World Golf Hall of Fame member Retief Goosen birdied his final hole of the day at the Dominion Energy Charity Classic to sign for a 6-under 66 in his bid for a second victory this season.
There were slow starts for Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke with both players six shots off the pace on level-par after opening rounds of 72.
Harrington mixed two birdies and two bogeys on a slow day from his point of view. The eight-time Champions Tour winner birdied the sixth and sixteenth but dropped shots on 13 and annoyingly on the par-5 18th to share 28th place with Clarke.
Former Open winner Clarke also traded two birdies with as many bogeys.
Goosen started well and finished well, opening with with three consecutive birdies before finishing in style with a closing birdie on 18.
The 55-year-old South African hit 11 of 14 fairways off the tee and 15 of 18 greens in regulation; he required 27 putts to complete his round.
The two-time US Open winner felt he could have gone even lower and have a greater lead than just one shot.
“Yeah, today was a few disappointing ones on the back nine, but yeah, the one on 18 is a bonus. It was getting a little firm, too.
“Yeah, the putter helped me out today, I made a lot of good putts, especially in the first few holes. Had to scramble here and there, but yeah, it’s nice to get a good round under the belt for a change.”
This week’s Dominion Energy Charity Classic is the first of the three Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs events and features the top-72 available in the standings. The top-54 after this week advance to next week’s Simmons Bank Championship in Little Rock, Arkansas. Only the top 36 from the Simmons Bank Championship advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, Arizona (Nov. 7-10).