John Harris leads with record round

John Harris shot a tournament-tying record 9-under 62 to grab a two-shot lead after the first round of the SBC Championship at Oak Hills Country Club on Friday.

Harris equaled the low 18-hole score shot by Gil Morgan last year to grab the early lead in the $1.55 million dollar Champions Tour event.

Morgan was two shots back. Defending champion Mark McNulty, Jerry Pate, Dan Pohl and Lonnie Nielsen all shot 65 to tie for third under perfect scoring conditions of warm temperatures, no wind and clear skies.

``This tour never has an off day. Somebody shoots 8-9 under every day,'' Harris said. ``Somebody will shoot 8-9 under Saturday, somebody will shoot it Sunday. I'm just glad I did it today.''

It was also a career tournament low for the longtime amateur, who is in his fourth year on the Champions Tour.

``I had a slow start to the season and with eight weeks to go (in the year) it wasn't looking very good. Since then I've had a third and a fourth and have been playing pretty well,'' he said.

His 62 was even more amazing with a bogey five on the first hole. He rebounded with six birdies in a seven-hole span spanning holes number 4-11. Harris capped his stellar round with four birdies on his last six holes, including a chip-in for two on the par 3 13th and birdies on holes 15-17.

Harris is seeking to get into next week's season-ending Charles Schwab Cup, open to the top 30 money winners. He entered the SBC tournament ranked 33rd on the money list.

``If I put in two more good rounds, I'll be happy with what happens,'' Harris said.

Morgan recorded a four-under 31 on the front nine with birdies on three of his first five holes.

``I feel like I have to play hard to keep up out here,'' he said. ``This is one of the shorter and trickier courses we play and it's all about finding the right angle to the green.''

In the race for the yearlong $1 million Charles Schwab Cup, which rewards money winnings and overall consistency, season-long leader Dana Quigley shot a 67 and tied for ninth, three shots ahead of second place Hale Irwin, who shot a one under 70. Quigley entered the next-to-last-tournament 261 points ahead of Irwin

Champions Tour rookie Denis Watson, who was playing in his first 50-and-over event, shot a one-over 72. Ireland's Des Smyth withdrew before Friday's round with an illness and was replaced on the spot by Dick Mast who carded an even-par-71.

John Harris           31-31-62 -9
Gil Morgan            31-33-64 -7
Jerry Pate            31-34-65 -6
Mark McNulty          34-31-65 -6
Dan Pohl              31-34-65 -6
Lonnie Nielsen        32-33-65 -6
Morris Hatalsky       30-36-66 -5
Mark James            31-35-66 -5
Jay Haas              32-35-67 -4
Dana Quigley          34-33-67 -4
Craig Stadler         30-37-67 -4
Ed Dougherty          33-34-67 -4
Don Pooley            33-35-68 -3
Bruce Fleisher        32-36-68 -3
Andy Bean             34-34-68 -3
R.W. Eaks             34-34-68 -3
D.A. Weibring         36-33-69 -2
Bruce Summerhays      34-35-69 -2
Jose Maria Canizares  35-35-70 -1
Tom Wargo             35-35-70 -1
John Bland            35-35-70 -1
Wayne Levi            34-36-70 -1
Hale Irwin            37-33-70 -1
Doug Tewell           37-33-70 -1
Vicente Fernandez     32-38-70 -1
Ben Crenshaw          35-35-70 -1
Fuzzy Zoeller         36-34-70 -1
Tom Jenkins           35-35-70 -1
Larry Nelson          33-37-70 -1
Gary McCord           33-37-70 -1
Tom McKnight          36-34-70 -1
Howard Twitty         38-33-71  E
Bobby Wadkins         35-36-71  E
Dick Mast             35-36-71  E
Bruce Lietzke         35-36-71  E
Jim Thorpe            32-39-71  E
Dave Barr             35-36-71  E
Mike Sullivan         37-34-71  E
Keith Fergus          34-37-71  E
Mike McCullough       33-38-71  E
Bob Eastwood          35-37-72 +1
Scott Simpson         37-35-72 +1
Joe Inman             36-36-72 +1
John Mahaffey         37-35-72 +1
Gary Koch             35-37-72 +1
Denis Watson          35-37-72 +1
Bill Rogers           36-36-72 +1
Tom Kite              38-34-72 +1
Tom Purtzer           37-35-72 +1
Ron Streck            34-38-72 +1
Bob Gilder            36-36-72 +1
Jim Colbert           34-38-72 +1
Jim Ahern             39-33-72 +1
Mike Reid             36-36-72 +1
Graham Marsh          37-35-72 +1
Bob Murphy            36-36-72 +1
Dale Douglass         37-36-73 +2
Lanny Wadkins         35-38-73 +2
Walter Hall           37-36-73 +2
Raymond Floyd         38-35-73 +2
Mark Johnson          36-37-73 +2
Pete Oakley           37-36-73 +2
Jim Dent              37-36-73 +2
Rod Spittle           36-37-73 +2
James Mason           37-37-74 +3
Jay Sigel             38-36-74 +3
Lee Trevino           37-37-74 +3
J.C. Snead            35-39-74 +3
Hubert Green          36-38-74 +3
Rocky Thompson        37-38-75 +4
Don Reese             38-37-75 +4
Dave Stockton         37-38-75 +4
Rodger Davis          39-36-75 +4
John Jacobs           39-36-75 +4
Jim Albus             34-41-75 +4
Chuck Westergard      40-35-75 +4
Leonard Thompson      35-41-76 +5
Charles Coody         36-42-78 +7
    

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