Golf: WNB Classic notebook

>> ROLLER COASTER: Local favorite Blaine McCallister, from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., by way of Fort Stockton and Houston, finished in red numbers Thursday after surviving an up-and-down round.

McCallister, who will join the PGA Champions Tour in two weeks, fired a 1-under-par 71, putting him five shots behind leaders Spencer Levin, Tom Gillis and Reid Edstrom.

Playing in the gusty conditions in the afternoon, McCallister will tee off at 8:32 a.m. today for his second 18.

McCallister opened with a bogey on No. 1 on Thursday, but quickly erased the mistake with a birdie on the second hole. Another bogey on No. 5 again was followed by a birdie on No. 6, before he bogeyed the ninth hole to finish the front side in 1-over-par 37.

Taking advantage of the first par 5 on the back, McCallister birdied No. 12 and then finished with a birdie on No. 18 for a back-nine total of 34.

This is the fifth time that McCallister has played in the tournament, having missed the cut the last three times.

>> WARNING LABEL NEEDED: Hunter Haas, who is 27th on the money list (the top 25 earn PGA Tour cards at the end of the season) was at home in Dallas during the Nationwide Tour's recent two-week break and injured his thumb, tearing the nail off while putting together a toy for his 1-year-old son.

Playing in some pain, Haas fired a 2-under-par 70 in the first round and will look to make the cut today to improve his position on the money list.

>> ONE-UPPED: Mike Putnam and Dustin Bray each recorded two eagles on the day - on the 536-yard fourth hole and then again on the 552-yard, No. 12. Still, those weren't the best shots of the day.

That was reserved for Scott Gordon of Sacramento, Calif., who aced the par-3 16th hole, which was playing 189 yards on Thursday. Gordon finished his round 1-over par.