Jay Haas sank an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole to tie Billy Mayfair for the lead with a bogey-free 7-under-par 64 in the first round of the Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach Country Club.
The 62-year-old Haas (pictured), who won the 2007 Toshiba Classic for one of his 17 victories on the Champions Tour after winning nine times on the PGA Tour, birdied four of the last eight holes.
“I’ve always played this course well,” said Haas, who beat R.W. Eaks in the Toshiba nine years ago. “I lost the next year in a playoff to Bernhard (Langer), and then the next two years, probably playing as good as I could play in my Champions Tour career.
” … I’ve had some good success here and I just like the golf course. It seems to set up nicely for me and looks good to my eye.”
The 50-year-old Mayfair, in his first season on the senior circuit after claiming five victories on the PGA Tour, holed out for eagle on the third hole and made birdies on four of the last five holes in his 64.
Michael Allen of San Mateo and Nevada-Reno had three birdies down the stretch in a 65 and was tied for third with Paul Goydos of Dove Canyon and Long Beach State, who birdied four of the first five holes and No. 18, and Larry Mize, who had five birdies on the back nine.
Left-hander Russ Cochran carded a bogey-free 66 and was solo sixth, while John Daly birdied the last five holes to shoot 67 to tie for seventh with Joey Sindelar, Mark Brooks, Brad Bryant, Joe Don Blake, John Cook, Fred Funk, Duffy Waldorf, Billy Andrade, Jerry Smith, Mark Calcavecchia, Doug Garwood and Ian Woosnam of Wales.
