KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Tom Pernice Jr. birdied his final four holes for a 12-under 60 and a four-stroke lead Friday in the Champions Tour’s Hawaii Championship.
Pernice finished a stroke off the tour record of 59 set by Kevin Sutherland last month in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, New York.
Davis Love III opened with a 69 in his Champions Tour debut. The 20-time PGA Tour winner turned 50 in April.
Pernice played his final nine holes – the front nine at Kapolei Golf Club – in 7-under 29, also birdieing Nos. 1, 2 and 4. He had five birdies on his opening nine.
The 55-year-old Pernice, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour winner, won the Principal Charity Classic in June in Iowa for his third Champions Tour title.
Michael Allen was second after a 64.
Joey Sindelar and Scott Dunlap shot 65, and Jay Haas, Vijay Singh, Paul Goydos, Jim Carter and Mike Goodes followed at 66.
Rod Spittle of St. Catharines, Ont. is the leading Canadian after 18 holes. He’s 4 under after a 68.
Bernhard Langer, the tour leader with five victories, skipped the tournament to play in a European Senior Tour event in Germany.