Justin Leonard saw first-round Chubb Classic co-leaders Paul Stankowski and Mario Tiziani shoot 7-under pars on Day 1 to set the pace at the PGA Tour Champions event in Naples.
On Saturday, Leonard did the same, shooting a 7-under to take the lead at 11-under as he, like Stankowski and Tiziani, is seeking his first PGA Tour Champions win. In Saturday’s second round, the University of Texas Longhorn birdied four of his first seven holes and an additional four on the inward nine at 11, 12, 14 and 18.
“I hit some really good wedges on the front nine, which was something I struggled with a little bit in the two pro-ams this week,” Leonard said. “If you drive the ball well here, you are going to have some wedges. The contact and distance control weren’t quite right. I worked on it Thursday and Friday afternoons and think it paid off. I was hitting my numbers nicely.”
The adjustment Leonard focused on surrounded full swings. Well, kind of.
“This golf course, with all its wedges, you’ve got to be able to have those ¾ shots taking 4-5 yards off,” he explained. “It wasn’t so much of a swing adjustment as it was the need to just get over to the range and practice.”
Ernie Els in only 1 shot off the lead with back-to-back 5-under 67s.
“The key to tomorrow is to just go out and play solid golf,” Els said. “The wind picked up today…tough scoring. But, Justin is a tough competitor. There are a bunch of guys behind us, so we just got to put the foot on the gas.”
The sting from his round’s only hit – a double bogey at the par-3 7th – was eased by seven birdies. Els was unable to capitalize on birdie putts inside 10 feet on each of the final three holes in round two.
“I just want to play solid golf, stay in it,” said Els. “I’ve got a bit of a run going, but it’s going to be a tough day and Justin’s a tough competitor…so are about 10 other guys within three shots. I’ve just got to try and get going and shoot a good score.”
In Els’ most recent three starts at Tiburon Golf Club, the World Golf Hall of Fame member finished tied for 10th in 2022 and 2023, before improving to a tie for third last year.
“As for tomorrow, Ernie’s right there and I felt like this was kind of his Tour last year,” Leonard said. “He’s obviously off to a great start with a first and a third these past two weeks, so it’s going to take a similar round to the one I had today. I know I’m capable. The main thing is to just not worry about the score or where I am. I just need to go out, play my game and enjoy where I am. It’s another day to go learn and do what I know I’m capable of.”
Stankowski and Tiziani, who shared the 18-hole lead after matching 65s Friday, signed for a 1-under 71 and 1-over 73, respectively, as Stankowski sat alone in third with an 8-under
Unable to mount much of a charge through the first 36 holes, defending Chubb Classic champion Stephen Ames will begin Sunday’s final round 10 strokes back at 1-under 143.
In his bid for a sixth Chubb Classic title, Bernhard Langer opened with scores of 72-68 and is at 4-under 140, seven strokes off Leonard’s lead.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Chubb Classic: Justin Leonard has 1 stroke lead over Ernie Els heading into final round
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