Jay Haas’ familiarity with Bellerive Country Club was plain to see as he shot a 5-under 66 on Thursday to take a share of the lead in the Senior PGA Championship.
Haas, who grew up nearby, and Duffy Waldorf shared the lead after a round played in breezy, cool conditions.
Australia’s Peter Senior and Taiwan’s Chien-Soon Lu shot 68, and Tom Watson, a two-time Senior PGA champion, was another stroke back in a 12-player group that included Kenny Perry, Fred Funk, Rocco Mediate, Russ Cochran, Dan Forsman, Gil Morgan and Bill Glasson.
The 59-year-old Haas, the winner of the major championship in 2006 and 2008, had a bogey-free round. The 50-year-old Waldorf had six birdies and one bogey.
“I didn’t expect it going out,” Haas said about shooting a low round. “I wasn’t very sharp today, but managed to … my misses were in the correct spots and I took advantage of a few good iron shots and just kind of kept it between the ditches, I guess you would say. But I’m very, very pleased.”
Haas has 16 Champions Tour victories after winning nine times on the PGA Tour.