Ally Challenge: Day 1 Highlights

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Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club, Grand Blanc, MI — September 13, 2019

The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren began this morning with the title sponsors and Tournament Director Chris Coffman introducing two young people representing this year’s primary beneficiaries of the tournament’s charities. Andrea Lee, representing Genesee County Habitat for Humanity and Chandlier Frahm, representing United Way of Genesee County, teed off to start the competition.

With the opening ceremonies concluded the Warwick Hills was turned over to the PGA Tour Champions. Jerry Smith, Lary Mize, and David Egar led the field off the 1st tee.

1st Group off the tee in The Ally Challenge presented by McLaren / Lasco Press Photo

Defending Champion Paul Broadhurst was in one of the last groups to go off the 1st hole, teeing it up at 11:10. His playing partners were Fred Couples and Angel Cabrera.

Two young men accompanied the threesome of Fred Couples, Paul Broadhurst, and Angel Cabrera during their round. / Lasco Press Photo

Off to a Hot Start

Jeff Sluman, starting on the back nine, proved the course can yield low scores. He birdied the first four holes he played 10-13. Unfortunately, Sluman could not maintain the pace giving three strokes back on the front nine and finished at 1 under par.

Jeff Sluman played through an up and down round to start the tournament at -1. / Lasco Press Photo

Ken Tanigawa also started on the back nine. He birdied 13-14-15-16 & 18 to go 5 under. Like Sluman, Tanigawa gave strokes back on the front nine with bogies at 7 & 8.

A Rough Go in Round One

Vijay Singh, a three-time winner of the Buick Open at Warwick Hills, had a difficult opening round. Singh rode a cart around the course nursing an apparent leg injury, finishing near the rear of the field at 4 over par.

Vijay Singh practices his swing on the 1st Tee at Warwick Hills / Lasco Press Photo

Gary Nicklaus, son of Jack Nicklaus, was in the last group to tee off #1. He promptly bogeyed the first two holes and added another bogey at #9. An even-par back nine fell apart with a triple-bogey 7 on the 18th, leaving him at the back of the field with a score of 6 over par.

Gary Nicklaus will welcome his father Jack Nicklaus to Warwick Hills for tomorrow’s Celebrity Shootout. / Lasco Press Photo

The Leaders

PGA Tour Champions money leader Scott McCarron and Retief Goosen played in the group with Vijay Singh. While Singh struggled McCarron and Goosen lit up the leaderboard.

McCarron shot a bogey-free 6 under par, highlighted with birdies on 3-6-10-13-16 & 17.

Scott McCarron atop the leaderboard on Day 1 at The Ally Challenge. / Lasco Press Photo

Goosen had his score to 7 under par until a bogey at 17 brought him back into a tie with McCarron and Tom Gillis from nearby Lake Orion, MI.

Retief Goosen shares the Day 1 lead at The Ally Challenge / Lasco Press Photo

The Crowd at 17

Tim Petrovic snuggled his tee shot on the par-three 17th hole to within 3 feet of the pin. The crowd buzzed as he walked onto the green to mark his ball. It had been a while since the hole had yielded a birdie.

Tim Petrovic interacts with the crowd at 17 / Lasco Press Photo

This weekend, anytime a player makes birdie on 17 beers are $2.00 for the next 17 minutes. The gallery was thirsty. Petrovic calmly rolled in the putt, delivered the beer garden a treat and waved the grandstand to make more noise. Mission accomplished.

The gallery cheers as another birdie at 17 quenches their thirst. / Lasco Press Photo

Notables

Fan favorites are spread across the leaderboard, here are the scores and positions of some notables after Day 1.

  • Bernhard Langer -4, T8
  • Tom Lehman -3, T13
  • Colin Montgomerie -3, T13
  • Kenny Perry -2, T20
  • Mark O’Meara -2, T20
  • Fred Couples -2, T20
  • Tom Kite -1, T32
  • Corey Pavin +4, T69

The Leaderboard

The complete standings after Round One of the Ally Challenge presented by McLaren. Where does your favorite player rank?

Pos Player Total
T1 R. Goosen -6
T1 S. McCarron -6
T1 T. Gillis -6
T4 J. Smith -5
T4 D. Clarke -5
T4 J. Kelly -5
T4 J. Haas -5
T8 W. Austin -4
T8 D. Waldorf -4
T8 S. Flesch -4
T8 B. Langer -4
T8 S. Leaney -4
T13 C. Kresge -3
T13 T. Petrovic -3
T13 W. Short Jr. -3
T13 K. Tanigawa -3
T13 T. Lehman -3
T13 G. Sauers -3
T13 C. Montgomerie -3
T20 T. Byrum -2
T20 C. DiMarco -2
T20 D. Frost -2
T20 D. Barron -2
T20 G. Day -2
T20 K. Perry -2
T20 S. Ames -2
T20 K. Triplett -2
T20 D. Toms -2
T20 M. Calcavecchia -2
T20 M. O’Meara -2
T20 F. Couples -2
T32 J. Sluman -1
T32 L. Janzen -1
T32 B. Jobe -1
T32 T. Kite -1
T32 P. Broadhurst -1
T37 L. Mize E
T37 D. Hart E
T37 J. Sindelar E
T37 K. Jones E
T37 B. Estes E
T37 T. Armour III E
T37 P. Goydos E
T37 M. Dawson E
T37 J. Parnevik E
T37 B. Bryant E
T37 R. Mediate E
T37 Á. Cabrera E
T37 D. McKenzie E
T37 S. Kendall E
T51 G. Kraft 1
T51 S. Jones 1
T51 G. Hallberg 1
T51 J. Maggert 1
T51 J. Durant 1
T51 E. Toledo 1
T57 J. Huston 2
T57 B. Mayfair 2
T57 L. Roberts 2
T57 M. Jiménez 2
T57 T. Fischer 2
T57 M. Walker 2
T57 G. Gilbert III 2
T64 R. Cochran 3
T64 B. Andrade 3
T64 T. Pernice Jr. 3
T64 S. Lyle 3
T64 D. Hendershott 3
T69 D. Eger 4
T69 C. Pavin 4
T69 B. Chamblee 4
T69 O. Browne 4
T69 D. Forsman 4
T69 S. Parel 4
T69 V. Singh 4
T76 M. Brooks 5
T76 M. Allen 5
78 G. Nicklaus 6