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GOLF ROUNDUP : Albus, Hobday Shoot 66s in Ideal First Round

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From Associated Press

Jim Albus and Simon Hobday took advantage of ideal morning conditions to fire five-under-par 66s Thursday and share the first-round lead in the U.S. Senior Open at Pinehurst, N.C.

“It was playing pretty soft,” Albus said of the famed No. 2 course at the Pinehurst Resort and Country Club made vulnerable by overnight rains. “To tell you the truth, I’m a little surprised the scores aren’t even lower.”

“I’d hate to think what it would be like if it was hard and fast and the wind was blowing,” Hobday said.

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Wayne Carey and Graham Marsh, a rookie on the 50-and-over circuit, shared third with 68s.

Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Ray Floyd were among several at 69. Others were Tom Wargo, Isao Aoki, Tom Shaw and club pro Jack Kiefer.

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Sean Murphy, last year’s Nike Tour player of the year who had failed to make the cut 12 times this season, got his putter working and finally found a course to his liking at the Western Open in Lemont, Ill.

Murphy, whose highest finish in the three tournaments he completed was 44th, shot a six-under-par 66 and was part of a five-way tie for the first-round lead.

John Huston, Bill Glasson, Phil Mickelson and Bob Gilder were also at 66.

Defending champion Nick Price, Dave Rummells, Andy Bean, Scott Hoch, Greg Kraft, Steve Lamontagne and Mark Calcavecchia were all one shot back.

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Sam Torrance matched the course record with a seven-under-par 65 in the opening round and took a two-shot lead in the Irish Open at Kilkenny, Ireland.

Seve Ballesteros and Englishman Craig Cassels were tied for second.

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