Bill Rogers, a Name From Past, Leads Colonial Open

Bill Rogers, who climbed to the top of the golfing world and then went on a long and frustrating slide to the bottom, shot a five-under-par 65 Thursday to take a one-shot lead after the opening round of the $600,000 Colonial National Invitation golf tournament.

“That looked like somebody we knew from the past,” Rogers said. “It resembled a guy who used to shoot good scores.”

Rogers, 35, assumed star status with a victory in the 1981 British Open but did very little else thereafter. His only PGA Tour victory in the last four years was in the 1983 New Orleans Open.

In recent weeks, however, Rogers’ game has shown signs of coming around, and last week, he shot a 63 in the Byron Nelson tournament en route to a tie for 19th.

“I don’t even want to talk about the old days,” Rogers said. “Let’s talk about what’s happening now.”

Rogers posted his score in warm, muggy conditions and it stood up as winds increased to plague the afternoon starters.

Chip Beck, Clarence Rose and Bill Sander shot 66s.