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Mitch Adcock takes opening day honours

Mitch Adcock shot a 5-under 67 Friday to take the lead after the first round of the AT&T Classic by one stroke over Ben Crenshaw and Jay Sigel.

Adcock, who has to rely on Monday qualifying to get into Champions Tour tournaments, shot a 4-under 32 on the front nine, with no bogeys.

On the back nine, he had three birdies and two bogeys, including a missed 5-foot par putt on the final hole at Valencia Country Club.

Adcock was a journeyman player for most of his career, playing a couple of uneventful years on the PGA Tour in the early 1990s and then playing in Europe and on mini-tours.

He turned 50 last year and failed to get his card at the Champions Tour Qualifying School. He got into this event by earning one of the two spots in a Monday qualifier that attracted 84 golfers.

It is the second time Adcock has Monday qualified. He also got into the Turtle Bay Championship in January and finished tied for 67th.

"It's tough," Adcock said of having to qualify. "You look at that list and there are a lot of good golfers. It can be a little bit of a letdown after you get in. You just have to keep it going."

Adcock is trailed by two players who have never had much luck at this event. Sigel has never finished higher than a tie for 33rd at Valencia. Crenshaw has struggled not just here, but most tournaments since joining the Champions Tour five years ago, with his best finish a tie for fourth in 2003.

Despite cooler than normal temperatures in the high 40s, and a steady wind that made it feel even colder, Crenshaw posted his first round in the 60s at this event in 12 attempts.

Sigel shot two rounds here last year in the 80s under sunny skies and has only one other round in the 60s.

"I know my scores here haven't been good, but I don't know what they are on purpose," Sigel said. "I try not to remember what I've done here."

Sigel will remember Friday's round. He had five birdies and a bogey.

Crenshaw is ready to forget past rounds at this event as well.

"I've never played this course that well," said Crenshaw, whose best finish at this event was a tie for 27th in 2004. "I've never been able to get at it on this course. This course is always a good test of golf."

If Adcock wins the event, he would be the second Monday qualifier to take the title. John Bland won the tournament in 1995 to earn a one-year exemption.

"I would have loved to have gotten through Q-School," Adcock said. "Any good finish helps my position as far as status out here and that is good for me."

Noted golf instructor Jim Hardy has been working with Adcock the last two years and Adcock said Hardy is responsible for the improvement in his game.

"He took me from the couch, to feeling like I could play again," Adcock said. "I really owe him for all that he has done."