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Pavin, Van Pelt and Hart share lead at Buick Open

Corey Pavin, Bo Van Pelt and Dudley Hart each shot 8-under 64s on Thursday and shared the opening-round lead at the Buick Open, a stroke ahead of Briny Baird and Daniel Chopra.

Rocco Mediate, who lost to Tiger Woods in a 19-hole playoff at the US Open in his last time out on the US tour, appeared weary from endless interviews since, shooting a 1-under 71.

“I’m about to faint,” Mediate said after signing his card.

Woody Austin was in a group at 66. Bubba Watson was in a pack another stroke back with Charles Warren, who had six straight birdies to tie the longest birdie-eagle streak this year on the US tour.

Jim Furyk was among a big group four shots behind the leaders.

Pavin, who closed strong to tie for 10th last week at the Travelers Championship, shot 64s in consecutive rounds for the first time in his 25-year career.

He credited his Bulls Eye putter, a rare piece of equipment today on the tour.

“It’s a putter I got in 1984 — brand new,” Pavin said. “I used it for quite a while, probably up until about the middle of ‘95. Then it took a break until last year. It was on the bench for over a decade.”

Pavin’s 15th and last victory on tour was in 2006 in Milwaukee.

The Buick Open took a hit at the gate when Woods had season-ending knee surgery earlier this week, leaving the tournament with a lackluster field that includes just nine of the top 50 players in the world ranking.
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