Strange-O’Meara Team Takes Lead at Sherwood CC

Curtis Strange and Mark O’Meara combined their talents for a six-under-par 66 Friday in an alternate-shot format that opened the $1-million Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities Invitational golf tournament at the new Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks.

Strange, who finished seventh on the PGA money list this year with earnings of $752,587, consistently drilled long iron shots at the pins, and O’Meara took over with his short game, which included an 80-foot chip shot on the first hole and a pair of 20-foot birdie putts.

After the round, Strange thanked tournament host Greg Norman and course designer Jack Nicklaus for their graciousness in stumbling home with a pair of double-bogeys on the back nine.

“Greg has been a great host,” Strange said, “and if he keeps putting up double-bogeys on (Nos.) 15 and 18, he’ll really be a great host.”

Norman and Nicklaus finished with a two-over-par 74, as did the team of Lee Trevino and Andy Bean. Closest to the leaders were Bernhard Langer and John Mahaffey, who had a 70. Tied at 71 were Tom Weiskopf and Lanny Wadkins, Hale Irwin and Steve Jones, and 1989 PGA top money winner Tom Kite and Hal Sutton.

At 72 were the teams of Raymond Floyd and Chip Beck, and Mark Calcavecchia and Bruce Lietzke. Arnold Palmer and Peter Jacobsen were at 75.

The three-day tournament, which offers $250,000 to the winning team, switches to a best-ball format today and concludes Sunday with a scramble format. Both rounds will be televised by ABC.