Small near top of leaderboard at U.S. Senior Open
Jun. 29—UPDATE AT 12:55 P.M.
STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Mike Small probably would like to redo how he played his final hole during his opening round on Thursday at the U.S. Senior Open.
But the Illinois men's golf coach can't be too frustrated with his first-round performance. The 57-year-old, playing in only his second PGA Tour Champions event of the season, shot a 1-under 70 on Thursday and ended his day in a tie for third.
Small was alone atop the leaderboard early during his round on Thursday, well before the rest of 156-man field teed off. He was at 4-under at one point in his round and entered the ninth hole — Small started his round on No. 10 — at 3-under.
But he produced his only double-bogey of the round on the par-4, 431-yard ninth hole to drop two strokes. Small started off strong, making birdie on his first three holes, and he wound up with six birdies on the day at SentryWorld.
He also came through with eight pars, but three bogies and his lone double bogey.
Rod Pampling and Miguel Angel Jimenez are still on the course and currently tied for the lead at 3-under.
Former Illini Steve Stricker, who is No. 1 in the Charles Schwab Cup money list this season and has won four of the nine tournaments he's entered this year on the Champions Tour, is set to to tee off at 2:04 p.m. Thursday.
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STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Mike Small readily admits his main job is to coach the Illinois men's golf team.
But the 57-year-old former Illini standout can still tee it up with some of the game's best.
Case in point: Thursday's U.S. Senior Open.
Small is playing in only his second PGA Tour Champions event of the season, but he was atop the leaderboard at one point Thursday morning, sitting at 3-under through 12 holes.
He was one shot ahead of Rod Pampling, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Darren Clarke early on during the four-day major that is playing out at SentryWorld.
And, of course, some of the top players haven't even teed off yet, including former Illini Steve Stricker. Stricker, who is No. 1 in the Charles Schwab Cup money list this season and has won four of the nine tournaments he's entered this year on the Champions Tour, is set to to tee off at 2:04 p.m. Thursday.
