Mercedes Championships
La Costa Resort & Spa
Carlsbad, California
8th - 11th January 1998

Par 72 Prize Money $1.7 million

First Round Report

First Round Scores

Cook shoots a 65 for lead after first round

Carlsbad, California. 8th January 1998 - John Cook, shot a 7-under-par 65 today to take a one-stroke lead at the season-opening $1.7 million Mercedes Championships at the La Costa Resort & Spa.

"When you're in your 40s," Cook said , turned 40 in October, "in most other sports you are down the road. Here you can take advantage of it."

Cook, paired with defending champion Tiger Woods, hit 17 greens in regulation green and made six birdie putts inside 12 feet. He chipped in for birdie from 20 feet at the 13th hole.

"It's a pretty nice way to start,'' said Cook, who won last year's Bob Hope Chrysler Classic to qualify for this event.

He leads Nick Price of Zimbabwe by one stroke. Two-time and defending U.S. Open champion Ernie Els of South Africa and Frank Nobilo of New Zealand are tied for third at 5-under after carding 67s.

Price made five birdies in a six-hole stretch beginning at the 11th as he shot a 31 on the back nine.

"I didn't touch a club for 3-1/2 weeks until Tuesday last week and just spent time with my family," said Price, the 1993 and '94 PGA Tour Player of the Year who will turn 41 later this month. "I'm probably as surprised as anyone to be where I am.

"I made no mistakes today. All the swing thoughts and putting thoughts that worked last year seem to still be there."

David Duval, trying to become the first golfer to win four consecutive PGA Tour starts since Ben Hogan in 1953, is another stroke back at 68 after a 4-under, tied with Phil Mickelson.

Duval finished second on the PGA Tour money list with $1,885,308 following a late charge that saw him win the Michelob Championship, the Walt Disney/Oldsmobile Classic, and the season-ending Tour Championship. He did not participate in the Las Vegas Invitational, which was won by Bill Glasson.

Woods, who won in a playoff over Tom Lehman in the rain-shortened 1997 event, had an even-par 72 and is seven shots off the pace. Woods's round included a double-bogey 7 on the par-5 second hole, where he four-putted from 12 feet, and a three-putt bogey on the 18th hole. He had four birdies (on 8, 9, 15, and 17) and one other bogey (on 4). He drove the ball 313 yards on the par-5 ninth and 315 yards on 17. He reached the green with a 3-iron on 9 and two-putted for birdie. On 17, his 3-wood second shot finished just to the left of the green, and he got up and down for birdie.

Woods, who won four events last year, including a record-breaking victory at The Masters, led the PGA Tour in winnings with a record $2,066,833.

PGA Championship winner Davis Love III fired a 2-under 70, while British Open champion Justin Leonard is eight shots back after a 1-over 73. Love is coming off a loss to Colin Montgomerie in the final of last week's Andersen Consulting World Championship of Golf.

The Mercedes Championships is limited to 1997 tournament winners and 30 of the 31 victors are competing. Glasson is still recovering from elbow surgery.

The La Costa Resort & Spa course is a par-72 layout that measures 7,022 yards. First prize is $306,000.