Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Jun 3, 2022 6:57 pm

Kirk Triplett fires 63 to lead in Des Moines

Kirk Triplett recorded a 9-under 63 on Friday to hold a two-stroke lead after one round of the Principal Charity Classic at Des Moines, Iowa.

Triplett’s stellar bogey-free round allowed him to hold the lead over the trio of Jerry Kelly, Brett Quigley and Ken Tanigawa. Germany’s Bernhard Langer and Australia’s Stuart Appleby were tied for fifth after shooting 66s.

Triplett carded four birdies on the front nine and five on the back. He was stunned over his stellar round at Wakonda Club.

“Sixty-three is a miracle,” Triplett said of his impressive score. “I haven’t shot a low score in a long time.”

The 60-year-old Triplett has eight career wins on the PGA Tour Champions but his last victory came in September 2019, when he won the PURE Insurance Championship in a playoff over Billy Andrade.

But his play was smooth and mostly to his liking en route to the first-round lead.

“I’ve been making a lot of birdies and I’ve been putting reasonably well all year, but I’ve been throwing up these roadblocks pretty much every round making a bogey or a double,” Triplett said. “My misses have been — when I miss a shot, it’s really been a struggle for me to make a par. Sometimes it’s even doubles and triples.

“Today, the bad swings that I made I ended up making pars and I made a couple of extra-long putts as well. Made a long putt on 3, long putt on 6 and there you have it. It doesn’t seem like it’s that much different even though I know it is a big difference.”

The highlight of Kelly’s 65 was an eagle 3 on the par-5, No. 13. He also had six brides and one bogey. His final birdie came on No. 18.

Kelly said his putting was the reason for the solid round.

“I definitely struck it better than I have, at least more consistent getting it towards the hole rather than kind of veering off to the right or the left,” Kelly said.

Quigley delivered nine birdies — six on the back nine, where he began his round — but also faced disappointment with a double bogey on the par-4 fourth.

Tanigawa made two eagles, five birdies and two bogeys. The eagles were on the par-5 Nos. 8 and 15.

Langer had six birdies on the back nine and seven overall to go with one bogey. Appleby also had seven birdies and one bogey.

New Zealand’s Steven Alker, who leads the Charles Schwab Cup standings, is tied for seventh at 67. Also at 5 under are Fred Couples, Germany’s Alex Cejka and Australia’s Rod Pampling.

Defending champion Stephen Ames of Canada is tied for 40th at 1-under 71.

–Field Level Media

You may also like

Pajaree Anannarukarn
Mar 28, 2024 10:39 pm

Pajaree Anannarukarn jumps in front at Ford Championship

A string of five consecutive birdies led Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn to the first-round lead at the inaugural Ford Championship on Thursday in Gilbert, Ariz. Anannarukarn shot a 9-under-par 63 at…

taylor moore
Mar 28, 2024 8:21 pm

Taylor Moore, Wilson Furr tied for lead at Houston Open

Wilson Furr punctuated a strong finish with a nearly 20-foot birdie putt to shoot a 6-under 64 and tie Taylor Moore for the lead after the opening round of the…

Scottie Scheffler
Mar 27, 2024 6:11 pm

Scottie Scheffler back in action, shoots for 3rd straight win

Scottie Scheffler apparently isn’t one for superstition. Scheffler was growing out a thick beard while he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship in consecutive weeks. But as…

More Golf News

Pajaree Anannarukarn
Mar 28, 2024 10:39 pm

Pajaree Anannarukarn jumps in front at Ford Championship

A string of five consecutive birdies led Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn to the first-round lead at the inaugural Ford Championship on Thursday in Gilbert, Ariz. Anannarukarn shot a 9-under-par 63 at…

taylor moore
Mar 28, 2024 8:21 pm

Taylor Moore, Wilson Furr tied for lead at Houston Open

Scottie Scheffler
Mar 27, 2024 6:11 pm

Scottie Scheffler back in action, shoots for 3rd straight win

Wyndham Clark
Mar 27, 2024 2:56 pm

Wyndham Clark (back) ‘trending in the right direction’

scottie scheffler
Mar 27, 2024 2:48 pm

Scottie Scheffler chases rare achievement in Houston

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds