Stephen Ames holds first-round lead with 8-under 64 at DICK'S Open

Things to Know

• Seeking a third win of the season on PGA TOUR Champions, Stephen Ames begins his sixth DICK’S Open with a bogey-free 8-under 64.
• With his lowest score in 32 rounds on PGA TOUR Champions of 7-under 65, Steve Allan positions himself for a second top-10 finish in his 12th start since turning 50 in October 2023.
• In just his third start on PGA TOUR Champions, Chad Campbell holes his second shot of the day from 127 yards at No. 1 for his first of two eagles (par-5 fifth) before signing for a 4-under 68 (T7).
• Three members of the World Golf Hall of Fame occupy spots inside the top-10 after 18 holes: Bernhard Langer (T4), Ernie Els (T4) and Padraig Harrington (T7).

Stephen Ames – 64 (-8)

• Vying for a first top-10 finish in his sixth start in the DICK’S Open, he birdied four of his last six holes en route to a bogey-free 8-under 64.
• A T12 in his first DICK’S Open start of 2015 stands as his best finish.
• In three starts at the B.C. Open on the PGA TOUR at En-Joie GC, he managed top-10 finishes in 1999 (T4) and 2001 (T6).
• Hit 10-of-14 fairways and 17-of-18 greens in regulation in round one this week
• When he last opened with an 8-under 64 on PGA TOUR Champions, finished solo-second to Ernie Els by two strokes earlier this month at the Principal Charity Classic
• When holding an 18-hole lead/co-lead in 54 holes events on PGA TOUR Champions, has converted for the win on 2-of-4 occasions (2023 Trophy Hassan II, Mitsubishi Electric Championship)
• In 12 starts this season before this week, has amassed eight top-10 finishes, two of which were victories (Chubb Classic, Mitsubishi Electric Classic); comes off a T4 in his most recent start from two weeks ago at the American Family Insurance Championship

Additional Notes

• With birdies on five of his first nine holes, Australia’s Steve Allan opened his first DICK’S Open in 7-under 65 (2nd), marking his lowest score in his first season on PGA TOUR Champions (32 rounds); lone top-10 finish in 11 previous starts this season was solo-fifth at the Invited Celebrity Classic (36-hole event due to inclement weather).
• With seven birdies against one bogey, Rocco Mediate kicked off his third DICK’S Open with a 6-under 66 (3rd); previous finishes in the event: T15/2022, T28/2023; after having to withdraw from his last three starts before this week due to a lingering back injury, his best finish in four completed events this season was a solo-second to this week’s 18-hole leader, Stephen Ames, at the Chubb Classic
• With seven birdies in the 8-hole stretch of 5-12 (and five straight on Nos. 8-12), 2014 tournament champion and World Golf Hall of Fame Member Bernhard Langer opened his 12th DICK’S Open in 5-under 67 (T4); seeks an eighth top-10 finish in the event.
• With a birdie-birdie finish on Nos. 17 and 18, 2021 DICK’S Open runner-up Ernie Els signed for a 5-under 67 (T4); the World Golf Hall of Fame Member comes to this week’s event on the heels of back-to-back wins in his last two starts at the Principal Charity Classic and American Family Insurance Championship; finished third in last year’s DICK’s Open.
• 2022 and 2023 champion Padraig Harrington sits T7 at 4-under 68; the last player to win the same Champions Tour event three years in a row was Bernhard Langer at the Kaulig Companies Championship (2014-16); this week’s DICK’S Open marks his first start as a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
• John Daly signed for a bogey-free 3-under 69 (T19), marking his third consecutive sub-par score on PGA TOUR Champions (dating to round two of the American Family Insurance Championship); his last stretch of three straight sub-par rounds came at the 2022 Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS.
• Making his PGA TOUR Champions debt, Eric Axley opened with an even-par 72.
• Six past DICK’S Open champions in the field: Padraig Harrington/2022, 2023 (T7/68), Doug Barron/2019 (T7/68) Scott McCarron/2017 (78th/79), Jeff Maggert/2015 (T28/70), Bernhard Langer/2014 (T4/67), John Huston/2011 (T54/73).
• Jerry Kelly withdrew prior to his first round with a back injury and was replaced by David Branshaw (T28/70).