Triplett Ties For Buick Lead After Seven Straight Birdies

Greeted by perfect weather as the PGA Tour moved 400 miles down the California coast to San Diego’s Torrey Pines, former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett, birdied seven straight holes during his round of 9-under-par 63 to tie Doug Martin and Tom Lehman after the first round of the Buick Invitational on Thursday.

Triplett’s run of birdies on the back nine of the Torrey Pines North Course matched the best on the tour this year.

“This was a perfect day,” Triplett said after a round featuring 11 birdies against two bogeys. “Everybody who played last week (at Pebble Beach) and was used to slopping it around were so excited to get on a golf course in good shape.”

Jeff Julian set a course and tournament record with an 8-under 28 on the back nine of the North Course.

Ian Woosnam, chasing his third straight title, wilted in the heat and finished six strokes behind Nick Price and Sven Struver, who shot 4-under par 68, in the opening round of the $600,000 Data Dimension Pro-Am golf tournament in Sun City, South Africa.