Associated Press
Friday, March 24

MILTON, Fla. -- Gil Morgan marked his return to the Senior Tour with a 5-under 65 Friday for a one-stroke lead over Larry Nelson and Jim Dent in the Emerald Coast Classic.

Morgan missed the first eight tournaments of the season because of a pulled rib muscle.

Morgan tested his ribs last weekend in the Legends of Golf, an exhibition event in which he teamed with Hubert Green to finish third. Then he aggravated the injury playing in a pro-am Thursday.

He said he improved dramatically after adding treatment by a chiropractor for the first time to the physical therapy he has been getting since being injured in December while lifting weights.

"I was really skeptical" about being able to play after Thursday's round, Morgan said. "I wasn't sure I was going to be able to survive."

Morgan in fact thrived. He holed out a 160-yard 7-iron approach for eagle on the par-4, 406-yard first hole, then added five birdies against two bogeys.

"It's nice to get back and it's nice to have a good first round," Morgan said. "I was pretty elated. I was almost up to speed."

Following Nelson and Dent on the scoreboard were John Jacobs, Al Geiberger, Green, Jim Colbert and Hugh Baiocchi, all at 67 on The Moors Golf Club's 6,784-yard layout.

"No bogeys," said Jacobs, who had three birdies and 15 pars on his card. "I can't believe that was me."

Jacobs, admitting to past futility in Florida, said it would be an upset if he won. He did, however, note that this Scottish-style course is unusual for Florida because it isn't hemmed in by housing developments and has relatively few water hazards.

"This tournament is famous for down to the last hole," Jacobs said. "I'm pretty sure we'll get another one this year."

The first three Emerald Coast Classics produced playoffs, Dana Quigley won by one stroke in regulation in 1998 and Bob Duval by two last year.

Duval's victory made golf history because minutes later his son, David, won The Players Championship. The elder Duval got off to a slow start in defense of his title, shooting 73.