Four players share lead at Movistar Panama Championship  Nationwide Tour Media Official PANAMA CITY, Panama -- Tom Scherrer, Hunter Haas, Garth Mulroy and Miguel Carbello jumped out to a share of the early lead at the $550,000 Movistar Panama Championship, the season-opening tournament on the 32-event Nationwide Tour schedule.  Bob Burns is among many right near the lead. (Stan Badz/PGATOUR/WireImage)
The quartet recorded identical 3-under-par 67s to take a one-stroke advantage over Bob Burns, Erik Compton, Peter Tomasulo and John Riegger when play was suspended due to darkness. Scherrer was steady all day, with birdies coming on Nos. 1, 12, 13 and 17 and his only bogey of the day at the par-4 14th hole. "I played well today," said Scherrer, winner of the 2000 Kemper Insurance Open and a two-time victor on the Nationwide Tour. "I had to shake off a little rust, but I hit the ball nicely overall." Scherrer is coming off of a season in which he finished No. 70 on the Nationwide Tour money list. Hard work in the off-season, including recent sessions in Panama with his swing coach, has him excited about the prospects of improving that position in 2007. "My coach came down and we've had some good sessions," said Scherrer. "But it is always different hitting that first shot when you know it counts, as opposed to practicing for the last couple of months when the shots don't count." Burns, the winner of the 2002 Disney Golf Classic, struggled early with bogeys on two of the first three holes, but rebounded with five birdies and just one bogey the rest of the way to stay within one shot of the leaders. "I started off the year with a three-putt from 12 feet, which isn't really what you're looking for," said Burns, a 38-year-old native of Mission Hills, Calif. "I was a little rusty today ... but all in all I'm happy with my round. I made some mistakes, which are common this time of year, but other than that it was a pretty solid day." Burns got hot with the putter after the shaky start, draining a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 7, followed by 18-footers for birdie on Nos. 9 and 17. "I made some nice putts today," said Burns. "But at the same time I missed some others badly. This was only my second time around this course so hopefully I'll continue to learn my way around it." As has become the norm since the tournament's inception in 2004, stiff winds and temperatures reaching into the low 90s greeted the 132-man field as they arrived at the picturesque par-70 Panama Golf Club. "This heat is a shock to the system, especially if you played in the snow like I did last week in Valencia," said Burns, who lists classic cars and engines as two of his favorite hobbies. "This course can be very tough to score on, especially when the wind is blowing like it is." First Round News & Notes: Three players were still on the course when play was suspended due to darkness at 6:40 p.m. Those players will be back in position at 8:00 a.m., with the second round getting underway at the regularly scheduled time ... Joe Daley posted the first birdie of the 2007 season at the par-4 first hole. He went on to record a 3-over 73 ... The shot of the day was turned in by Danny Briggs with a hole-in-one on the par-3 17th hole. His 8-iron from 163 yards was the fourth ace in tournament history ... Past champions participating this week had opposite results during the first round, with 2005 winner Vance Veazey opening with a 1-under 69, while 2004 winner Jimmy Walker struggled to a 6-over 76 ... PGA TOUR veteran Ian Leggatt opened with a 1-under 69, while Len Mattiace posted a 1-over 71 ... The first-round leader at the Movistar Panama Championship has gone on to win the tournament twice in the first three years of the event, including Jimmy Walker in 2004 and Tripp Isenhour in 2006. Copyright 2007 PGATOUR.com. All rights reserved. |
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