Cap Cana, Dominican Republic –March 26, 2010:  Nick Price and Chip Beck share the first round lead of The Cap Cana Championship with rounds of 6-under par 66. Champions Tour rookie Fred Couples, seeking his third victory in four starts, is one stroke back on 67, tied with former Masters champion Larry Mize, Olin Browne and David Peoples.

 

Cap Cana, Dominican Republic –March 26, 2010:  Nick Price and Chip Beck share the first round lead of The Cap Cana Championship with rounds of 6-under par 66. Champions Tour rookie Fred Couples, seeking his third victory in four starts, is one stroke back on 67, tied with former Masters champion Larry Mize, Olin Browne and David Peoples.

Price and Beck both took advantage of light winds and brilliant sunshine at the Punta Espada Golf Club to head the 78-player field over the 7,160-yard, par-72 Jack Nicklaus-designed course.

Major championship winners Corey Pavin (U.S. Open) and Bob Tway (PGA Championship) were among six players at four-under-par 68. Nine more were at 69. In all, 38 players were able to better par and 11 matched it. Scoring average for the field was 71.705 strokes.

But it was Price and Beck, both 53, who ran off seven birdies and one bogey each to grab the lead.

“The conditions were good and the wind laid down toward the end of the round,” said Price, a three-time major winner whose only Champions Tour victory came last April at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am.

“My game has been pretty good this year.  It seems like one part of my game was missing before but in the last two weeks it has come together.  That’s a good feeling for me.”

Price shot 32 on the back nine, birdieing the 11^th, 12^th and 14^th holes from inside 15 feet, and then two-putted the par-5 15^th for a final birdie. In three of his five 2010 events Price has finished ninth or better.

Beck, a long-time PGA Tour player, is trying to return to form.  He regained conditional playing status at the Qualifying School last November and is making his first start.

Always upbeat, Beck said his comeback will happen.

“I’m feeling confident and I’ve been playing well,” said the Lake Forest, IL resident who has not won in four seasons. Beck slotted a 40-footer at his final hole to complete his round with four consecutive birdies.

 

Most of the attention centered on Couples, the hottest player on any tour, and he didn’t disappoint – initially.

He birdied the first two holes and then hit a wall, mostly due to indifferent driving which forced him to play from the rough and, ultimately, away from the hole numerous times.

“I played the par 5s four under (par) and those are the holes I needed to play well,” said Couples.  “I didn’t drive the ball poorly but I missed (tee shots) in the rough and then hit second shots 30 feet from the hole because I couldn’t make the shot stop.”

Finally at the 540-yard, par-5 12^th hole Couples hit jackpot.  His drive left him 240 yards from the hole and a crisply-struck five-iron nestled to eight feet. He sank the eagle putt, jumping from two-under-par to four-under-par.

A follow-up birdie three holes later put Couples within striking distance of his third consecutive win with two rounds left.

“The leader board is very good,” said Couples of a group with major championship experience.  “It was important for me to be close.  I’m in good shape.”