VERONA, N.Y. — Leif Olson decided to give golf another shot after a lengthy layoff.
The former Mullen High School standout is showing signs he might have made a good choice.
Overcoming adverse conditions on a blustery day, Olson shot a 6-under-par 66 on Thursday to tie Tim Petrovic for the first-round lead at the Turning Stone Resort Championship.
Olson, a 28-year-old rookie 814th in the world ranking, had to advance through all three stages of qualifying school to earn his 2009 card on the cut line.
“I consider it really my first main year playing as a professional,” said Olson, who played only the 2004 U.S. Open on the PGA Tour before this year. “I played pro just for like a summer and then I stopped. I just kind of started up last summer.”
One shot behind were Matt Kuchar, John Senden and Vaughn Taylor. Kent Denver graduate Kevin Stadler was among a group of seven golfers two strokes back at 68.
The round was halted because of darkness with a handful of players still on the course.
Watson one stroke back
TIMONIUM, Md. — Tom Watson credited skillful iron play for his efficient 4-under 66 in the opening round of the Senior Players Championship.
It was his putter, however, that set the tone.
Watson saved par with an 8-footer on the first hole, then dropped in a 25-foot downhill birdie putt on No. 2. He made his only bogey on 13 and finished tied with Jay Haas in second place behind unheralded Lonnie Nielsen, who had eight birdies and three bogeys in an up-and-down 65.
Although he missed a 3-foot birdie putt on 18 that would have put him a tie atop the leaderboard, Watson said: “It was just a good day all around. I was very happy about the way I played.”
Sandy Lyle shot a 67, and four golfers, including Bob Tway and Dan Forsman, were tied for fifth at 68.
Moodie leads Navistar
PRATTVILLE, Ala. — Janice Moodie shot a bogey-free 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over 14-year-old Alexis Thompson in the Navistar LPGA Classic, with Michelle Wie and top-ranked Lorena Ochoa two strokes back.
Thompson had eight birdies and a bogey.
“Everything was working for me,” said Thompson, a ninth-grader from Coral Springs, Fla. “My ball-striking was good. My driver was a little off, but I’m not going to complain. I rolled my putter really good.”
Moodie, 36, noted Thompson was “almost a third of my age.”
“The thing is, I think she wants to beat me more than I want to beat her,” Moodie said. “I used to be that age. I know what it’s like.”
Wie eagled the par-5 fifth — hitting a 3-wood to 6 feet — and had five birdies and a bogey on the links-style course.
Bjorn sizzles at Dunhill
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Thomas Bjorn shot an 8-under 64 to take a two-stroke lead over Gareth Maybin and Ross McGowan after the first round of the Dunhill Links championship. The Associated Press
