Golf Roundup : Mast Shoots 64 to Lead by a Stroke in Virginia

Winless PGA Tour veteran Dick Mast came within a stroke of the course record with a seven-under-par 64 that gave him a one-shot lead in Thursday’s opening round of the $650,000 Anheuser-Busch golf tournament at Williamsburg, Va.

Playing in the morning on the 6,776-yard Kingsmill Golf Club course, Mast had no bogeys and rolled in seven birdie putts.

At 65 were Tom Byrum and Tom Purtzer, both of whom also played in the morning, and Bill Buttner, who began his round later in the day when rising temperatures and winds hardened Kingsmill’s greens.

Jerry Pate, an eight-time winner who is coming back after three shoulder operations, was joined at 66 by Larry Rinker, Charles Bolling and Clark Burroughs.

U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange, who lives on the grounds of Kingsmill, headed a large group at 68, which also included Mark McCumber, the defending champion, and 1985 winner Mark Wiebe.

Juli Inkster had an eagle and four birdies on her first 10 holes and shot a tournament record-matching, six-under-par 65 to take a three-stroke lead in the first round of the $400,000 LPGA Mayflower tournament at Indianapolis.

Defending champion Colleen Walkeer was one of seven players tied for second place. Also at 68 were Chris Johnson, Sally Quinlan, Terry-Jo Myers, Donna White, Betsy King and Tammie Green.

Nine players were at 69 and 14 at 70.

Fred Couples followed his opening 64 with a 68 and held a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the $425,000 Scottish Open at Gleneagles, Scotland.