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Little-known Sposa at the fore in Buick Open
Grand Blanc (USA), Aug 01: Mike Sposa, who has just one top-10 finish this season, used a sterling back nine to seize the first-round lead at the Buick Open.
Grand Blanc (USA), Aug 01: Mike Sposa, who has just one top-10 finish this season, used a sterling back nine to seize the first-round lead at the Buick Open.
Sposa shot a six-under-par 30 over the final nine holes, which included a eagle on the par-four 12th hole, for a seven-under 65 that is one stroke better than Australian Paul Gow, Carl Paulson, Craig Perks and David Sutherland.
Defending champion Tiger woods is four strokes back after carding a relatively uneventful 69 at the Warwick Hills golf and country club. A crowded leaderboard has 10 players tied for third at 67, a group that included amateur Hunter Mahon as well as France's Thomas Levet and Australian Stuart Appleby. The highlight of Sposa's round came at no. 12, where he holed a 110-yard wedge for an eagle after a poor drive.
"I just made a sloppy swing," he said. "Probably the easiest fairway to hit on the golf course. I just blocked it a little bit. Caught a good lie in the rough, just hit a little three-quarter pitching wedge, maybe 15 feet short, perfect, went right in."
The 34-year-old Sposa's best finish on the PGA Tour came at the 2002 Compaq Classic, where he tied for fourth.
Currently 141st on the money list, Sposa made the turn at 1-under but caught fire on the back nine.
A strong finish here could help him retain his tour card for next season. He was asked if it was too soon to worry about his position on the money list. He needs to finish in the top 15 to avoid a trip to qualifying school.
Bureau Report
Sposa shot a six-under-par 30 over the final nine holes, which included a eagle on the par-four 12th hole, for a seven-under 65 that is one stroke better than Australian Paul Gow, Carl Paulson, Craig Perks and David Sutherland.
Defending champion Tiger woods is four strokes back after carding a relatively uneventful 69 at the Warwick Hills golf and country club. A crowded leaderboard has 10 players tied for third at 67, a group that included amateur Hunter Mahon as well as France's Thomas Levet and Australian Stuart Appleby. The highlight of Sposa's round came at no. 12, where he holed a 110-yard wedge for an eagle after a poor drive.
"I just made a sloppy swing," he said. "Probably the easiest fairway to hit on the golf course. I just blocked it a little bit. Caught a good lie in the rough, just hit a little three-quarter pitching wedge, maybe 15 feet short, perfect, went right in."
The 34-year-old Sposa's best finish on the PGA Tour came at the 2002 Compaq Classic, where he tied for fourth.
Currently 141st on the money list, Sposa made the turn at 1-under but caught fire on the back nine.
A strong finish here could help him retain his tour card for next season. He was asked if it was too soon to worry about his position on the money list. He needs to finish in the top 15 to avoid a trip to qualifying school.
Bureau Report