Fry's Electronics Open: First-Round Notebook  PGA TOUR Staff SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- First-round leader Michael Allen matched his career-low round on the PGA TOUR with his 7-under-par 63. Allen, who resides just 10 away from Grayhawk in Scottsdale, finished second last month at the Turning Stone Resort Championship. Thursday's 63 marked the sixth consecutive event he had started with a sub-par round.  Nick Watney carded a 5-under 65 with only four pars on Thursday. (Badz/PGA TOUR/WireImage)
• The round of the day was turned in by Nick Watney. The 2007 Zurich Classic of New Orleans winner shot a 5-under-par 65 with just four pars. Watney's round also included 11 birdies, two bogeys and a quadruple bogey. His 65 matched his low round of the 2007 season. • Andrew Buckle made the 27th hole in one of the 2007 season with an ace at No. 8. Buckle used an 8-iron on the 179-yard hole. Buckle finished with a 3-under-par 67. • Ben Curtis withdrew after eight holes on Thursday due to illness. • Eric Axley remains the busiest player on the PGA TOUR. Axley made his 34th start of season on Thursday and opened with a 2-over-par 72. He is currently 149th on the money list. Craig Kanada was making his 32nd start this season, while Ted Purdy, Doug LaBelle and Tim Petrovic were each making their 31st starts in 2007. • Sean O'Hair was credited with a 390-yard drive on hole No. 18. Surprisingly, that is only the 67th longest drive (tie) on the PGA TOUR in 2007. Brett Wetterich has the two longest measured drives of 437 yards (Mercedes-Benz Championship) and 435 yards (World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational). • Kent Jones, who stands tied for 23rd after an opening-round 2-under par 68, is certainly taking advantage of the PGA TOUR's Fall Series. Before it began with the Turning Stone Resort Championship, Jones ranked 229th on the PGA TOUR Money List with $280,240. Despite missing the cut at the Valero Texas Open, Jones has earned an additional $211,300 in the Fall Series alone. Entering this week's Fry's Electronics Open, Jones has jumped all the way to No. 141 on the Money List. Should his solid play continue, Jones is could very well finish the season inside the top 125 and earn fully-exempt status in 2008. • Local favorite Ted Purdy posted an opening round 1-under-par 69. Should he make the cut, the tournament will end for him on Sunday, but he'll be back to tee it up at Grayhawk once again on Monday morning. Purdy will play host to the Pebble Tec Charity Tournament, benefiting A Stepping Stone Literacy Program. Spots are still available for those interested in playing. Additional information on the event can be found at Purds.com. • Frank Lickliter was the only player to post a bogey-free round on Thursday. Kirk Triplett hit all 14 fairways on Thursday, the only player to do so. Nick Watney, Tom Lehman, Tom Pernice, Jr., and Rocco Mediate all hit 17 of 18 Greens in Regulation to lead that category. • Phil Mickelson added 18 additional holes to his streak of consecutive holes without a three-putt, raising his current string to 225 holes without a three-putt. He shares the current lead with Sergio Garcia. |
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