Pampling, Chalmers in pursuit of Choi on Champions Tour

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Pampling, Chalmers in pursuit of Choi on Champions Tour

Leader K.J. Choi is a hunted man after posting a bogey-free, six-under-par 66 to earn the first-round lead at the Ally Challenge.

The South Korean made four of his six birdies on the back nine at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, Michigan, to take a one-shot lead over a four-way tie for second.

*********** Rod Pampling, Brett Quigley, David Branshaw and Stewart Cink are knotted at five-under 67.

The group tied at four-under 68 includes another *********** Greg Chalmers, Glen Day, Bob Estes, Joe Durant and Jason Caron.

Choi, 54, is a month removed from the biggest accomplishment of his senior career – a victory at the Senior Open Championship, his first major title of any kind.

“This year I’m all better when I strike the ball,” Choi said. “Usually my driving, too much cut it and then little good fade, but this time is a very strike the ball. … Very happy today.”

Of the quartet tied at five under, only Pampling kept his card bogey-free.

“Everything’s been close but just hasn’t had anything click all year,” Pampling said.

“Even the start of the week wasn’t feeling good and I just had a feeling that I went with on Thursday in the pro-am, and it started coming around.”

Quigley, 55, started his round on the back nine and birdied five of his first seven holes. He got to six under with another birdie at the par-5 first, but he bogeyed the next ***** and stayed at five under the rest of the day.

It was a pleasant surprise for a player who withdrew from the past two PGA Tour Champions events while nursing multiple injuries.

“I’ve had some good success here before, so I feel comfortable here,” Quigley said.

“I really got off to a nice start, just kept making some putts, hit it close and had some good chances.

“Yeah, I just feel comfortable here and happy. Honestly, my goal this week was just to finish three rounds, so I have to do that two more days, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Chalmers had six birdies but marked bogeys on the 15th and 18th to drop him in a tie for sixth.

He is one ahead of compatriot Cameron Percy (69) and two ahead of Richard Green (70), who is tied with Charles Schwab Cup money leader Ernie Els of South *******.

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