Ernie Els celebrated his 56th birthday by taking a share of the lead at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, opening the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs with a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 Friday at the Country Club of Virginia in Richmond.
“You don’t want to ruin your birthday with a bad round of golf,” Els said. “I don’t know how I avoided bogeys, but we did. It was a great day to score.”
Els is tied with Justin Leonard and Steve Allan after 18 holes. Leonard also posted a score of under-par 66, while Allan had nine birdies against three bogeys, including a four-birdie run on the front nine.
“It was (a roller coaster),” Allan said. “I wasn’t hitting the ball my best. I hit a few good shots early on, but a lot of shaky shots. I kind of found something when I was out there, so even though I still hit a few shaky shots, I felt a lot more solid coming off the club, a lot nicer, and I putted and chipped really well, a few lucky ones.”
The opening game of the playoffs has 69 players. Only the top 54 in the season standings after Sunday qualify for next week’s Simmons Bank Championship in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Bernhard Langer, Greg Chalmers, Retief Goosen, YE Yang and rookie Freddie Jacobson sit in a group tied for fourth, two shots under-4. Langer was bogey-free with four birdies in nine as he chases a record 48th PGA Tour champion victory. Last week’s SAS Championship winner Alex Cejka opened 3 under and defending champion Tim O’Neal started 1 under.
“I played a very solid game from tee to green,” Lander said. “I couldn’t get in a lot of trouble or make any bogeys. A great up and down, I think it was No. 5. Otherwise it was very solid, a lot of greens in regulation. It’s just a question of whether I can make some putts or not.”
With ideal weather forecasts and a packed leaderboard, Els said the task was simple.
“I think it’s going to be a shootout this weekend,” Els said. “The weather looks good, the golf course is in very good condition, so we’ll have to shoot low.”
–Field level media
