GOLF ROUNDUP : Waite Goes Bogey-Free for Lead at Kemper Open

New Zealand native Grant Waite, who regained his PGA Tour card last January after a two-year absence, shot a bogey-free 66 on Thursday to take a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Kemper Open at Potomac, Md.

Waite would more than double his career earnings of $134,689 with his first victory on the tour. His best finish was a tie for fourth at this year’s Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic, which was held the same week as the Masters.

Tim Simpson, displaying the form he showed before contracting Lyme disease in 1991, shot a four-under-par 67.

Ed Fiori, Kelly Gibson, Jeff Maggert and David Toms also had 67s on the TPC at Avenel course. Eight players were at 68.

Sixteen players were at 69, and Tom Kite was among a group of 19 at 70. Defending champion Bill Glasson shot a 74.

John Daly had a 40 on the front nine, finished at 77 and was disqualified for not signing his scorecard. Glenn Tait, a PGA Tour official, said Daly approached him later and explained he had simply forgotten to sign the card.

Waite, starting on the back nine, made a 25-foot putt for a birdie on No. 11 and a three-foot birdie putt on No. 14. He then birdied three holes on the front nine with putts that were between two and six feet.

Waite, who lives in Salt Lake City, found himself way over his head during his first year on the tour in 1990.

“You get into a new town every week and it takes you a day just to find your hotel and the golf course,” he said. “I was as intimidated as anyone else. But the longer you’re out here, the more comfortable you get.”

Simpson finished No. 8 on the money list in 1990, but his career began to deteriorate in the summer of 1991 after he was bitten by a tick and subsequently contracted Lyme disease.

He had an additional stroke of bad luck last month, when he fell backward six feet into a sand trap and injured his back.

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Jose Coceres of Argentina, Stephen Bennett of England and Frank Nobilo of New Zealand shot eight-under-par 64s to share the first-round lead in the Italian Open at Modena.

John Cook shot a 72 in his European PGA debut for the year.