Champions Tour. SAS Championship.Comeback King Russ Cochran Leads

Russ Cochran/Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

The Champions Tour, SAS Championship at Prestonwood Country Club, Cary, North Carolina got off to good start with Russ Cochran firing a first round -6 under par 66 to top the leaderboard on day one. Russ showed no signs of rustiness after his enforced 12 week lay-off due to a troublesome back problem. He was the 2010 winner of this event, and today managed hit all 18 greens in regulation to lead all the players in that category and also holds a one-stroke lead over four other  players who are tied in second place at -5 under par. They are Steve Pate, Andrew Magee, Jay Don Blake and Fred Funk. The defending champion is Kenny Perry and he leads a group of five players who are two strokes behind the leader.

Russ said he was really just happy to be out on the course;

“I came here hoping to finish the tournament really, but I fell into a great mode and played a good, solid round. Maybe I need more time off, I don’t know. Of course, when you’re playing well, you feel like you could do it all the time, but I’ve got to give myself a lot of room and be very, very patient and realize that I haven’t been in the heat in a long time. I haven’t played; much less been in the heat. I’ll be pretty calm Saturday, I think.”

Fred Funk said he had a very good front nine, he made the turn in 30 strokes;

“I had a really efficient front nine,I got everything out of that front nine. Obviously, shooting – 5 under’s great. I’m playing really good. I’m playing solid, close to playing really, really good, and it’s more; it’s fun just to play.”