South Africa's Ernie Els and Australian Greg Chalmers helped the PGA International live up to its name yesterday at Castle Rock, Colorado, grabbing a share of the lead with three others to end a rain-delayed first round.
A total of 72 players finished round one of the $3.5 million event yesterday, with Els and Chalmers matching Americans Tom Lehman and Tom Scherrer and Trinidad and Tobago's Stephen Ames at 15 points.
This event uses the Modified Stableford Scoring System, which awards eight points for a double-eagle, five for an eagle, two for a birdie and none for a par. Players lose a point for a bogey and two for a double-bogey or worse.
Els recorded eight birdies and one bogey en route to a seven-under-par 65 round while Chalmers' round included an eagle on the 644-yard first hole, seven birdies and four bogeys to a 67 under conventional scoring.
In his first event since undergoing hip surgery in June, 1989 champion Greg Norman of Australia finished his first round sharing eighth at 12 points along with Michael Clark, whose first PGA victory came last week.
Els, who has finished runner-up at all three majors this season, started on the back nine and went bogey-free with four birdies. He added four more on the way home, with his only bogey coming on the par-four second hole.
