Team Singh leads at halfway point in PNC Father/Son Challenge
World Golf Hall Fame member Vijay Singh and son Qass made a superb eagle on the 18th hole to grab the first-round lead at the 2015 PNC Father/Son Challenge. Team Singh shot 59 (-13) at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club for a two-shot lead over Steve and Sam Elkington, Lanny and Tucker Wadkins and Davis and Dru Love.
Team Singh’s 59 ties the tournament lowest first round score since 2006, when the Bernhard and Stefan Langer opened with the same score. The Singh duo have finished in the top three each of the past three years.
“Qass drove the ball beautifully,” said Vijay Singh. “When he catches the drive, it goes for a ride. He left me with a lot of nice second shots. He actually played well and made a lot of birdies on his own and took a lot of pressure off me. The second shot on the last hole tells it all.”
The younger Singh hit 6-iron from 189 yards to 15 feet at the closing hole to setup the eagle that puts Team Singh in position to with their first PNC Father/Son Challenge in 10 attempts.
“Just had more fun today than we usually do,” said Qass. “I always enjoy playing with my dad.”
Team Elkington, Team Wadkins, and Team Love all finished at 11-under-par 61 with four more teams tied for fifth at 60.
“We had a slow start,” said 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III (pictured above). “We had a chip-in at 16 that really fired us up and we birdied the last few. It was a great way to finish.”
Defending champions Bernhard and Jason Langer (pictured above) shot 9-under-par 63 to tie for ninth, while 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus and son, Gary, carded an 8-under-par 64 to move into a tie for 14th.
“I actually hit the ball pretty decent,” said Nicklaus. “We got off to a good start, but we didn’t do a whole lot. Gary wasn’t totally on his game and didn’t carry his dad as much as I’d thought he would and his dad didn’t respond when he didn’t carry me. Neither one of us were quite there today. But we had a good time. We made a few putts. We’re two or three shots from being really right there. We just have to be there tomorrow.”
Tee times tomorrow are as follows:
Tee #1
8.40am Team Trevino & Team Price
8.52am Team Strange & Team Zoeller
9.04am Team Irwin a& Team Nicklaus
9.16am Team Cink & Team Stockton
9.28am Team Floyd & Team Langer
9.40am Team Lehman & Team O’Meara
9.52am Team Nelson & Team Faldo
10.04am Team Janzen & Team Funk
10.16am Team Wadkins & Team Love III
10.28am Team Singh & Team Elkington
The PNC Father/Son Challenge, held for 15 years from 1995-2008, made a return in 2012 with new title sponsor, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
Final round television coverage of the PNC Father/Son Challenge will air on NBC from 3-6 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 14.
To qualify for the PNC Father/Son Challenge, participants must have won either a major championship or THE PLAYERS in their career. The professional’s partner must not currently hold a Tour card, and while the majority of partners in the history of the event have been the sons of the golf legends, the family-themed tournament has seen daughters and grandsons participate over the years.
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