GOLF ROUNDUP : Albus, Charles Share Lead in Senior Championship

Jim Albus’ life changed drastically because of the Senior Players Championship, but his play in the $1.2-million tournament looked familiar Thursday.

Albus and Bob Charles shot six-under-par 66s to share the first-round lead at the sun-drenched TPC of Michigan at Dearborn.

They were one stroke ahead of Jim Colbert and Jack Nicklaus--who designed the 6,876-yard golf course in the shadow of the Ford Motor Co. world headquarters.

Two strokes back at 68 were defending champion Dave Stockton, Raymond Floyd, Bob Murphy and Rocky Thompson, seeking his first victory since 1991.

Albus had won the tournament in 1991 while still working as a club pro at Piping Rock Club on Long Island. It was only his sixth start on the senior tour, and he now plays it full time.

“I have nothing but good thoughts here,” Albus said. “A lot of club pros can play. They just always haven’t had the chance to show it.”

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Craig Stadler and Roger Maltbie shot five-under-par 65s to share the first-round lead in the Canon Greater Hartford Open at Cromwell, Conn.

They were within one stroke of the course record.

John Huston, Keith Clearwater and Dan Forsman are a shot back, and nine players, including Nick Price and Corey Pavin, were at 67. A day after only six players broke par during a celebrity pro-am because of wind gusting to 25 m.p.h., 26 golfers broke par in ideal conditions.