Pernice & Bryant Share Top Spot in Shaw Charity Classic


Tom Pernice Jr. and Bart Bryant each opened with 8-under 62s to take the first-round lead in the Shaw Charity Classic. The $2.25 million, 54-hole Champions Tour event got underway Friday at Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club in Calgary, Canada.

Pernice, a three-time winner on the over-50 circuit, carded 10 birdies and two bogeys. The 54-year-old Missouri native began play on the 10th tee; he got his round off to a stellar start with five straight birdies.

The 51-year-old Bryant, a native of Texas whose older brother Brad is also a Champions Tour regular, had nine birdies and a lone bogey.

One stroke back is South African David Frost, while trailing by two are Joe Durant and Joe Daley. Carding 5-under 65s to stay close to the co-leaders were Australia's Steve Elkington, Zimbabwe's Mark McNulty and Americans Michael Allen, Woody Austin and Craig Stadler.

Twelve players started with 66s. The big group includes Gary Hallberg, Kevin Sutherland, Steve Lowery, Chip Beck, Tommy Armour III, John Inman, Gene Sauers, Mark O'Meara, Brad Faxon, Corey Pavin, Russ Cochran and Doug Garwood.

The runaway leader in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup, five-time 2014 winner Bernhard Langer, was among 11 players opening with 67s. The group also includes Scott Dunlap, who earned his first Champions Tour title in last week's Boeing Classic.

Defending champion Rocco Mediate posted a 68. Mediate won last year's inaugural Shaw Charity Classic by seven strokes, tying the tour's record for fewest strokes in a 54-hole event with rounds of 63, 64 and 64.

Others beginning with that 2-under score included Fred Couples.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/champions/leaderboard.html.