Eger and Price pace Schwab Cup field

David Eger and Nick Price both shot an opening round of six-under 66 to take the early lead at the Charles Schwab Cup championship at Sonoma Golf Club on Thursday.
Eger had been on the fringe all season long of being in the top 30 money winners on the PGA Champions Tour, but after a strong finish to the year, he was able to sneak in to the top 30 and make his way to Sonoma for the final tournament of the season.
His best shot of the day came on the Par 5 16th hole, where he hit a heavy shot out of a green side bunker to within a foot to set himself up for his birdie there that helped put him in the clubhouse at -6. Eger’s best finish at Sonoma is a tie for fifth place with Jose Maria Canizares back in 2004.
Eger didn’t seem too surprised by the way the course played, considering he had been here four times in the last five seasons.
“You know, it’s a wonderful place to be and to play,” said Eger, “Know you’re going to play quickly, without delay. Just get it and go.”
For the Hall of Famer Price, he had a very successful first round on a course he hadn’t played before he came to this tournament, and he did it with a couple of big putts: a 41-footer on the 16th hole as the rain began to fall and a putt from about 20 feet away at 18 that clanked into the cup.
Price felt very good about how he finished his round off, as the two big putts are the main reason he’s tied with Eger for the lead.
“Sometimes the golf gods are kind to you,” said Price, “You need those breaks once in a while.”
Mike Goodes is one shot behind after a first round 67, but knows that he’ll have to balance his play from now until the tournament’s end in order to stay in contention, even with the bad weather right around the corner.
“I think if the weather’s like they say it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be imperative to hit it in the fairway,” said Goodes, “When it gets really wet, boy, it’s gonna be nasty if you got a lot of water in that rough.”
Both defending Schwab Cup champion Loren Roberts and reigning Schwab Cup points leader Jay Haas ended today’s play with a three-under 69. Bernhard Langer, who is just behind Haas in the points standings, had a tough day with a one-under 71, but it was an even tougher day for Fred Funk, who is last in the field with a two-over 74.
Funk and Langer are in contention to overtake Haas for the overall points title to win the Schwab Cup, as the trio has switched around the top three spots for most of the year.
Amongst those missing at the tournament this year include defending tournament champion Jim Thorpe, who didn’t qualify as a top money winner this season, and golf legend Tom Watson, who had hip surgery earlier this month and is missing the tournament after finishing 17th overall in earnings this season.
The weather worsened as the day progressed, with showers hitting the course during the afternoon. Forecasters are predicting rainfall to continue today, but are also prepared for the second leg of the storm that will roll in late on Saturday, which could dump as much as two inches of rain before and during Sunday’s final round play.
Tournament director Leon Gilmore doesn’t expect much rain to fall today during the second round and says that he does not think a stoppage of play will be necessary.
Second round action gets underway today at 10:05 a.m. with Funk playing by himself in the odd-numbered field. The final pairing of Price and Eger tees off at 12:11 p.m. Tomorrow also marks the start of the Schwab Cup Wine Festival, where local restaurants send dishes to be paired up with some of the Valley’s finest wines.
Tickets are still available by calling 707.939.4131. They can also be bought at Sonoma Market, through Ticketmaster and at the tournament entrance.