GOLF ROUNDUP : Floyd’s 66 Ties Him for Lead on New Western Open Course

Playing in brisk afternoon winds, Raymond Floyd missed only two greens and did not make a bogey in a six-under-par 66 Thursday that staked him to a share of the first-round lead in the Western Open at Lemont, Ill.

Floyd was joined in the top spot by left-hander Russ Cochran, Mark Lye and Mike Sullivan, who birdied all the par-five holes on the Dubsdread course at Cog Hill that the touring pros are playing in competition for the first time.

The tournament was held at Butler National for 17 years but moved to its new site after the PGA Tour established a policy requiring open membership at clubs hosting its tournaments.

Mark Calcavecchia, one of four men a stroke off the first-round lead, called the course “one of the two or three best we play all year.”

He was tied with Gary Hallberg, Lee Janzen and Rick Dalpos, who had a hole in one with a six-iron on the 185-yard 14th hole.

Of the eight leaders, all but Floyd played in the more gentle breezes of the morning.

“That just shows you how good that 66 of mine was,” Floyd said.

Sandy Stephen, a little-known Scotsman suffering through a horrible season, shot a seven-under-par 62 and took a three-stroke lead after the second round of the Monte Carlo Open.

Stephen, who missed the cut in 12 of 14 tournaments and has earned only $3,800 this year, is at 127, 11 under par.

Rodger Davis also shot a 62 and is second at 130. First-round leader Seve Ballesteros shot a 69 and fell to a third-place tie at 131 with Jeff Hawkes and Jose Rivero.