Fleisher Opens in Lead

Bruce Fleisher has the lead in the U.S. Senior Open and a foolproof strategy for holding onto it.

“I just don’t want to get Hale Irwin too mad, that’s all,” Fleisher said Thursday after shooting a one-under 69--the only golfer to break par in the first round at the 6,709-yard Salem Country Club at Salem, Mass.

Gil Morgan and Frank Conner were one stroke back at even par. Jack Nicklaus, Dana Quigley, Isao Aoki and Walter Hall were at 71 in the chase for the $430,000 first prize.

Fleisher, who has never won a major, had a two-stroke lead heading into the final round of last year’s Senior Open at Saucon Valley in Bethlehem, Pa. But Irwin shot a 65 in the final round to beat Fleisher by three strokes and post the lowest total--17 under--in tournament history.

So was Fleisher’s early lead bringing back any memories?

“What a lousy question. Absolutely not,” Fleisher said in mock anger. “I hope I do get in position like I did last year.”

This year Irwin is four strokes behind. He shot even par on his first nine holes and birdied No. 1, his 10th. But he bogeyed three of his last five holes to limp in at 73.

“I’m very frustrated with my game right at the moment. In fact, I’m very irritated,” he said. “I’ve been working very hard trying to get my game back in shape, but it seems like the more I work the less I get out of it. So I’m about ready to say, ‘See ya.’ ”

Close to withdrawing because of a pinched nerve, Jonathan Kaye shot an eight-under 62 to take the first-round lead in the Greater Hartford Open at Cromwell, Mass.

“I didn’t think I would play today,” Kaye said. “I pulled out of the pro-am. Last week in Westchester, every shot hurt. I was just trying to swing easy and go pain-free, which I did thanks to the help of the guys in the fitness trailer.”

Kaye, winless in five full seasons on the PGA Tour, had a six-under 29 in perfect early morning conditions on his first nine holes, the back nine at the TPC at River Highlands.

“It was almost like indoor golf at the start. The greens were perfect,” Kaye said. “The heat wasn’t much of a factor. I’m from Arizona, so I’m used to it.”

Kaye tied the back-nine record and was one stroke off the course mark set last year by Kirk Triplett. The former University of Colorado star matched the low rounds of his tour career, 10-under 62s in the 1999 Bob Hope Classic and 2000 Las Vegas Classic.

Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama opened with a 63, the best round of his PGA Tour career, a week after withdrawing from the Buick Classic because of a stiff neck. Jay Don Blake shot a 64, and seven players were three back at 65.

Nick Faldo topped a large group at 66, and David Duval, Phil Mickelson and John Daly shot 67s.