Sr. National Championship Day 1

Dinner last night featured GOLF CHANNEL talent Matt Ginella and Lisa Cornwell. Ginella says he knows he has the best job in golf as the Travel correspondent. He told the audience about many of his favorite buddies trip destinations. Cornwell told us of her amateur career and some stories about the Solheim Cup.

108 degrees today. It's supposed to be a dry heat but dew point is in mid 50s so it's just plain hot. The forecast calls for a cool down of a degree or 2 for the weekend. The players that get the early morning, 7 AM, tee times are definitely grateful at least for the first 9 holes. Those with afternoon tee times are just looking to drink as much water as they can find.

Warren Ferber sits in the highest position on the leaderboard after the first round among MN members. He is T2 in the Sr. Jones flight after an 87 on the Palmer course. He birdied the par 5 14th hole, one of the 4 holes along the canal and mountain you've seen on TV. He will next test his game on the Norman course. The luck of the draw gives him another morning tee time.

Sr. Hogan is the largest flight at 163 players. Dan Barrett is T10 after shooting 81 on the Stadium course. He "hit for the cycle" with birdies on a par 3, par 4 and par 5 during his morning round. Dean Dubreuil shot 95 in the afternoon and is T135. They will play Nicklaus tomorrow.

The Sr. Sarazen flight is the other large flight at 160 players featuring a six-pack of MN players. They all got afternoon tee times today on the Norman course. Douglas Bird was the only one to break 90 in the pack. Helped by a birdie on the 7th hole. He is T52. George Hardgrove is only one shot back of Douglas shooting 90. He is T64. He made a birdie on the 14th. Steven Holland shot 42 on his first 9 holes but it looks like the heat took it's toll as he had a string of "others" on the final 6 holes to shoot 93. He is T87. Paul Alexander shot 97 to sit T120. Ed Favorite carded a 99 for T139. Mike Miller got promoted to Sr. Sarazen just before Nationals. He shot 109 to be T155. Tomorrow they take on the Palmer course

We have 2 players in Sr. Palmer who played the Nicklaus course this morning. John Juntilla shot a 78 and is T11. He played the par 5s in 2 under with 3 birdies and had a 4th on the tough par 3 eighth hole. I shot an 83 with birdies on two of the par 3s and sit T41.

Todd Klocke is our lone Sr. Snead representative. He too had to put up with the searing heat on the Palmer course this afternoon.he shot 112 and is T62. He'll play the Norman course tomorrow morning.

Good luck to all.