Matteson leads at Disney World

Troy Matteson used a pair of eagles to vault to the top of the leaderboard at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic after the first round today.

Matteson carded a nine-under-par 63 to grab a one-shot lead over Kevin Streelman, Scott Verplank and James Walker at the PGA Tour’s final event of the year.

Par took a beating in the first round at the Walt Disney World complex. The tournament is being played on the Magnolia and Palm courses.

Of the 128 players in the field, 94 were in red numbers. The contingent is headed by Matteson, who had six birdies to go with eagles at the par-five first and 14th holes en route to his best career round.

“It’s been a long time since I made two eagles in the same round,” Matteson said. “I think it was two years ago when I played on the Palm.”

Streelman reeled off six consecutive birdies from number eights to 13 to overcome his lone bogey at the fifth on the Magnolia course as he joined Verplank and Walker at eight-under 64.

“Coming into this week, we just really wanted to have a good time,” Streelman said.

“It’s a great place to hang out and have some fun and to bring our families.

Former PGA champion Rich Beem also had a bogey-free round and heads a cluster of five players at seven-under 65.