Madison, MS (Best E Casino) - Marc Turnesa fired a seven-under 65 on Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Viking Classic, the first event of the Fall Finish.
Although the Tour Championship, the finale of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, is next week, the Fall Finish kicked off Thursday since most of the best on tour are at The Ryder Cup.
The Fall Finish is all about players making ground on the money list, including Turnesa, who is currently on the outside looking in for a spot on tour next year.
"When you come to play on Thursday, you're not really thinking about that," said Turnesa.
It's not all about the top 125. Players who get into the top 30 on the final money list get into events like The Masters.
Brian Gay, 36th on the money list, is alone in second place at minus-six at Annandale Golf Club.
Turnesa did not break into red figures until the par-five fifth. He birdied the next par five, the seventh, and closed his front nine with a birdie at No. 9.
At the 10th, Turnesa hit a pitching-wedge to four feet and converted the birdie putt. However, he followed his fourth birdie with a poor bogey at the par-five 11th.
"I wasn't really feeling too good after that," acknowledged Turnesa, who missed a four-footer for par. "I was pretty disappointed with that."
On the very next hole, the par-three 11th, Turnesa missed the green on the left fringe. After some debate whether to putt or chip, Turnesa elected to putt and drained the 30-footer for a birdie.
"You really don't expect to make it coming out of the fringe," admitted Turnesa. "That was nice."
What was even nicer was Turnesa's finish.
At the short, par-four 16th, Turnesa hit a three-wood down the fairway, then knocked a pitching-wedge to six feet. He holed the birdie putt and made it two in a row with a putt from similar length at No. 17.
Turnesa said the par-five 18th wasn't reachable in two thanks to the wind. He laid up with a five-iron, then hit a lob-wedge to set up the birdie putt that gave him the lead.
"I putted well today," said Turnesa, who only needed 22 putts on Thursday. "I didn't really feel that comfortable in my golf swing, but I started hitting it a little better as the day went on."
Turnesa is 169th on the PGA Tour money list and needs some good finishes if he is to retain his card for next year. He announced he will play all seven events in the Fall Finish in order to try and keep his playing privileges.
"I don't think I really gave myself much of a choice," said Turnesa, referring to his demanding end-of-the-season schedule. "I need to get up there on that money list."
Two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen, Jay Williamson, Dicky Pride, Nathan Green, Brad Adamonis and Andrew Buckle are knotted in third place at five- under 67.
Former British Open winner Todd Hamilton, Robert Gamez, Michael Bradley, Brad Elder, Dan Forsman, Garrett Willis, Casey Wittenberg, Doug LaBelle II, Nick Flanagan, Tim Petrovic, John Huston, Greg Kraft, Scott Sterling and Bo Van Pelt share ninth at minus-four.
