Sep 12, 2008 - 10:26 PM
0 shoutsCONOVER, North Carolina (Ticker) -- If R.W. Eaks is going to defend his title this week, he will do it from out in front.
Eaks set the course record in the opening round of the Greater Hickory Classic with an 11-under-par 61 on Friday.
The 56-year-old had an eagle and nine birdies in a bogey-free round at Rock Barn that improved upon the previous record by two strokes. Eaks had a share of the previous record, that was first set by Joe Inman in 2003.
"I got to the first tee and I hit my first ball down the fairway, and thought, 'You know what? This is going to be a great day,"' Eaks said. "It was just a wonderful day. Everything I did seemed to turn out good."
Eaks, who also ended up second here in a playoff against Andy Bean in 2006, has a three-stroke lead over Tom Jenkins.
After a birdie at the first, Eaks eagled the fourth and followed that up with a run of four straight birdies. The winner of the 3M Championship in July, Eaks started the back nine with a birdie at No. 10 and had three consecutive birdies starting at No. 13.
"I just kept looking at the leaderboard and every time I made a birdie someone else made a birdie," Eaks said. "I was just trying to make as many birdies as I could. I was just trying to keep ahead of the field."
The leader in the Charles Schwab Cup, Jay Haas had a solid start, notching eight birdies en route to a 4-under 68 to sit in a tie with nine other golfers in 12th.
Haas finished in a tie for second here last year, two strokes behind Eaks.
Jenkins also had a bogey-free round that included eight birdies.
"I wasn't paying much attention to (Eaks), but I knew he had a good round going," Jenkins said. "I started hitting some really good drives on the practice tee and I felt a good round coming."
Looking for his third victory of the season, Fred Funk is alone in third following a 65. A shot back is another five golfers, including Tom Kite and Bruce Vaughan.
First prize is $255,000.
