GOLF ROUNDUP : Trevino Opens With a 67 and Leads by One Stroke

Lee Trevino had eight birdies, but he was more pleased with his bogey on the final hole.

Trevino had a five-under-par 67 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after one round of the U.S. Senior Open at Paramus, N.J.

“Making that last-hole bogey was more fun than all the birdies put together,” Trevino said.

Trevino, who has five victories in his rookie season on the Senior Tour, had a two-shot lead when he hooked his drive into the trees on the 18th hole. He played back to the fairway, then clipped an overhanging tree limb with his third shot and was 50 yards short of the green on the par-4 hole.

Trevino pitched his fourth shot some 15 feet past the pin, but sank a 15-foot downhill putt to retain the lead.

“The one thing I proved today was that Lee Trevino can make some birdies on this golf course,” he said. “I made eight. Not many people can stay up with you if you make eight birdies.

“But that (last one) was the biggest putt of the day.”

It kept Trevino one shot in front of Charles Coody, Walt Zembriski, Jim Dent, John Paul Cain and Ken Still, who had 68s. Chick Evans and Babe Hiskey were next at 69.

Jack Nicklaus, winner of two of three starts on the Senior Tour, had a 71.

“I really wasn’t very good,” Nicklaus said. “I just hit too many shots I didn’t like. I need to go to the range.”

Trevino, who has yet to beat Nicklaus in senior competition, denied he is keeping an eye on his rival.

“I’m just playing the golf course,” he said. “I’m not worried about Jack Nicklaus. I’m just concerned with Lee Trevino.

“I figure if I can get around in about 70 three more times, that’ll do it. If it isn’t good enough and Jack beats me, that’s fine.”

Bob Charles, the New Zealander who led the seniors in earnings the past two seasons, was at 73. Arnold Palmer, 60, who won this title nine years ago, shot 74.

Gary Player, the South African who beat Nicklaus and Trevino in the PGA Seniors earlier this season, was at 75, along with defending champion Orville Moody.

Chris Perry had seven birdies and a great par in a round of seven-under-par 63 to lead by one shot after the first round of the Greater Hartford Open at Cromwell, Conn.

After missing the green on his second hole--a 194-yard, par-3--Perry hit a “nearly impossible shot” to within 12 feet of the hole and made the putt.

Perry, son of former major league pitcher Jim Perry, followed his par putt on the 11th hole with three consecutive birdies.

Perry made two 18-foot putts and one from 15 feet, all for birdie.

Steve Jones was alone in second place with a 64. Five players, including Jay Haas, are tied for third at 65.

Hubert Green and 10 others are at 66. Defending champion Paul Azinger shot a 68.

Cathy Johnston tied Ray Floyd’s course record with an eight-under-par 65 for a two-stroke lead over Patti Rizzo after one round of the du Maurier Classic at Kitchener, Canada.

Johnston, 26, in her fifth year on the LPGA Tour, matched Floyd’s mark set at the 1981 Canadian PGA championship.

Rizzo, who shot a 67, had a 30 on the back nine, breaking Floyd’s record of 31.

Liselotte Neumann was third at 68.