Sabbatini Sails to First-Round Lead at Boeing Classic

Rory Sabbatini, a Slovakian golfer who turned 50 on April 2, is looking to make an impact in his PGA Tour Champions debut. After two weeks of competing at this level, he's already sitting pretty with a bogey-free round that earned him the first-round lead at the Boeing Classic.

Sabbatini fired a 7-under-par 65 to take the top spot ahead of Jerry Kelly and Steven Alker by two shots. The course, held at The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge in Washington, may have been unfamiliar territory for Sabbatini, but he found it 'pretty simplistic'.

'From tee to green, pretty simplistic layout,' Sabbatini said. 'You know the keys, the things you have to do, just put the ball in the fairway.' However, as players get closer to the greens, precision becomes key due to severe bunkering and tricky surfaces.

Kelly, a two-time champion at this event, managed six birdies but was edged out by Sabbatini's stellar performance. Alker matched Sabbatini's seven birdies but struggled with two bogeys in his round.