Rocco Mediate battled through a hip injury to shoot 9-under 63 and positioned himself Friday as the first-round leader at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
Rocco Mediate battled through a hip injury to shoot 9-under 63 and positioned himself Friday as the first-round leader at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
“I know what I’m doing with my golf club and have been working on a couple of things these last few weeks,” Mediate said. “Today, I let it rip and pretty much didn’t miss. It felt good.”
Mediate rocketed out of the gate with a 30 on the front-nine — matching the best of the day — despite the hip injury nearly grounding him before teeing off.
“I’m coming all the way out here, getting married Monday, and I can’t play. I would have gone crazy for three days,” Mediate said. “I couldn’t swing, but I went out and said I’ll try to play. I’m not taking up a spot — there’s no first alternate. If there is a first alternate, I don’t tee off. I let him play.”
Mediate did not opt for a cart and walked the lava rock-laden course. The hip hardly seemed a hindrance for the 51-year-old, but Mediate expects it will probably be an issue as the weekend wears on.
“It will be tough in the morning tomorrow, I’m sure. But I’ll get it worked on and get out there,” Mediate said. “There was no wind today. I hope it picks up to tell you the truth, but whatever happens, happens and you deal with it.”
Mediate’s first trip to the Big Island extends through Monday, when he will marry longtime girlfriend Jessica Somers.
“She wanted to stay (in Minnesota) because it was a beautiful 25-below,” Mediate joked. “I was not worried about her not marrying me because why would she leave.”
The early leader in the clubhouse was Dan Forsman, who won the tournament in 2012. Forsman finished 8-under 64, good for sole possession of second.
“I was really good with the putter, very relaxed,” Forsman said. “I knew I was going to have a good day.”
Last year, Forsman tied for 32nd, shooting a discouraging 1-over. Returning with high hopes and his putting on point, Forsman now finds himself just one shot back of the leader.
Forsman picked up the pace on the back nine, recording an eagle and three birdies, including a 10-foot putt on No. 18 to wrap up the day.
“Golf is a crazy game. It comes in ebbs and flows,” Forsman said. “I just wasn’t efficient when I came here last year. When I putt like I did today, I can be a factor.”
It is a tight race entering the second round. Four players — Steve Elkington, Fred Funk, Tom Pernice Jr., and Fred Couples — are tied for third. Five others are tied at 6-under.
Looking to become the first player since Al Geiberger (1992-93) to successfully defend his title in the season opener, John Cook shot a modest 3-under 69 to remain within striking distance. However, Cook had an impressive streak of 72 holes without a bogey end on the nine hole. Not only did the streak end, but Cook shot a second bogey just two holes later.
The shot of the day belonged to Couples, and involved more than a little luck for the former Masters champion. On his second shot on the par-5 7th hole, Couples let a ball go that caromed off the rocks and ended up rolling across the green and stopping 8 feet from the hole.
“It was obviously a big break, probably turning a six into a three on that hole,” Couples said. “The round was OK, but I was only 1-under par on the other 14 holes. I need to do much better. I played four days in a row before today. For me, that’s a lot of work.”
The conditions were perfect Friday, and echoing what other players have said all week, Mediate had nothing but great things to say about the Hualalai course.
“I’m not going to tell people how great this place is because I can’t do it justice,” Mediate said. “You can’t explain how cool it is because it is way cooler than you could ever explain. I hope we come here forever.”
NOTES: Mediate is trying to become only the eighth player to claim this championship in his first appearance. … Hale Irwin made his 19th consecutive appearance in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship, easily the most in a row. The 68-year-old Irwin posted a 3-under 69, his 35th career round in the 60s at this event. … The par-3 fifth hole played as the toughest on Friday, yielding just one birdie (Joe Daley). … There were 13 eagles and 192 birdies made in Round 1, compared to five eagles and 172 birdies on Friday last year.