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Memorial up for grabs

Jack Nicklaus tees off on the third hole Friday in perhaps his final appearance in a PGA Tour event on American soil. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press
Jack Nicklaus tees off on the third hole Friday in perhaps his final appearance in a PGA Tour event on American soil. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

Jack Nicklaus pressed both hands to his lips for a farewell kiss to the crowd as he walked off the 18th green Friday afternoon at the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio.

Two groups behind him, Tiger Woods fired at as many flags as he could and moved quickly into contention.

An emotional day at Muirfield Village ended with Jeff Sluman, whom Nicklaus picked as an assistant captain at the last Presidents Cup, atop the leaderboard thanks to a flop shot on No. 17 that dropped for birdie and a 1-under-par 71. That gave him a one-shot lead over Woods and four others heading into the weekend.

Woods was tied for the lead along the back nine until missing the 17th green and making his only bogey of the tournament, dropping him to a 68. He was joined by Jonathan Kaye, Harrison Frazar, Lucas Glover and Nick O’Hern.

Still, the day belonged to Nicklaus.

He played what might be his final PGA Tour event on American soil, and wasn’t too happy with how it ended. The cheers that echoed around the course he helped design were usually for par, sometimes for bogey, always just to see the 65-year-old Nicklaus approach the green.

He shot a 5-over 77 to miss the cut by six shots.

Sluman had few complaints with his 71, especially since it put him in the lead at 8-under 136. Sluman was among the few players near the lead who didn’t drop any strokes over the final three holes.

O’Hern (70) and Frazar (68) each had a chance to tie for the lead until bogeys on the 18th hole, while Glover and Kaye each had 70 and played the final three holes in par.

Champions Tour

Mike Sullivan and Tom Jenkins played consistently through warm, windy conditions to shoot 6-under 65s for a one-stroke lead in the first round of the Allianz Championship in Polk City, Iowa.

Ron Streck and Jim Ahern each were one stroke back at 66. Bruce Fleisher, who had a hole-in-one, was among a group of four at 4-under.

LPGA

Playing through a driving rain, Juli Inkster shot a 6-under 65 to take the opening-round lead at the ShopRite LPGA Classic in Galloway Township, N.J.

Annika Sorenstam was two shots back after an opening 67, while Mi Hyun Kim was in third at 69.

Both Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., and Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum, Idaho, opened with 4-over 75s.