GREER, S.C. ' Chris Anderson and Michael Clark II are tied atop the leaderboard at 9 under par after the first round of the BMW Charity Pro-Am.
The tournament features Nationwide Tour players coupled with amateurs over the first three rounds on three different courses. Thornblade Club is a par-71 layout and will host the final round. The Carolina Country Club and Bright’s Creek Golf Club are par-72 courses and finalize the rotation.
Anderson shot a 9-under 63 at the Carolina Club, while Clark managed a 9-under 62 at Thorndale. Both were course records at their respective sites.
Fabian Gomez and Dustin Bray are knotted in third place at minus-8. Gomez posted an 8-under 63 at Thorndale and Bray’s 64 came at the Carolina Club.
Anderson began on the first tee at the Carolina Club and played pretty ordinary golf over the front nine. He tallied birdies at six and nine to make the turn at 2 under, but caught fire on the back side.
He rattled off five consecutive birdies from the 11th to find himself atop the leaderboard at minus-7. Anderson parred the 16th, but closed with back-to-back birdies for his 63.
Anderson finished with a 29 on his back nine and he could use a good week. Despite a tie for third at the Louisiana Open, Anderson has not finished inside the top 35 in any other tournament this year.
‘I got off to a shaky start but I tried to take it one shot at a time,’ said Anderson, who won the 2004 SAS Carolina Classic.
Clark got off to a similar start as his fellow co-leader. He had two birdies in his first four holes, but didn’t make another until the par-3 ninth. That allowed him to turn at at 3 under, but a big back nine earned him his share of first.
The former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year birdied 10, 12 and 13 and was close to the lead. Clark polished off his round with birdies at 15, 17 and 18 to match Anderson in first at least in terms of par.
‘When I finished, the guy in the scoring tent said I shot 62 and I thought ‘Wait a minute, I had 63,’' said Clark. ‘I didn’t realize this course was a par-71. I hit it where I was looking and it was nice to make some putts.’
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Anderson Clark tied after one round at BMW Charity
Published May 14, 2009 04:00 PM
