JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Rocco Mediate played “boring golf,” to use his words, in the first round of the 2024 Constellation Furyk & Friends on Friday.
But if he stays in the mix through the weekend at the Timuquana Country Club, it might be anything but boring.
Mediate played a bogey-free round of 67, with birdies on three of the four par 5s, and is among a five-way tie for second, one shot behind co-leaders Joe Durant, Bob Estes and PGA Tour Champions rookie Freddie Jacobson.
Joining Mediate at 5 under on a day that broke the tournament record for first-round scoring were Paul Goydos, Tim Herron, Scott Parel and Jason Caron.
World Golf Hall of Fame member and three-time major champion Vijay Singh and 1995 Players champion Lee Janzen led seven players at 4 under. Defending champion Brett Quigley and Jacksonville native David Duval, who grew up at Timuquana, were among the players at 3 under — with Duval making birdie on three of five holes on the back nine.
Also shooting a 69 was 70-year-old Jay Haas, who matched or beat his age for the 13th time this season.
Davis Love III, a two-time Players champion and Hall of Fame member, posted a 70. Schwab Cup money leader Ernie Els and Fred Funk of Jacksonville shot 71, John Daly 72 and tournament host Jim Furyk, “running on fumes” after captaining last week’s Presidents Cup victory for the U.S., had a 73.
Rocco Mediate seeking first victory since 2019
Mediate, with a cigar almost constantly in his hand or mouth during the round, wearing shirts designed to be worn untucked, shaving about twice a week and with a ready smile or a joke for fans, is coming off two good performances, a tie for seventh at the Sanford International and a tie for third at the Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach.
The former Ponte Vedra Beach resident who now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, won the last of his four Champions Tour titles in 2019 and at 61 years old, the window may be closing.
But he’ll have fun trying.
For example, consider Mediate’s explanation for posting scores in the 60s in six of his last eight competitive rounds.
“They’re only letting me play 16 holes,” he said.
Mediate also downshifted into self-deprecation when he wondered what it would be like to do it all the time, like Champions tour all-time winner Bernhard Langer.
“Bernhard plays every round of golf like I played today,” he said. “That’s why he’s Bernhard.”
Mediate doesn’t fall for Timuquana ‘tricks’
Mediate may be colorful but the six-time PGA Tour winner doesn’t mind if his golf is bland.
“Just keep it in front of me as we always say,” he said. “Boring. It was good. I did a lot of good things.”
Mediate said Timuquana, with its wide-open fairways, false fronts and deceptive greens, is designed to play mind games with players.
He said he’s not having any of it and proved it by hitting 13 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens.
“You’ve got to learn to play this course,” he said. “It’s interesting. It’s Ross, old school with some tricks. I didn’t fall for any tricks today, which is good.”
Freddie Jacobson stands out in debut
Jacobson, a native of Sweden, made his PGA Tour Champions debut 10 days after his 50th birthday and shot 5 under through his first 10 holes, then birdied No. 18 on a 10-foot putt to get his share of the lead.
He also wasn’t sure he was going to play until Tuesday. Jacobson tried to Monday qualify but fell short. He caught a break when Daly, who received a sponsor exemption, got into the field on his money list ranking after several withdrawals. That left a sponsor exemption open and the tournament committee invited Jacobson.
Freddie Jacobson plays a shot on the eighth hole during the first round of the 2024 Constellation Furyk & Friends at Timuquana Country Club. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
He’s showing his appreciation by wearing a Timuquana Country Club hat this week.
“It kind of feels like returning home again,” said Jacobson, who hasn’t played on the PGA Tour since 2020. “It’s been such a great few days meeting everybody again. It’s been years since I’ve seen all the guys. It’s been a ton of fun … great to catch up with everybody.”
Joe Durant goes on birdie streak
Durant, a five-time Champions tour winner, will be chasing his fourth professional victory in Florida. He did most of his damage with five birdies in a row on the back nine (his front), with tap-in putts at two par-5 holes and three birdie putts of 10 feet or less.
He was 1 over on his next seven holes, then birdied Nos. 6 and 9.
“This is my favorite time of year to play golf, and in Florida, too,” he said. “So [I] feel right at home.”
Durant was sharp all day, missing only one fairway and two greens.
Bob Estes dominates par-5s
Estes, who has five top-10s this season and is still seeking his first PGA Tour Champions title, birdied all four par-5s on chips or wedge shots into the greens.
He missed five fairways and six greens and still managed to tie for the lead, thanks to requiring only 24 putts.
“I putted really well for the most part,” he said. “I didn’t drive it all that great … didn’t make too many mistakes. If I did miss a fairway or a green I usually recovered pretty well.”
Estes said his consistency is at the heart of his quest to win on the Champions Tour.
“I always need to hit it better … I’m always kind of struggling with that, trying to piece it together,” he said. “I’m usually managing my game well. My short game is pretty solid … just need to hit it better.”
Field goes low at Timuquana
A combination of soft greens due to the wet weather in September (19 inches fell on the course during the month) and playing preferred lies in the first round contributed to a first-round scoring average of 71.141 that is the tournament record for any Furyk & Friends round, meaning the field collectively broke par on the par 72 track.
Ceremonial, and memorable, opening tee shot
The Furyk & Friends got off to an inspiring start on Friday, thanks to 12-year-old Mason Tyrell.
The seventh-grader, who has waged a successful battle against stage IV anaplastic large cell lymphoma – a rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma – hit the ceremonial first tee shot at the Timuquana Country Club.
Jim Furyk, host and participant in the 2024 Constellation Furyk & Friends, presents 12-year-old Mason Tyrrell with a pin flag after Mason hit the first tee shot of the PGA Tour Champions event on Oct. 4 at the Timuquana Country Club. (Garry Smits/The Times-Union)
Mason, who has played mostly at Topgolf, took aim with his TaylorMade driver and belted a Titleist Pro-V1 a bit right on the first hole but it was solid contact.
“That was the most nervous I’ve ever been,” ranking a tee shot in front of dozens of fans, his parents Tom and Christine, tournament hosts Jim and Tabitha Furyk and photographers ahead of the treatments he’s received at Wolfson Children’s Hospital to get his cancer into remission.
