Golf Roundup : Rookies Love, Pierot Shoot 65s and Share Lead in Buick Open

Davis Love III and Billy Pierot, both PGA Tour rookies, each shot a seven-under-par 65 to share the first-round lead Thursday in the $500,000 Buick Open at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in Grand Blanc, Mich.

One stroke behind the leaders was Ed Fiori, who birdied the last six holes for a 66 on the rolling 7,014-yard layout.

Jim Colbert, J.C. Snead, Howard Twitty, Brad Faxon, Tom Byrum and Jim Rutledge were next at 67.

Love, one of the longest drivers on the Tour, had trouble with his putter. His tee shot on the 335-yard 12th hole landed 15 yards from the front of the green, but he two-putted after chipping within six feet of the pin.

Love two-putted once from 10 feet and three times from 20 feet, saving par each time but missing out on valuable birdies.

The 30-year-old Pierot, who didn’t join the Tour until last year, was 33-32. He had eight birdies and only one bogey in his round.

Chris Johnson shot a five-under-par 67 to take a two-stroke lead over JoAnne Carner after the first round of the du Maurier Classic, the last of the Ladies Professional Golf Assn.’s four Grand Slam events.

Johnson had an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys on the 6,107-yard Board of Trade Golf Club course in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge.

Johnson, who is winless this season, sank a four-foot putt for her eagle on the 450-yard, par-5 fourth hole.

At two-under 70 were Cathy Sheehan, Cathy Morse, Nancy Scranton and Cathy Johnston. Nancy White of Toronto, playing on her home course, is the leading Canadian with a 71. She’s in a large group that included Jan Stephenson, Sandra Palmer, Juli Inkster and Laura Baugh.

Jane Geddes, winner of the last two tour events -- the U.S. Open and the Boston Five Classic -- had a 74.

Argentine golfer Vicente Fernandez shot a four-under-par 68 to take a one stroke lead over Spain’s Severiano Ballesteros after the first round of the $208,600 Dutch Open at Noordwijk.