Roberts Back in the Swing With 62

The adjustments in his swing Loren Roberts was forced to make while wearing a back brace Thursday worked, as he tied a tournament record with a nine-under-par 62 in the first-round of the Greater Milwaukee Open.

Roberts shot a 28 on the front nine en route to a three-shot lead. His 62 tied the tournament record for Brown Deer Park Golf Course set in 1996 by Nolan Henke.

“I was perfect for nine holes and then I hit every green. I just really had a birdie putt on every single hole,” Roberts said.

Roberts, 43, won the tournament in 1996 and was second last year and in 1994, the year play moved to Brown Deer from Tuckaway Country Club.

Jay Don Blake was in second place with a six-under 65.

Among those at five under was Mark Calcavecchia, searching for his first Greater Milwaukee Open victory in his 18th appearance.

For a time, Roberts thought 59 was possible, but he missed birdie putts at 16 and 18.

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Darren Clarke shot a seven-under 64 and took a one-stroke lead in the European Masters at Crans-sur-sierre, Switzerland.

Clarke, currently second on the European Tour money list behind Lee Westwood, had a one-stroke lead over Sweden’s Patrik Sjoland.

While Westwood has struggled with injury, Clarke, from Northern Ireland, has been closing the gap on his No. 1 spot with two second-place finishes and a fourth in his last four tournaments.

The tournament was the first to count toward 1999 Ryder Cup points and Colin Montgomerie and Nick Faldo started their campaigns with rounds of 70 and 71, respectively.

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In Front

Leaders through Thursday’s play (Complete scores, C14):

GREATER MILWAUKEE OPEN--Par 71

Loren Roberts: 28-34--62 -9

Jay Don Blake: 31-34--65 -6

Six tied at -5