For Steve Stricker, Firestone is not just a beautiful course. It’s about the food! And his first round success could be identified by one staple at Firestone CC…the bean soup!
“I’m not sure what kind of bean, pinto maybe? It’s good stuff!”
Stricker and Harrison Frazar lead the Kaulig Companies Championship after Thursday’s first round. Their 65 puts them at 5 under for the tourney. Stewart Cink carded a 66, good for third place and -4. Alex Cejka, Y. E. Yang and Brett Quigley are all in fourth after their 3 under 67’s.
The South Course plays 7,165 yards to a par 70. But yesterday’s windy conditions caused the day’s average to rise to 72.32.
Others
Justin Leonard and Ernie Els completed their rounds at -2. Pre-tournament favorites Jerry Kelly and Bernhard Langer each finished with 71’s.
First place after round one is Stricker’s normal spot in this tournament! Since 2019, the Wisconsin native has been first for four of the past five years. Just a few notes on his round:
- This is his 10th time leading/co-leading after the first round on the PGA Tour Champions.
- Had only 22 putts yesterday!
- Carded an eagle at #2.
- Had the bean soup and a sandwich for lunch!
Stricker’s round Thursday
Al Kornspan
Stricker started his round off #10. And the theme on the windy day in Akron was “scrambling.”
“Yeah, on this course you have to just grind it out…Scramble, give yourself an opportunity when you’re out of position.”
He started with a birdie at 10 after a great second to the green. “I was in a divot in the fairway…Sometime’s that’s good,” Stricker mentioned. “[I]t changes your focus from let’s just do a smart play here.”
The birdie putt was a nice way to start the round. Making the turn at 2 under, Stricker nailed an eagle at #2. From the middle of the fairway, his second found the front of the green and rolled to within four feet from the pin. Check out the video from PGA Tour.
Bogey at 8
He was cruising at -6 until he bogeyed the 8th hole. “[I] hit a nice drive right down the middle of the fairway, and I was in between clubs.” The 8 iron he chose drew too far into the bunker. “Didn’t have that bad of a bunker shot really, really fluffy sand.”
The wedge got under the sand causing the ball to stop short of the green. But all told he was pleased with his round.
“Yeah, in majors it’s probably utmost important to just control your emotions, think well, don’t get too rattled. I’ll try to do all the positive things. It’s easy to say, hard to do sometimes, but you’ve just got to keep trying to do that and keep thinking your game is going to go in the right direction, make some birdies and get off to a good start.”
This is his 60th start on the PGA Tour Champions and with two majors already in the win column for Stricker this year, he looks to become the sixth multi-time winner of the Kaulig Companies Championship, joining the likes of Palmer, Dave Stockton, Ray Floyd and his peers Bernhard Langer and Jerry Kelly.
What to expect?
Stricker tees off on the first hole today at 11:23 with Retief Goosen and Steven Alker.
Bet we all know what Steve will be dining on today?
“[T]hey always have it here. They used to have it in a pot that’s always heated up, warmed up so you just go up there and scoop your own bowl out, or cup. Now you order it.
So I got a bowl yesterday with a half a sandwich and I’m going to go do the same thing.”
Maybe if Stricker can add this tournament to his majors haul this year, Firestone will add HIS beer to go with the bean soup: Strick9, a brew specially made for the Senior Open being held in Wisconsin and named after Steve! Read about it here.
Add another staple to Akron…tires, plastics, Zips, O’Neil’s and Firestone’s bean soup!
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