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Haas Takes Lead At Wet Senior PGA

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 23, 2008

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Jay Haas withstood wet, bone-chilling and eventually windy conditions by shooting the only sub-par round Thursday to take the lead at the Senior PGA Championship at Oak Hill.

Wearing a heavy wind-breaker buttoned to his neck, Haas finished the first round with a 1-under 69 to hold a one-shot lead over local favorite Jeff Sluman and New Jersey golf pro Bill Britton. There's a group of nine, including Bernhard Langer, Scott Hoch and Ian Woosnam, two shots off the lead.

Greg Norman, setting aside his many business ventures to make a rare competitive appearance, shot 72 in only his fourth tournament this year to sit in a nine-way tie in a group that includes defending Senior PGA champion Denis Watson.

Oak Hill's East Course lived up to its stingy reputation with help from the elements once the $2 million tournament got under way. The course gave up only one eagle when Britton carded a 2 on the par-4 No. 16.

PGA: Johnson Wagner bogeyed two of three holes midway through the first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Fort Worth, Texas. That was only a small hiccup on his way to matching his best score on the PGA Tour.

After his approach at No. 10 missed the green for a bogey, Wagner responded with three consecutive birdies, including a nifty up-and-down on the 611-yard 11th hole. He then added two more before the round was over to increase his birdie total to nine for a 7-under 63 and a two-stroke lead over No. 2-ranked Phil Mickelson and Brett Wetterich.

LPGA: Erica Blasberg shot a 7-under 65 on a raw day more like early March than late May to take a two-shot lead over Na On Min and Karine Icher after the first round of the LPGA Corning (N.Y) Classic.

PGA EUROPEAN: Paul McGinley shot a 7-under 65 in the first round of the BMW PGA Championship at Virginia Water, England, for a one-shot lead over Robert Karlsson.
Vijay Singh withdrew before the tournament because of a muscle injury.

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