Schulz shocks First Tee field

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  • September 5, 2010

Ted Schulz shot his best score in nearly 20 years on Saturday to take a 3-stroke lead in the Homecare & Hospice First Tee Open.

Unheralded Ted Schulz shot his best competitive round in nearly 20 years at famed Pebble Beach on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead in the Homecare & Hospice First Tee Open.

The 50-year-old Schulz, a two-time PGA Tour winner, but who, to date, has only conditional status on the Champions Tour, posted nine birdies and a bogey for a sparkling 8-under 64 that rocketed him into the second round lead on 12-under 132 and put him three shots clear of Tom Kite and first-round leader Mark Calcavecchia heading into Sunday’s final round at Pebble Beach.

Olin Browne (70), Jay Don Blake (68), Jay Haas (67), Fred Couples (70) and 2006 winner Scott Simpson (70) were a shot further back 7 under.

Calcavecchia had been in possession of the first round lead where he was two shots ahead of Tom Pernice Jr after shooting an opening 64 at the Del Monte golf course, but on Saturday, when he switched to Pebble Beach, he could only produce a 71.

Kite shot a 68, also at Pebble Beach.

“I’m getting in more tournaments than I thought I would,” said Schulz whose last PGA Tour win was the 1991 Nissan Open.

“My game is getting better. I really haven’t played much tournament golf and I haven’t putted well in the past few weeks, but I have putted well the past couple of days.”

Schulz, who is now the director of golf at the University of Kentucky , hadn’t shot a competitive round as low as 64 since the 1992 Walt Disney World Open.

“I would be a big deal for me to win out here,” he said,

“I really need to do that to stay out here (on the Champions Tour).”

Pernice was 8 under after a 70 at Del Monte.

Kite, who won 1992 US Open at Pebble Beach, made a late charge for the lead with birdies on two of the last three holes.

“I need to take advantage of the birdie holes,” Kite said. “The course is in great shape, but the greens are a little treacherous, so you’ve got to pay attention.”

Olin Browne (70), Jay Don Blake (68), Jay Haas (67), Fred Couples (70) and 2006 winner Scott Simpson (70) were 7 under.

Two-time defending champion Jeff Sluman was 5 under after a 71 at Pebble Beach.

The seventh annual event, which pairs 78 Champions Tour players with juniors in a pro-junior division, concludes Sunday at Pebble Beach.

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