Molder leads at Colonial
Mediate shoots 62 at the Senior PGA
FORT WORTH — Bryce Molder was joking around with playing partner Scott Langley as the sky darkened over Colonial.
“It was almost like they were about to blow the horn for darkness,” Molder said.
Except it was early in the morning after Molder — the leader after a 6-under 64— and Langley began play in the first group off the 10th tee Thursday in the Dean & Deluca Invitational at Colonial.
“It wasn’t dark to where you can’t see the ball flight, but you’re kind of reading putts looking a little funny at it,” Molder said. “It was dark. It was weird. It was almost like late, late, late in the day.”
They were on the 16th green next to the clubhouse when play was stopped because of rain and lightning in the area. After the 75-minute delay, when clouds thinned considerably, Molder had six birdies in his last nine holes and the 64 held up for a one-stroke lead over Patrick Reed, Anirban Lahiri and Webb Simpson.
Ryan Palmer, the Colonial member whose caddie James Edmondson is the four-time club champion, joined Jason Dufner, Martin Piller and Kyle Reifers in a tie for fifth at 66.
“It’s a golf course I can step on to each tee and don’t even need my yardage book,” Palmer said. “To shoot 4-under out here on a Thursday, you’re not hurting.”
Jordan Spieth, the world’s No. 2-ranked player, was among nine players at 67 after his breezy afternoon round when he missed the first six fairways. But he hit eight of the first nine greens and 14 overall while carding only one bogey — at the 244-yard, par-3 fourth hole.
Seventh-ranked Adam Scott, who in 2014 won at Colonial to cap his first week at No. 1, had an opening 72 with four birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey.
In Benton Harbor, Mich., Rocco Mediate played the first 13 holes in 9 under and closed with five pars for a 62 to match the Senior PGA Championship and Harbor Shore records Thursday.
Taking advantage of greens softened by overnight rain, Mediate matched the marks set by Kenny Perry in the 2012 final round.
“It wasn’t wet, as far as soaking wet. A couple wet spots. But it was fine,” Mediate said. “Greens were good. Soft. They received pretty good. … I know it rained like heck last night. I heard it last night. But the golf course was fine. Greens were good. Everything was good. A little softer.”
The 53-year-old Mediate capped a front-nine 29 with an eagle on the par-5 ninth and added birdies on the par3 11th and 13th holes at Jack Nicklaus-designed Harbor Shores.
“Solid stuff,” Mediate said. “A lot of fairways. A bunch of greens. When I missed, it was in the right spot. … I hit it close, so I had a lot of short putts for birdie. I didn’t really make a long one. It was one of those days. I just drove it really well.”
Mediate has two victories on the 50-and-over tour.
Gene Sauers had a bogeyfree 63.
EUROPE: In Virginia Water, England, Masters champion Danny Willett got off to another fast start on the European Tour, shooting a 6-under 66 to finish a stroke behind the leaders in the BMW PGA Championship.
LPGA: In Ann Arbor, Mich., Christina Kim took advantage of favorable morning conditions, shooting an 8-under 64 to top the leader board in the inaugural Volvik Championship.