Five tied for first day lead

Garrett Willis, Vance Veazey, Bobby Wadkins, Guy Hill and Mike Emery share the lead at five-under par after the opening round of the Florida Classic, the first event of the 2000 BUY.COM (formerly Nike) Tour season.

The quintet fired five-under 66s around the par-71 Gainesville Country Club. Nine players are just one shot back at four-under, while another 10 are two off the pace on the crowded leaderboard.

Willis was the second player off the tee on Thursday morning and birdied three of first five holes before making the turn at four- under. He then bogeyed his 13th hole of the day, but didn't let the mistake affect him as he rebounded with a birdie on the next hole.

"I have struggled in the past with being able to control my emotions," said Willis, a four-year veteran of the Nike/BUY.COM Tour. "I feel like as I get older, my maturity level seems to get better.

"I was playing well (until the bogey), so I just went into the next hole and hit a good tee shot. It's not a hole you would think birdie on because it's a par-five turned par-four and I hit it in there about 20 feet and made the putt."

Veazey, who won the Carolina Classic on the Nike Tour last year and finished 27th on the money list, had six birdies and one bogey during his round on Thursday.

Wadkins, a long-time touring professional who has never won a PGA Tour event, was the runner-up at this event last year. He finished 72nd on the money list in 15 events.

Hill, a BUY.COM Tour rookie, finished tied for 10th last year at Doral on the PGA Tour. The 1994 University of Florida graduate said he played this course at least once a week during his collegiate days.

"I feel real comfortable," said Hill. "I had a lot of good rounds on it and had a lot of success. I know where the trouble spots are so I know what to avoid this week."

Briny Baird is one of the nine players one shot off the lead. He could have had a share of the lead, but bogeyed the final hole to finish at four-under 67.

Jeff Hart, Kelly Grunewald, Mark Hensby, Mike Smith, Ty Armstrong, Zoran Zorkic, Ryan Hietala and Will McClave are also four- under.

Mike Standly, Bob Lohr and Greg Twiggs -- former PGA Tour members -- are among 10 players knotted a three-under 68.

Defending champion Richard Johnson struggled to a three-over 74 in the opening round.

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