Earlier this year, Brett Quigley won his first PGA Tour Champions title in just his second start on the senior tour. After Friday’s opening round on the Cologuard Classic, he’s in position to chase another title. Quigley opened with a 9-under 64 at Tucson National’s Catalina Course and has a one-shot lead on Robert Karlsson.
Quigley’s card didn’t have a single bogey on it. His back nine was particularly impressive, considering he went 6 under in his last seven holes. That included four birdies in a row from Nos. 12-15.
“I think I was 3 under and I saw someone 6,” he said. “I was like, `All right, I’ve got to get going here. I’ve just got to make some birdies.’ Hit some good shots and made some good putts and all of a sudden it was a bunch of birdies.”
Karlsson made five back-nine birdies in a 65. The 50-year-old Swede is making his second career start on the senior tour. He tied for 23rd two weeks ago in the Chubb Classic in his senior debut.
Steve Stricker, John Daly, Glen Day and Rod Pampling shot 67. Hall of Famers Fred Couples and Bernhard Langer were another stroke back along with Ken Tanigawa.
Quigley, the nephew of 11-time PGA Tour Champions winner Dana Quigley, had five runner-up finishes in 408 starts on the PGA Tour and earned more than $11 million. Asked what had changed since his recent win in Morocco, he responded “nothing and everything.”
“It’s such a great atmosphere out here,” Quigley said. “The camaraderie’s just different than the tour. Everybody still calls me ‘Champ’ out here, walking by. It’s just a nice feeling. It’s not as dog eat dog as it is out there on the big tour. And I’ve had a bunch of time off, so I’m ready to play golf and I’m happy playing golf.”
Daly, for his part, credited his putter for his solid opening round. He also put a new set of irons in play recently.
Asked to describe the state of his game coming into the week, Daly referenced solid ball-striking at the tour’s last stop in Naples that wasn’t reflected in his scoring.
“Here I hit it pretty good and scored pretty good besides making a few putts,” he said. “But I like the way I’m hitting the ball. If you can hit fairways and wedge up some pretty close, and getting a few gimmes here and there always helps, too.”
