Padraig Harrington recovered from a double bogey on his sixth hole to birdie five of the remaining 12 to card an opening three-under 69 at the Champions Tour’s Chubb Classic at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida.
The Dubliner is making his first Champions Tour start of the season, and his 69 leaves him in a tie for 15th, three shots off second place, but six off the lead held by Rocco Mediate after the Pennsylvania native shot a blistering nine-under.
61-year-old Mediate has always been one of the most popular players on tour, but it is approaching five years since his last victory which came at the Sandford International back in 2019.
“I want to win in my 60s,” he said afterwards. “It’s as simple as that. That’s what I want to do.
“I think I’ve given myself — not this round, but what I’ve done to this, maybe an opportunity sometime, whether it’s this week, who cares. Everyone says, well, it’s only the first round. Yeah, but it was nice to come out fast.”
There are plenty of big names in the hunt, however, with Ernie Els, Alex Cejka and Mark Hensby tied for second at -6, and a further five one further adrift, including serial Champions Tour winners Steven Alker and Stephen Ames.
“Well, always great,” Els replied when asked what it would mean to get a win early in the season. “Are you kidding me? I’ve won three events out here. Been in contention quite a few times. But some of these guys, when they get hot, they go low. There’s a handful of guys that go low, that are really in fine shape. I’ve just got to try and get one better than them at some point and get some confidence.”
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