Blackmar, Sluman Share Lead in Sonoma

A week ago Phil Blackmar wasn't sure he wanted to keep playing competitive golf. Now he's trying to win for the second straight week.

Phil Blackmar reacts after making a birdie on the 18th green during the first round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship golf event in Sonoma, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009. Blackmar shot a six-under-par 66. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

(AP)

Four days after his first Champions Tour win, Blackmar shot a 6-under 66 on Thursday to share the first-round lead with Jeff Sluman in the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

"Somebody jumped in my body last week ... I guess he's still there," said Blackmar, who had six birdies in a bogey-free round at Sonoma Golf Club. "I hope he stays there for another three days. I don't know who he is."

The 6-foot-7 Blackmar was languishing in 57th place on the money list and needed a top-five finish in San Antonio to avoid having to go to qualifying school. He didn't like that prospect and was seriously considering retiring.

"I had already determined that if I didn't (finish strong) then I was not going to play anymore," said Blackmar, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour who joined the Champions Tour late in 2007. "You can't qualify on a Monday and follow this tour around. It's just too hard."

Sluman birdied three of his first four holes on the back nine, eagled the par-5 16th then birdied 17 to move into a tie with Blackmar.

"I didn't feel very comfortable over the ball initially but I worked and stayed patient with my golf swing," Sluman said. "I got into a groove with the putter, which is really nice."

Eduardo Romero, the Toshiba Classic winner in March at Newport Beach, was a stroke back at 67, and John Cook and Brad Bryant opened with 68s.

Charles Schwab Cup points leader Loren Roberts had two eagles in a 70. Fred Funk, 165 points behind Roberts in second place in the race for the $1 million annuity, had a 71. Jay Haas, the 2008 points champion, also shot a 71, while Bernhard Langer, the only other player in contention for the points title, had a 72.

Langer is 348 points behind Roberts, and Haas is 602 back. The players will receive a point for every $500 earned, making a victory worth $442,000 and 884 points.