.
But Thursday at the Cox Classic produced scores at Champions Run that were mundane relative to the 60 in 2007 or the 61 last year for the first-round leader.
“I've struggled at this course a lot in the past,'' said Kyle Thompson, whose 63 grabbed a share of the opening-day lead. “I never thought it was that easy, and every year guys are shooting 59, 60 and the best I could do was 2 or 3 under.''
After a no-bogey Thursday, Thompson was tied with Steven Bowditch of Australia entering Friday's second round of the $725,000 tournament. Bowditch birdied eight of his final 11 holes on the 7,165-yard, par-71 course.
“I left three or four shots out there that were realistic chances,'' Bowditch said. “It's that type of golf course. You can attack it if you're on with the driver and you can give yourself some really good chances.''
The co-leaders are past winners on the Nationwide Tour looking to end lengthy droughts. Bowditch hasn't won since 2005, Thompson since 2007.
At 7-under 64 were the threesome of Kevin Chappell, Scott Gardiner and Monday qualifier Matt Marshall. Twenty-two golfers, including amateur Morgan Hoffmann of Oklahoma State (65), shot 66 or better.
Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey, who is seeking his third win of the season that would promote him immediately to the PGA Tour, opened with a 67. The tour's money leader, Jamie Lovemark, had two double bogeys on the front nine and shot 72.
Tour member Scott Gutschewski, a former Omahan, shot a 67, as did Monday qualifier A.J. Elgert of Lincoln. They had the best scores among those with Midlands ties.
Friday's second round will trim the 156-man field to the low 60 scores, and ties, for the weekend rounds. The tournament is not being televised this year.
Accolades for the greens at Champions Run flow annually like the birdies on the course or the suds in the beer garden. But they were gushing out Thursday.
Gardiner: “I can't remember putting on any better greens this year. No disrespect to any other course, but they really are rolling well.''
Thompson: “They're pure. They're awesome. They're as good as I've ever seen. You have to credit the weather. Low temperatures are a lot of that. If they keep them like this for four days, you're going to see some low scores.''
Thompson, a 2001 South Carolina graduate, won twice three years ago and made the move the next year to the PGA Tour. But after a 211th-place showing on the 2008 money list, Thompson, 31, was needing sponsor's exemptions just to play on the Nationwide Tour.
“I wish I could do it over,'' he said, holding his 14-month-old daughter, Sophia, on his lap. “I didn't putt particularly well. I wasn't that sharp. This little girl came along, and I gave her more attention than my golf, for sure, which is fine.
“Last year was really frustrating. I wasn't getting into a whole lot of tournaments, and luckily they gave me a sponsor's exemption here. I think I got five or six other ones, which is nice from tournaments I've supported to help me out.''
In the past two months, Thompson said he has learned to hit a draw off the tee along with his normal left-to-right fade. It might be why Thursday he matched his season low.
“I've noticed that since I started drawing the ball, so many tee shots (here) set up great for a draw,” he said. “In the past I faded it, and sometimes the fade would turn to a slice. Now I'm hitting a little bit of both.”
Contact the writer:
444-1041, stu.pospisil@owh.com
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