Price on Cook's albatross: 'Most perfect shot you've ever seen'

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PALM COAST, Fla. -- Believe it or not, Nick Price -- who has been playing golf for 44 years -- saw something for the first time on Saturday.

Price

John Cook, who was in Price's threesome on the second day of the Ginn Championship at Hammock Beach Resort, holed an incredible double eagle on the par-5 14th hole.

"It was the most perfect shot you've ever seen in your life," Price gushed. "I've seen a hole-in-one on a par 4 but never a two on a par 5. It was beautiful to watch."

His playing partner didn't steal all the glory, however. Price made seven birdies on his way to a 5-under 67 and he could have scored even lower.

Cook

On the same No. 14 where Cook only needed two swipes of the club to find the hole, Price found water. Still, he managed to save par. It was his second time hitting the ball into the drink on a par-5, having done so earlier at the sixth hole. He was in between clubs on both holes and wound up choosing the wrong club on both occasions.

The World Golf Hall of Fame member won 18 times on the PGA TOUR but has yet to capture a Champions Tour title. Once regarded as the best player in the world in the mid-1990s, Price won back-to-back majors in 1994. He put those trophies on the mantle beside his 1992 PGA Championship hardware.

He's only been on the 50-and-over circuit for a little over a year, as opposed to 23 years on the PGA TOUR, so give him a break on the winless thing.

In order to take his maiden title tomorrow, Price thinks he would benefit from tougher conditions. Though that may sound counterintuitive, he said it is easier to catch up if the weather and wind picks up.

"I would like conditions to be harder. You can always make up more ground when the weather is iffy," he explained.

Price fired an opening-round 72 with four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey. He called Day 1 a little "frustrating" since he was hitting the ball well. The quality of his golf shots didn't change between the two rounds, he noted, just his patience level and his score.

"I played really well but just had a couple of loose shots [on Saturday]. I drove it well and, probably like a lot of other guys, I should have been three or four better. I did a lot of good things out there."