Colbert leads after record 61

Jim Colbert birdied the first eight holes of the back nine en route to a course-record 61 and the first-round lead today in the TD Waterhouse Championship.

Colbert, a Kansas City native and two-time winner of this Senior PGA Tour event, missed a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 18.

"I was really trying to make that putt on the last hole so if anybody asked me how'd you do on the back nine, I could have said, 'I birdied it,' " Colbert said.

"It's the craziest game in the world. I shoot 61, make eight birdies in a row. And for about a minute and a half, I was not happy."

He began the round with an eagle on the par-5 opening hole at Tiffany Greens.

During his birdie spree on the back nine, he made only one lengthy putt -- a 25-footer on the par-4 12th. The rest of the time, every approach shot nestled onto the green within 3 to 8 feet of every cup. A 5-iron shot on the par-4 18th left him about 12 feet away from becoming the first man in any PGA Tour-sanctioned event to birdie every hole on any back or front nine.

His putt slid off to the right a few inches.

"As soon as I hit that putt, I knew it wasn't going in," he said. "I really wanted that putt."

Tom Watson, the hometown favorite whose gallery was several times greater than Colbert's most of the day, shot a 70.

Tom Jenkins and Dana Quigley took advantage of the near-perfect playing conditions to shoot 65s.

Bruce Fleischer, a three-time winner and the senior tour's top money-winner this year, opened with a 66. Five others were at 67.

Colbert, who helped design "Colbert Hills," a championship course recently opened in nearby Manhattan, Kan., tied the senior record of eight straight birdies set by Chi Rodriguez in 1987. The 61 tied his own career record.

"The hardest decision I had to make was the second shot on 18," he said. "Can I keep it on the green with a 5-iron?

"That was probably the best swing I made, and the biggest decision."

Quigley, playing with Colbert, birdied the first four holes of the back nine but was hardly noticed.

"He was in a trance," Quigley said. "It was spectacular. It was fun to watch."

Watson, playing his first competitive round in his hometown since 1971, admitted he was nervous.

"It was a disappointing day," he said. "The golf course was very benign. Very little wind, greens are holding. Throw anything at the flag, it stops. Two-under par seemed like about 3-over."

Jay Sigel was 9-under on the back nine during a senior tournament two years ago, but did it with a par and an eagle and seven birdies.

Colbert, 59, agreed he was in something like a trance.

"I guess so," he said. "I had no nerves. Nothing. I was just pretty well focused. I was very fluid. My swing was very fluid. Everything was clear."

Colbert's lead might be even harder to overcome if weather conditions are not as ideal as they were today.

"It can get pretty windy around here," Colbert said. "This is the calmest day we've had in the two years we've played here."

Watson admitted the odds were long against him.

"I'm way behind. But is there a 61 in me? There might be," he said. "I've played well enough this year to shoot a 61 if my putter would cooperate."

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