Dot Germain, Non-Winner Since 1980, Leads by Stroke in Florida After a 68

Dot Germain, who hasn’t won an LPGA event in 9 years, birdied the last two holes in darkness Thursday to finish with a 4-under-par 68 and a 1-stroke lead in the opening round of the $300,000 Oldsmobile golf tournament.

The 16-year tour veteran, with only the one victory in 1980 to her credit, sank a 15-foot putt on her next-to-last hole to pull even with Jody Rosenthal, Dottie Mochrie and Beth Daniel, then made a 10-footer on the final hole to take sole possession of the lead.

Mochrie, Daniel and Rosenthal, who bogeyed the last 2 holes to squander what remained of a 4-shot lead, shot 69s on the 6,333-yard Stonebridge Golf and Country Club course.

Rosenthal, seeking her first victory since 1987, birdied 5 consecutive holes and 6 of 7. But she bogeyed No. 11 and came back to the field when she hit an approach shot into the right bunker on the 17th hole, then drove into a fairway bunker on No. 18.

Betsy King, winner of the season-opening Jamaica tournament 2 weeks ago, was among a group at 71. Defending champion Nancy Lopez shot a 72.