McCallister Takes 18-Hole Lead at First Tee Open on Monterey Peninsula


Blaine McCallister opened with a 5-under 66 to take the opening-round lead in the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. The $1.9 million, 54-hole tournament teed off Friday.

The Champions Tour event is being held on both the par-72 Pebble Beach Golf Links and the par-71 Poppy Hills Golf Course on California's Monterey Peninsula. Pebble Beach will hold the final round Sunday.

McCallister, a former college roommate of Fred Couples and CBS's Jim Nantz in search of his first title on the over-50 circuit, carded six birdies and a bogey at Poppy Hills.

The 56-year-old enjoys a one-stroke lead over John Cook and Skip Kendall (Poppy Hills), John Inman, Tom Byrum and Lee Janzen (Pebble Beach).

Posting 3-under numbers at the two courses were Jay Haas (Poppy Hills) and Marco Dawson, Mark Brooks, Paul Goydos, Fred Funk and Jose Coceres, who all carded 69s at Pebble Beach.

The 50-year-old Goydos won the previous Champions Tour event, the Pacific Links Hawaii Championship, for the first title in his rookie campaign.

Defending champion Kirk Triplett started out with a 2-under 69 at Poppy Hills.

For updated scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/nature-valley-first-tee-open-at-pebble-beach/leaderboard.html.