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Published November 20, 2014
Bobby Clampett and Damon Green both fired a 4-under-par 68 on Tuesday to share the lead after one round of the Champions Tour Q-School.
The top-5 finishers in this tournament will receive full exemptions on the Champions Tour next season, while the next seven finishers (Nos. 6-12) will get conditional status for 2013. Additionally, the top-30 finishers will be eligible to compete for spots in open qualifiers at all co-sponsored events.
Clampett, who had four top-10 finishes on the Champions Tour this season, fired five birdies during the opening round. His lone misstep was a bogey at the par-4 fourth, but the former BYU Cougar bounced back with consecutive birdies on Nos. 5 and 6.
Green, who caddies for Zach Johnson on the PGA Tour, carded an eagle, five birdies and three bogeys during an up-and-down but effective round.
"I hit it close on my first couple of holes and missed a couple of early opportunities and then I had a couple of stupid bogeys on Nos. 12 and 13, but I just told myself to be patient, it's a long week. You know all those things a caddy tells a player," said Green, who tied for 17th at the U.S. Senior Open Championship in July. "I got things turned around with a nice 15-footer for birdie at No. 15 and then made a six-footer on the next hole and finished by making another 15-footer for birdie at No. 18."
Esteban Toledo and Neal Lancaster are one stroke off the pace at 3-under, while Lance Ten Broeck highlights a group of 10 golfers tied for fifth at minus-2.
Defending champion Jeff Freeman is back in the field this year after ending in 61st place on the Champions Tour money list. He shot 74 on Tuesday -- good for a 40th-place tie.
The only major championship winner in the field this week is Steve Jones, who captured the 1996 U.S. Open title. He is currently tied for 21st place at even par.
NOTES: The $200,000 purse for this event will be divided amongst the top-30 finishers, with first place garnering $30,000 ... Of the 78 golfers in the field this week, 14 have won on the PGA Tour. Those 14 have a combined 28 titles ... Last year, Freeman carded four 66's en route to a 4-stroke win over Gary Hallberg and Jim Rutledge.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/clampett-green-share-lead-at-champions-q-school