Mahan Has 3 Eagles In A 62 That Matched Canadian Open Record

MARKHAM, Ontario (AP) _ Hunter Mahan barely had time to savor his record-tying round in the Canadian Open when he was asked about following the 9-under 62. <br/><br/>No problem, he was ready to put his

Friday, July 27th 2007, 8:03 am

By: News On 6

MARKHAM, Ontario (AP) _ Hunter Mahan barely had time to savor his record-tying round in the Canadian Open when he was asked about following the 9-under 62.

No problem, he was ready to put his opening round behind him.

``It's not about shooting a great round,'' Mahan said. ``It's about trying to play good for four days. So, I just think you forget this round and move on.''

The 25-year-old former Oklahoma State star opened with a 62 late last month in Connecticut in the Travelers Championship. He followed with rounds of 71, 67 and 65 and beat Jay Williamson in a playoff for his first PGA Tour title.

``I've got three days that I have to go out there and I have to play well,'' Mahan said. ``There's a lot of good players here.''

Playing in perfect scoring conditions Thursday on Angus Glen's North Course, Mahan made three eagles _ twice holing approach shots on par-4s _ in his record-matching round that gave him a two-stroke lead. He holed a 189-yard, 6-iron on 18 _ his ninth hole _ and made an 81-yard shot on No. 9.

``Golf's a funny game,'' Mahan said. ``Sometimes you have it and sometimes you don't. Sometimes you do everything you're supposed to do and it doesn't work out. You have to be patient and you've just got to keep working.''

Three others have shot 62s in the Canadian Open, all at Glen Abbey. Leonard Thompson set the mark in 1981 and Andy Bean matched it in 1983, both when Glen Abbey played to a par of 71. Greg Norman did it in 1986, when the par was 72.

``That is pretty special,'' said Mahan, the only one of the four to do it in the first round. ``Especially, a tournament like this that's been around forever.''

After winning in Connecticut, Mahan tied for eighth in the AT&T National and finished in a sixth-place tie in last week's British Open.

``My mind is kind of catching up with my game,'' Mahan said. ``I've been swinging great. I've been driving it really, really well and hitting my irons solid.''

Steve Allan of Australia was second after a 64, and David Hearn of Canada was another stroke back along with Tripp Isenhour. Mark Calcavecchia, the 2005 champion at Shaughnessy in Vancouver, shot a 67 in the breezy afternoon session. Jim Furyk, the winner last year at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, had a 69, also in the afternoon.

Mike Weir shot an even-par 71, putting him well back in his bid to become the first Canadian winner since Pat Fletcher in 1954. Vijay Singh, who played with Weir, opened with a 68. Singh beat Weir in a playoff in 2004 at Glen Abbey.

``Wasn't a great day, but made some nice putts and got the ball around OK,'' Weir said. ``Just kind of strange. Just had a couple of lies just barely in that first cut that I felt like I could have controlled a little better.''

Mahan was 4 under after three holes. He made a 3 1/2-foot birdie putt on the par-4 10th, holed a 10-footer for eagle on the par-5 11th and made a 14-foot birdie putt on the par-4 12th. He reached 5 under with a birdie on the par-5 15th, dropped a stroke on the par-3 17th, then holed his 6-iron approach on 18 for his second eagle.

``It was just about as perfect a shot as I could hit during a round of play,'' Mahan said. ``The pitch mark was right next to the hole.''

On his second nine, he bogeyed the par-4 second to fall back to 5 under, but made a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fourth and a 7-footer on the par-4 sixth to reach 7 under. He capped his first three-eagle round with the 2 on the 372-yard ninth.

``I didn't see it,'' Mahan said. ``Set kind of a flat sand wedge in there, took a little spin off and it spun right back in the hole.''

The 33-year-old Allan, who won the 1998 German Open and 2002 Australian Open, had eight birdies and a bogey in his morning round. He tied for 13th last week in Milwaukee, his best finish in 13 starts this year.

Divots: Mahan became the first PGA Tour player this season to eagle three holes in a round and the 21st since 1980. Tommy Tolles was the last player to do it in the Canadian Open, in 1995 at Glen Abbey. ... John Daly withdrew after a 75, citing a lingering shoulder injury.

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