Jeff Sluman and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez shot matching 6-under-par 66s on Friday to take the early lead at the Cologuard Classic in Tucson, Ariz.
Jimenez’s round included a hole-in-one on the par-3 seventh at Omni Tucson National. He’s searching for his 12th victory on the PGA Tour Champions.
Australian Rod Pampling, Tom Lehman and Woody Austin are tied for third at 5 under.
Six players are T6 at 4 under, two shots back of the leaders.
Jimenez recorded consecutive birdies on Nos. 2-3 before holing out at the par-3 seventh.
“On No. 7 I have my hole-in-one, 179 meters, 196 yards, but I hit a 6-iron,” Jimenez said. “It was a little downwind off the right. The ball never left the flag. Piece of luck it was a hole-in-one there and I put myself 4 under par.”
Jimenez promptly bogeyed the next hole, the par-5 sixth.
“I hope I can improve a little bit more on my putting. I missed a few short putts,” Jimenez said.
Sluman, on the other hand, played bogey-free golf, carding four birdies on the front nine en route to six on the day. It was Sluman’s best round since firing a 66 in the 2019 SAS Championship.
“Tucson’s been good to me, Tucson’s been bad to me at times, or I’ve been bad to myself when I’m here,” Sluman said. “I’ve had some success here and kind of makes it feel like if I play well, at least I know how to play the golf course.”
Defending champion Kevin Sutherland shot even-par 72 to sit T40 after 18.
–Field Level Media