Gil Morgan eagles way into lead

Gil Morgan only needed to move down the Southern California coast to regain the form he lost last weekend.

Morgan shot a 6-under 65 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Tom Jenkins and Wayne Levi after the first round of the Champions Tour's Toshiba Senior Classic.

The 58-year-old Morgan, a 23-time winner on the 50-and-over tour, had an eagle and four birdies in his bogey-free round on the Newport Beach Country Club course. He tied for 53rd last week in Santa Clarita, shooting 76-73-76 in the SBC Classic.

"I didn't play very well last week,'' Morgan said. "I was a little apprehensive coming in here today, but all in all I played consistent.''

Morgan eagled the 492-yard, par-5 15th hole by reaching the green with his second shot -- a 5-wood -- and holing a 49-foot putt.

"Not making any bogeys is critical in shooting low,'' he said. "I putted well today and I've played well here before.''

Mark McNulty and Bruce Lietzke were two strokes back along with Keith Fergus, Lonnie Nielsen, J.C. Snead, Allen Doyle, Morris Hatalsky, Brad Bryant and Mark Johnson.

Defending champion Tom Purtzer topped a group at 3-under that included two-time tournament winner Hale Irwin and Ben Crenshaw. The 59-year-old Irwin has two victories in five starts this year to push his tour-record total to 42.

Jenkins birdied two of his first three holes and had only one bogey.

"I injured my wrist a couple of weeks ago playing with my sons,'' he said.

He showed no signs of the injury Friday.

"The first hole kind of set up the round,'' he said. "I hit a sand wedge within a foot. It almost went in. I drove the ball well and had a good feel for the greens.''

The 51-year-old Nielsen, looking for his first Champions Tour victory, tied for sixth last year.

"I played pretty well here last year,'' he said. "My strategy was just try to get in the middle of the greens because they aren't that big. If a guy hits in the fairways here and hits good short irons he'll do well here. The course is there for the asking.''

Purtzer moved within three strokes of the lead by making an eagle on the 18th hole.

The 54-hole tournament, offering a record purse of $1.65 million, finishes Sunday. The winner will earn $247,500.

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