Lowery, Williamson Share Lead at 64

Justin Leonard’s ball moved slightly when he grounded his putter on the 13th green, costing him a penalty stroke and a share of the lead.

Steve Lowery nearly lost his ball amid the leaves and briars at No. 6, then landed in the woods again at No. 8, probably costing him a good shot at the course record.

Jay Williamson did set a record, shooting a 29 on the back nine as he tries to make up for his embarrassing Sunday collapse four years ago.

When Thursday’s first round of the Kemper Open was over at Potomac, Md., Williamson and Lowery were tied for the lead at seven-under-par 64. Leonard, Greg Chalmers, Brett Quigley and Craig Barlow were all a stroke back as the tournament upheld its legacy of a leaderboard crowded with players seeking a first PGA Tour victory.

The TPC at Avenel course is full of haunting memories for Williamson. He was a wide-eyed, second-year player on the tour when he led this tournament after three rounds in 1996. Then he lost his nerve on Sunday and shot a 79, and it’s still the closest he has come to a PGA Tour victory.

“I don’t think I was really good enough to handle the pressure of whatever a Sunday round brings when you’re in the lead,” said Williamson, who has missed seven of 15 cuts this year. “I think I’m more mature. I’m definitely a better player.”

Williamson, Chalmers, Quigley and Barlow are seeking to become the ninth first-time tour winner at the Kemper.

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Michelle McGann and rookie Grace Park shot six-under 66s to share the first-round lead in the Kathy Ireland Greens.com Classic at Murrells Inlet, S.C.

Peru’s Jenny Lidback was a stroke back and Cristie Kerr and England’s Karen Stupples opened with 68s.

Several of the sport’s biggest names skipped the $750,000 event at Wachesaw Plantation.

Australian star Karrie Webb, a four-time winner this year, is fishing during a two-week vacation at her Florida home that ends next week. Sweden’s Anika Sorenstam and England’s Laura Davies, both two-time winners, are in Sweden for the Chrysler Open.

But McGann, seeking her first victory since 1997, doesn’t believe she’s contending in a “Who’s that?” event.

“We all have different fans, people were driving in from Raleigh to see me,” McGann said. “We really can’t control that. I feel our tour has a lot of strong players that people want to see.”

Park, 21, leading the tour’s rookie standings, had a tap-in birdie on the par-five 10th, rolled in an eight-footer for birdie two holes later. moved within a stroke of McGann with another short birdie putt on the 16th and caught her by floating a 25-yard bunker shot into the cup at No. 18.

“It’s a great finish, a great feeling to make that shot,” Park said. “Sometimes, you just get lucky.”