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Sutherland, Tim O'Neal, Billy Mayfair and South
Korea's Y.E. Yang opened the tournament with rounds of
7-under-par 64, tying the course record at Norwood Hills Country
Club. Brian Gay and Wes Short Jr. were one shot back at 65.
Sutherland, 59, was the only co-leader to stay bogey-free
Friday. After starting his round on the back nine, he was 5
under through 16 holes when he eagled the par-5 eighth hole.
Sutherland has won five times on the PGA Tour Champions, though
not since February 2021. O'Neal, meanwhile, is going for his
first win on the 50-and-older circuit after qualifying last
year.
O'Neal, 51, holed out for eagle at his second hole of the day,
the par-4 11th, and made five birdies on his second nine,
including the final two holes.
"Like I said, it's a process. I know that I have these rounds in
me," O'Neal said. "It's just a matter of me just believing and
not getting too distracted with other stuff going around. Guys
are really good and playing well. Yeah, this definitely helps
with confidence."
Mayfair, 57, also has yet to win on the PGA Tour Champions. On
Friday, he recovered from an opening bogey by rolling in six
birdies in a seven-hole stretch on his opening nine, the back
nine, draining a long putt from across the green at No. 18 for
an exclamation point.
"I putted real well. That was probably my best thing," Mayfair
said. "But drove the ball well, and I love this golf course a
lot, and this is our third year here and kind of getting used to
it."
Yang, 51, birdied five of his last eight holes for a strong
finish.
Last year's champion, Ireland's Padraig Harrington, is not
defending his title because he is playing the Irish Open.
Harrington beat Yang by one stroke in 2022.
--Field Level Media
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