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Phoenix
Open
Scottsdale, Arizona,
22nd - 25th January 1998Par
71 Prize Money $2.5 millionFirst
Round Report First
Round Scores
Hulbert goes in front with eight birdies
Scottsdale,
Arizona, 22nd January 1998 - Mike Hulbert fired a bogey-free 8-under-par 63
today to grab a one-shot lead when opening-round play was suspended at the $2.5
million Phoenix Open at the TPC of Scottsdale in Arizona. Hulbert,
seeking his first win since the 1991 Anheuser-Busch Classic, enjoyed what he called
one of his best rounds ever. He never made more than two birdies in a row but
rarely was in danger of bogeying. Steve
Stricker and Brent Geiberger are second after 7-under-par 64s. Defending champion
Steve Jones posted a 65 and is tied for fourth with David Duval and Lee Rinker.
Joe Durant is
three shots back after an opening-round 66, while Nick Price of Zimbabwe and British
Open champion Justin Leonard head a group of six players who had 4-under 67s.
Dave Barr, Larry
Mize, Scott Watkins, Chris DiMarco and Jay Synkelma were five players still on
the course when play was suspended due to darkness at 8:05 p.m. EST. The start
of the round was delayed some 30 minutes due to frost and the round will be completed
beginning Friday at 9:50 a.m. EST. Last
year, Jones, a Phoenix native, recorded a record-breaking 26-under 258 and cruised
to an 11-stroke victory over Sweden's Jesper Parnevik. It was the only win of
the year for Jones, who is coming off a fourth-place finish at last week's Bob
Hope Classic. Last
weekend's winner, Fred Couples, is skipping this event along with Tiger Woods,
Davis Love III, Greg Norman, Steve Elkington, Ernie Els and Brad Faxon -- 60 percent
of last season's top 10 money-winners. Arizona
native Phil Mickelson, the 1996 champion, had a 3-under 68 and is five strokes
behind Hulbert. The
par-71 TPC of Scottsdale measures 6,992 yards. First prize is $450,000. | 
