GOLF ROUNDUP : Peete, Toscano, Weaver Share Senior PGA Lead

Calvin Peete took advantage of a fast start Thursday to shoot a four-under-par 68 for a share of the first-round lead in the PGA Seniors Championship at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Peete was four under after eight holes and at day’s end was tied with Harry Toscano and DeWitt Weaver.

Weaver birdied five of his first seven holes but was one over on the closing nine on the Champions course at the PGA Resort.

“Those last nine holes are hard,” Weaver said. “They’re intimidating. Every one of them.”

Particularly the last four.

Australia’s Graham Marsh was four under going into that finishing stretch and promptly went double bogey-double bogey. Orville Moody also was four under and lost all four shots in a three-hole stretch.

Larry Laoretti, Jim Colbert and Jim Albus shot 69s.

Defending champion Lee Trevino and South Africa’s Gary Player, each a two-time winner of this event, were at 72. Ray Floyd had a 70 and Jack Nicklaus, who designed the course, shot a 76.

*

Gene Sauers and Nolan Henke each shot five-under-par 66 and are tied for the lead of the MCI Classic at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Bob Tway, Brian Kamm and Tom Lehman are next at 67, and Greg Kraft, Steve Lowery, Bret Ogle, Steve Jones are at 68, along with the only prominent names in the top group--Corey Pavin, Phil Mickelson and John Daly.

Left behind were the marquee names who only days before had dazzled crowds at the Masters.

Davis Love III, runner-up to Augusta champion Ben Crenshaw, is four back at 70. Jay Haas, the second-round leader, bumped up to 72. Nick Faldo took 74, Fred Couples 75 and rookie Brian Henninger, the third-round co-leader, shot a 76.