Indian Hills Country Club – On a beautiful summer day, forty seven players began the Watson Challenge trying to upset the event’s namesake. After the first round, the only man to beat Watson in the history of the event is on top of the board. The 2007 Watson Challenge Champion was Blake Graham and he certainly made strides in winning the 2012 version as well. Graham, a self described streaky player, used a birdie-birdie-birdie stretch on the front and a birdie-eagle finish to finish at five under par after the first round. “I hit it in the trees off the first hole, chopped it up near the green, and made a nice five foot putt to save par,” said Graham. “When that putt went in, I gained a little confidence.”

Graham’s remarkable round set the tone for the day, but the highlight of the championship may likely have come early in the event. After struggling with the tee ball all day, Tom Watson approached the 185 yard par 3 thirteenth hole and pulled four iron. What happened next was pure perfection. “I hit it a little high on the face, but the ball landed right where I wanted,” remarked Tom Watson. “Sure enough, since I hit it off the top of the club, it rolled forward and went right in the hole. The spectators said it was moving a little bit, but it hit the flag square and went straight down.”

Watson’s ace is now the sixteenth of his career. The timing could not have been better as Watson was coming off a difficult front nine finish. “Honestly, I just hit it in the trees too often today. I haven’t been playing much lately and my timing was a little bit off.” Watson finished the day with a two over 72. The score was good enough to tie his playing competitors Jon Troutman and Sean Dougherty, the KCGA Amateur of the Year and the Midwest Section PGA Professional of the Year. The three managed to get paired again for the second round tomorrow morning.

With one round in the books, it appears that it could be the year of the amateur. Five of the top ten spots are currently held by amateur competitors. Currently in second is young Ryan Zech, who fired a first round 67. Zech hit all eighteen greens in regulation en route to his opening round three under. Zech is followed closely by perennial contender Clay Devers who sits at two under 68.

For complete results of the 2012 Watson Challenge and Round Two pairings Click Here!