Golf Roundup : Sluman’s 64 Leads in Canada

PGA champion Jeff Sluman’s birdie on the 18th hole completed an 8-under-par 64 and gave him the first-round lead Thursday in the $750,000 Canadian Open golf tournament at Oakville, Canada.

“I don’t know what to say. Eight under on this golf course is pretty mind-boggling,” Sluman said.

One of his playing partners, U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange, also had trouble expressing himself after he was forced out of the tournament he has won two of the last three years.

“I’ve never had to do this before,” Strange said after back trouble forced him to withdraw after 11 holes.

“I feel bad. I don’t know what to say. I’m embarrassed. I’m sorry,” said Strange, who won the Canadian Open in 1985 and again last year.

“My back was kind of stiff when I woke up this morning. I never was able to get it loosened up,” said Strange, who has a history of back problems.

“Then I started having some spasms and I knew I couldn’t keep going,” he said.

Strange was 11 over par when he withdrew.

Sluman, who scored his first career victory by winning the PGA last month, did not make a bogey, did not have a “5” on his card and played the back nine at the Glen Abbey Golf Club in Ontario in 31, six under par.

The key was a string of four consecutive birdies on the 11th through 14th holes--four holes on a lower level of the golf course that is in a narrow valley.

Longshot Andy Dillard is a single stroke back after the best round of his three-year PGA Tour career.

Dillard, who has won only $1,354 in 13 starts this year, got into the tournament only as an alternate, arrived in Canada Wednesday night and did not get in a practice round.

“I’m very surprised,” Dillard said after he played the back side at the Glen Abbey Golf Club course in 7-under-par 30, including an eagle-birdie-eagle finish.

He chipped in from about 35 yards for an eagle-3 on the 16th, hit an 8-iron to within 2 feet for birdie on the 17th and needed only a 5-iron second shot to set up at 12-foot eagle putt on the 18th.

Larry Mize and Bill Britton share third with 66s. Jack Nicklaus, who designed this course as a permanent home for the Canadian Open, birdied two of his last three holes for a 68.

“To say I’m happy with it would be an understatement,” said Nicklaus, who has never won the Canadian Open but has finished second seven times.

Also at 68 are Lennie Clements, Tim Simpson, Tom Sieckmann, Barry Jaeckel and Tom Byrum.

British Open champion Seve Ballesteros of Spain shot a 7-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead in the first round of the $677,000 European Masters tournament at Crans, Switzerland.

Jimmy Haggerty of Ireland and Bill MacColl of Scotland were tied for second at 66.

Nick Faldo of England, who won this event in 1983, was one of seven who shot a 67, and Welshman Ian Woosnam was another stroke back in a group of 12 that also included Mark Calcavecchia.