PGA TOUR: Day One of the Champions' Dick's Sporting Goods Open

Featured Columnist Andy Reistetter is on site at the Dick's Sporting Goods Open at En Joie Golf Club in Endicott, New York. Endicott is one of the Triple Cities along with Johnson City and the author's hometown of Binghamton. Here are his thoughts after Round 1 on Friday, June 25th, 2010.

On the Champions Tour, Friday is opening day, not cut day.

All 78 professionals entered in the fourth Dick's Sporting Goods Open will play all three rounds on the En-joie golf course.

There is still pressure on the professionals.

If one does not start well, one only has two more rounds to make up the difference in order to contend on Sunday afternoon.

Attending a Champions event is fun.

The older guys are really good.

They still hit the ball a long way. Some hit it farther than their days on the regular tour due to club technology, golf ball design and personal physical fitness.

I followed the pairing of Nick Price, Tom Kite and Peter Jacobsen.

Kite's appearance has changed a great deal since the days when a U.S. Open slipped away at nearby Oak Hill before he earned his due at another Open at Pebble Beach.

His physique is chiseled, his glasses gone and with a pretty lady caddie, he is one of the many superstars, not super seniors, out here on the Champions Tour.

Kite and Price were out-driving the younger Jacobsen.

Chided by the gallery a bit, Peter's response was, "Hey those guys have all original parts!"

Jacobsen is healthy again after left shoulder rotator cuff surgery in January and a right knee replacement two years ago.

Although there are gallery ropes, watching a Champions event is up close and personal kind of like a U.S. Amateur championship.

After Price hit a chip a little heavy on the par-five eighth hole, all around the green could hear him say, "Awe, you wimp!"

On the 12th green, my senses were overcome by the smell of spiedies on the barbecue.

The Lupo Lady's spiedie was the best I ever had in my entire life!

On the 16th, Price's approach was long and up against the grandstand.

After briefly conferring with playing partner Kite, he took his own drop without calling for a rules official.

These guys like to play and play fast, completing play in nearly four hours.

Also on the 16th green, Jacobsen left a birdie putt hanging on the lip gallery side. He jokingly led the gallery in a, "One, two three, BLOW," attempting to coax the ball into falling into the cup.

Right behind our group was the Dick's Sporting Goods Open Champions group of R.W. Eaks (2007), Tom Kite (2008), and Lonnie Nielson (2009).

Who's leading the 2010 Dick's Sporting Good Open after day one?

Local favorite Wayne Levi, who won the 1984 B.C. Open, shot a bogey-free 65 to lead by one stroke over Dan Forsman and Brad Bryant.

Mark Calcavecchia, in his Champions Tour debut, shot 67 and is tied for fourth with Olin Browne, Blaine McAllister, Fred Funk and defending champion Lonnie Nielsen.

I liked the way the tournament committee back-loaded the pairings to the extent the Golf Channel taped their coverage later in the day to capture the play of the cream of the Champions crop.

Most of the name players were in the last few groups versus the traditional middle of the pack.

With the featured golfers playing later in the day, it was more convenient for the folks attending the tournament to stay afterwards for a Rob Thomas concert.

It worked magnificently, as golf spectators and fans of the American rock recording artist and songwriter filled the amphitheater around the 18th green and most of the 18th fairway.

Over 14,000 celebrated a great day in Broome County and enjoyed the concert

The most touching part of the day came when Jacobsen took the stage as the sun set over the western hills in the Susquehanna valley.

I was hoping for a comeback performance of Jake Trout and the Flounders in honor of Payne Stewart.

Mark Lye was nowhere to be found.

Instead, Peter gave a touching personal tribute to the recently departed Alex Alexander, the man behind the original B.C. Open who led the transition to the Champions Dick's Sporting Goods Open.

A video of memories was played on the large screen towering over the 18th hole, including personal tributes by what seemed like all the Champions Tour stars and players.

Though it may seem like a stretch, Jeff Sluman's analogy of Alex and Bobby Jones and The Masters tournament may not be that far off the mark.

Especially if you are a kid living in Broome County that has benefited from the community charities this tournament has funded since its inception in 1971.

There was only one thing I wish I could change on this perfect summer's day and evening in central New York State.

I wish my dad, who passed in 1993, could be here with me watching another great professional golfing competition in the Southern Tier.

Afterwards we would have gone and played a few holes up at Ely Park.

And likely stopped at Sharkey's for another spiedie sandwich and a hot pie.

Good living and good golfing my friends!

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer. He follows the PGA TOUR volunteering and working part time for CBS Sports, NBC Sports, and The Golf Channel.

He resides in Jacksonville Beach, Florida near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach.

He enjoys pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it. He can be reached through his website at www.MrHickoryGolf.net or by e-mailing him at [e-mail].