AKRON, Ohio — Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark and Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina each shot 3-under 67 on Firestone South to share the lead Thursday after the opening round of the Kaulig Companies Championship, the third major of the year on the PGA Tour Champions.
Gonzalez opened with eight pars, took bogey on No. 18 and then played the front nine with five birdies to offset one bogey
Stewart Cink, who lost in a four-hole playoff to Tiger Woods at Firestone in 2006 at a World Golf Championship, was poised to take the lead until two bogeys on his final three holes.
He was at 68 along with Retief Goosen and Steven Alker.
Angel Cabrera, who already has captured two majors at the Regions Tradition and the Senior PGA Championship at Congressional, opened with a 71.
The winner of the tournaments earns a spot in The Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass next month.
Firestone South previously hosted the World Series of Golf and then a World Golf Championship. It’s a strong test for players who next go to the U.S. Senior Open in Colorado.
