Luke Donald and Webb SimpsonSam Greenwood
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla - Luke Donald figured he might have to win at Disney to have his best shot at capturing the PGA Tour money title. He took a good step Thursday in the Children's Miracle Network Classic with a 6-under 66 for a seven-way share of the lead.
Donald is playing the opening two rounds with Webb Simpson, whose runner-up finish last week at Sea Island gave him a $363,029 lead in the money list. Simpson also played bogey-free on the easier Palm course for a 68.
"Would have loved to have made a couple more at the end," Donald said of his six birdies. "I didn't hit the ball great the last few holes. I think you want to capitalize on the slightly easier course, and six birdies and no bogeys was a great start. It wasn't that easy out there. The wind was strong enough to make club selection a little tricky."
The wind began blowing in the morning as a front came through, giving Disney surprisingly cool conditions.
Donald, who just returned from Europe, immediately put his name in the mix to stay near the top of the leaderboard throughout the morning. Simpson made a late surge and also was satisfied with his start.
"It's a good start," Simpson said. "That's all you can ask for on day one. Looking forward to trying to improve tomorrow, just keep trying to climb the leaderboard."
It's a crowded leaderboard, typical of this season-ending tournament.
With so much attention at the top, it's even more critical at the bottom as players try to finish in the top 125 on the money list to keep full status for next year. James Driscoll is at No. 125, and he was among those who opened with a 66 to tie for the lead.
The others were Arjun Atwal, Nathan Green, Scott Stallings, Derek Lamely and Gary Woodland, who won in Tampa earlier this year and is getting ready for a trip to China for the World Cup.
For Green, he is another one of those players fighting for his Tour survival this week. His exemption for winning the RBC Canadian Open two years ago expires this week and sitting 175th on the money list, he will likely need a victory to pull himself into the top 125 to secure full exempt status.
William McGirt, who knows a thing or two about playing his best when he has to, was in the large group at 67. McGirt narrowly got into the FedEx Cup playoffs, then advanced to the second stage. He now is No. 138 on the money list, and could challenge to get into the top 125 if he can stay in the top 10.
David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., who has already secured his Tour exemption for next year, opened with a 1-under 71 to lead the Canadian contingent.
Matt McQuillan of Kingston, Ont., needs a strong showing to get himself into the top 125 to retain his full status for next year. He was 3-under through 11 holes before bogeys on four of his final six holes including three straight at No. 13 erased all that, leaving him at 1-over par for the round.
Calgary's Stephen Ames- a two-time winner of this event - opened with a double bogey but closed with a birdie for a 73 as well.
Chris Baryla of Vernon, B.C., who will be going back to Q-School, carded a 74.
Donald is trying to become the first player to win the PGA Tour and European Tour money titles in the same year. He also is trying to become the first player since Tom Lehman in 1996 to win the PGA Tour money title in the final tournament.
The format is for two pros to play with two amateurs, and with Nos. 1 and 2 on the money list at Disney, it was natural for the tour to put Donald and Simpson in the same group. They had a few light-hearted moments.
"He asked when I was having my offseason," Donald said. "I said, 'Well, it was going to be this week. Thanks for playing the last two weeks.' But yeah, just some light-hearted banter out there."
Donald went ahead on the money list with a final birdie at the Tour Championship last month, but then Simpson lost in a playoff at the McGladrey Classic a week ago in his bid to win the money list, which comes with a five-year exemption.