Golf Roundup : Little Shoots a 67 and Leads Peterson by One Stroke

Sally Little shot a five-under-par 67 Thursday to take the first-round lead in the $200,000 Women’s Invitational golf tournament at Moss Creek Plantation on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

“I haven’t played well lately,” the 34-year-old South African said, “so today’s round created a whole new belief in my ability.”

Little, ranked 106th on the LPGA money list, was one stroke ahead of Lauri Peterson. Tied for third at 69 were Deedee Lasker, Lori Garbacz and Kathy Baker.

Little won this tournament in 1976 and 1981.

“Coming back to Moss Creek was like coming home,” she said. “The course is in great shape. The greens seem a bit slower than in the past. I’ll try to keep it going, but each day is a new day.”

Peterson, playing Moss Creek for the first time, needed to adjust.

“I realized my alignment was a little off, but I corrected it,” Peterson said. “I birdied the first hole, and that set me up for a good day.”

Former Florida State University golfer Jeff Sluman shot a seven-under-par 65 in the first round of the $200,000 Tallahassee Open at Tallahassee, Fla., to share a two-stroke lead with John Stark.

Sluman said he has an advantage because he knows the 7,027-yard Killearn Golf and Country Club course well from his college days in Tallahassee.

“It helps to know the course, and since I’ve played here so many times, it did make some difference,” he said after his eight-birdie, one-bogey round. “But I can’t kid myself. Just because you know where the trouble is doesn’t mean you won’t hit it there.”

Stark qualified for the tour this year after failing four times.

At 67 were Beau Baugh, Jim Gallagher, Bill Calfee and Mike Malaska.

Another stroke back were Mark Lye, Kenny Knox, Mike McCullough, Vic Tortorici, Sammy Rachels and Babe Hiskey.