Golf Roundup : McCallister Shoots 65, Takes One-Shot Lead

Defending champion Blaine McCallister shot a five-under-par 65 Thursday to take the first-round lead in the $700,000 Hardee’s tournament by one stroke at Coal Valley, Ill.

McCallister, who won this year’s Honda tournament for only his second tour victory, had six birdies and one bogey on a windy afternoon under sunny skies.

One stroke behind McCallister were Curt Byrum, a non-winner after 6 1/2 years on tour, and two players making their first appearances on the PGA Tour--David Toms and Cary Hungate.

“Considering the winds--I’d say 25 miles an hour--65 is one of the best rounds I could have played,” said McCallister, whose middle rounds of 62 and 63 last year in this tournament tied the PGA record for 125 in consecutive rounds.

“Growing up in west Texas, this was just an average wind out there. But you never get comfortable with it, because it’s really tough on your balance and it makes it extremely tough on putting.”

Byrum had four birdies and no bogeys over the 6,796-yard Oakwood Country Club course, which was softened by rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“I’ve worked on being more compact on my swing,” Byrum said. “This was one of my better rounds this year. Changes in my swing have taken time to come around.”

Hungate, who made the field in the final qualifying berth, had five birdies and a bogey in his first tour round.

Toms, a two-time All-American who graduated in June from Louisiana State and is playing with a sponsor’s exemption, had seven birdies, one bogey and a double bogey on the par-4, 444-yard 14th hole.

At 67 were Rex Caldwell, John Adams and Dan Halldorson.

Another stroke back were Bob Eastwood, Donnie Hammond, Phil Blackmar, Lon Hinkle, Steve Hart and Tom Pernice.

Penny Hammel and Kathy Postlewait shot five-under-par 67s for a one-stroke lead after the first round of the LPGA Boston Five tournament at Danvers, Mass.

Cindy Rarick, Amy Alcott, Donna White, Anne-Marie Palli and tour rookie Tina Barrett were tied for second with 68s over the 6,008-yard, par-72 Tara Ferncroft Country Club.

In the past three weeks, Hammel has tied for fourth at the du Maurier Classic, won the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic and tied for third at the U.S. Women’s Open.

“A lot of people are saying, ‘What did you do? What’s happening with you?’ ” said Hammel, whose only victory in her other four years on the tour was at Toledo in 1985. “I don’t want to figure it out.”

Postlewait, winner of the Sara Lee tournament in April and the tour’s 17th leading money-winner, rebounded from an opening bogey with birdie putts from 15 feet and 30 feet on the second and third holes.

She also birdied the fifth and ninth holes, completing the front nine in three-under-par 32. She had three more birdies and a bogey on the back side.

Tied at 69, two strokes behind the leaders, were Beth Daniel, Jody Rosenthal, Cathy Reynolds, Cathy Marino, Loretta Alderete and Donna Cusano-Wilkins.