STATELINE - Looking at the leaderboard after the first round of the American Century Championship on Friday and one would think that little has changed since last year's tournament.
Defending champion Billy Joe Tolliver leads by a point over four-time winner Dan Quinn and 1994 winner Dick Anderson is lurking six points back. Tolliver and Quinn, who both carded 3-under-par 69s, have combined to win four of the past five titles.
But the opening 18 holes of the 17th championship produced high drama. Charles Barkley scored a par on only his third hole, actor Matt Settle shanked one of his tee shots off a boat windshield and Philadelphia 76ers' Chris Webber needed seven strokes to escape a green-side sand trap.
Tolliver, a former NFL quarterback, seized control of the first round by rolling in six birdies, including back-to-back three-pointers on holes 14 and 15.
"I actually played pretty well," Tolliver said. "I hit a couple of errant tee balls on 8 and 9, but other than that, I hit the ball pretty solid today, especially the irons.
"Just like everybody, it doesn't matter what you shoot, you always think, well, there's two that I missed."
Quinn finished a disappointing sixth a year ago but used three birdies on the back nine to return to his familiar role as a contender.
"I played pretty well tee to green," the former hockey player said. "I was a little tentative putting. I probably missed two birdies inside four feet and a couple par putts inside three feet."
Actor Jack Wagner and retired NFL signal-caller Chris Chandler also kept spectators entertained. Wagner went on a birdie binge on holes seven through nine to move into the lead before indifferent back-nine play left him in a third-place tie with Chandler, four points behind Tolliver.
"I had a chance to really have a great score today, but I didn't keep it together," Wagner said.
Chandler overcame a poor putting round with a birdie-eagle finish. He sank a six-foot birdie putt on No. 17 and then chipped in a 15-footer for eagle on No. 18. Chandler's approach shot nearly landed in Lake Laimbeer.
"The thing stayed up because there is a big clump of grass," Chandler said. "It just came out good and went in the hole. That was a lifesaver and I grabbed onto it."
Earlier, Chandler three-putted four times, chasing away father-in-law John Brodie, who played quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers for 17 years.
"I'd hit a bad putt and I'd hear him yelling," Chandler said. "He left me until my wife and kids came back out on the back side. I was trying to make him somewhat proud. I also know he bet on me, too."
Barkley was his usual entertaining self. He whiffed on his opening tee shot on No. 10 as his gallery issued a warning, "Be ready." Walking off the 10th green Barkley found some comedic relief from a crying little boy.
"My golf game has made you cry?" Barkley said.
Barkley, however, hit at least one good shot early in his round. After watching Webber top his shot into the water on the par-3 12th, Barkley lined his tee ball to just off the edge of the green.
"I can't say anything until after I hit," Barkley quipped.
Barkley then proceeded to two putt from 30 feet for par.
"I'm kicking your (butt)," Barkley told Webber after dropping a 3-footer for par.
After a persistent Webber took seven shots to escape a sand trap on No. 14, Barkley couldn't believe the nerve of the former Sacramento Kings' forward.
"How the hell do you have honors?" Barkley asked.
But by the end of the round, Webber was the only one laughing. He built a nine-point lead over Barkley, who posted the worst score of the day at -31. For the second straight year they are wagering $50,000 for charity.