Richard Green has taken a two-stroke lead after the first round of the 2025 Regions Tradition, equaling the tournament’s record with a 9-under 63. The Victorian golfer recorded eight birdies and an eagle at the par-5 13th hole, positioning himself ahead of Steven Alker from New Zealand and Americans Jerry Kelly and Stewart Cink.
Greg Chalmers highlighted his opening round with an eagle at the par-5 15th, finishing with a score of 5-under 67, tying for seventh place. Other notable scores include David Bransdon (69), Cameron Percy (70), Mark Hensby (70), and Michael Wright (70), all within the top 25 after day one.
Green’s performance matched previous records set by Alker in Round 4 last year and Robert Karlsson in Round 3 of the 2023 championship. The 54-year-old Green is seeking his first PGA TOUR Champions victory after being a runner-up six times, including twice in senior majors last year.
Reflecting on his past performances, Green stated: “It’s been a lot of good stuff last year and in big tournaments.” He added that he is working on “little improvements” this year despite acknowledging how challenging it can be. He remains optimistic about his chances: “I’ve just got to keep putting myself in there. I like four rounds. I’ve put myself in a great position today, so you never know.”
Green began his round strongly with a birdie on the opening hole and continued with three consecutive birdies starting from the par-5 fifth hole. His momentum carried through with additional birdies after the turn and an eagle on the 13th hole followed by another birdie at the 14th. A missed fairway resulted in his only bogey at the par-4 16th but he recovered with a successful pitch over a bunker leading to a birdie putt at the par-5 18th.
