PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Gordon Johnson of Houston, Texas, fired a 6-under-par 66 on Thursday to take the early lead on the blistering hot day at the $285,000 Callaway Golf Senior PGA Professional National Championship. The four-day stroke-play competition is being contested on The PGA Golf Club's newly renovated and renamed Ryder and Wanamaker Courses, formerly the North and South Courses.
Johnson's 66 ties the lowest first-round score in Championship history with Bobby Heins of Purchase, N.Y. (2002); Brian Lowe of Catskill, N.Y. (2001); John Brott of Talladega, Ala. (1996); and Bill Kennedy of Cape Coral, Fla. (1991). Brott is the only golfer to win the Championship after carding a 66.
"I had an exceptional round as I got off to a good and lucky start on the first hole when I hit the ball right over the bunkers and it landed about three feet, which I made for a birdie," said Johnson, who is competing in his first Senior PGA Professional National Championship. "On No. 2, I stubbed a chip on the green and made a 10-footer for par and I kept it going. My only bogey occurred on No. 7, when I missed the green to the left and didn't get it up and down."
Bill Davis of Tequesta, Fla., Jerry Impellittiere of Palm City, Fla., Carl Pedersen of Navarre, Fla., Chris Starkjohann of Encinitas, Calif., and Jerry Tucker of Stuart, Fla., each fired a 5-under 67 and finished the round one shot off the pace.
Pedersen, a PGA Teaching Professional at Peredido Bay Golf Club in Pensacola, Fla., played his first round on the Wanamaker Course and was impressive with his putter by recording eight birdies, including three of the four par 5s.
"I didn't have many long putts today and never missed any 4- or 5-footers," said Pedersen, winner of the 2006 Dixie PGA Senior Championship. "The putter is not usually the strongest part of my game, but I was on fire today with sinking putts."
Impellittiere, the PGA Director of Golf at Fox Club in Palm City, Fla., carded a bogey-free round on the Ryder Course with five birdies. He started out his round on a high note with birdies on holes Nos. 2, 5, and 7 to make the turn at 3-under 33. Then he continued his excellent play with birdies on Nos. 10 and 14.
"The new improvements on the Ryder Course definitely played to my likings today," said Impellittiere, who fired his lowest career round in the Championship today in his fourth consecutive appearance. "The advancements made to the greens made the course play a bit easier for me due to the smooth greens, which I certainly enjoyed."
Starkjohann, a PGA Teaching Professional at Hodges Golf Center in Escondido, Calif., began his first round in the afternoon on No. 10 of the Ryder Course. He is participating in his first Senior PGA Professional National Championship after finishing in fifth place in the PGA Professional National Championship in June.
"On the par-3 No. 12, I hit the ball to nearly 25 feet for birdie," said Starkjohann, who turned 50 years old in June. "Then I two-putted No. 13 for birdie and sank another birdie from off the green on No. 14 to sit at 4-under through five holes. My only bogey was on No. 17, when I bogeyed it from 25 feet."
Steve Ball of Oklahoma City, Okla., Tom Doozan of Apollo Beach, Fla., Reed Hughes of Senatobia, Miss., Ronald Stelten of Palm Desert, Calif., Wheeler Stewart of Royal Palm Beach, Fla., Kim Thompson of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Billy Ziobro of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., carded 4-under 68s and stand in a tie for seventh place.
"I played a steady round and gave myself several opportunities for birdies," said Stelten, who is participating in his first National Championship. "The few times that I did hit a poor shot, I was in good enough shape where I got myself out of trouble. Everything went pretty smooth, except for the two three-putts I had on the final two holes. It is a bittersweet 68 and hopefully I got the hiccups out of the way."
The Wanamaker Course played an average of 75.04, while the Ryder Course had an average of 73.18.
Callaway Golf is in its fifth year as the title sponsor of the Senior PGA Professional National Championship and is joined by Buick who is the supporting sponsor. The 264-player field will be cut to the low 70 scorers and ties following the second round.
The top 35 finishers at the conclusion of Sunday's final round will earn a berth in the 2007 Senior PGA Championship, May 22-27, at Kiawah Island (S.C.) Golf Resort. The winner of the Callaway Golf PGA Senior Club Professional Championship will have his name inscribed on the Leo F. Fraser Trophy and will receive a first-place check for $20,000 out a total purse of $285,000.
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