Loustalot takes narrow first day lead

Tim Loustalot carded a four- under-par 67 Thursday to lead after one round of the Buy.com Hershey Open. Rob Bradley, Paul Claxton and Todd Demsey are tied for second one shot back after each posted three-under 68s.

Only 20 of the 151 players in the field finished their rounds at even-par or better at the 7,154-yard, par-71 East Course of the Country Club of Hershey. The course was the most difficult on the Buy.com Tour in 1999, playing to a stroke average of 73.15 when the layout was set up as a par-70 of 7,100 yards.

"It's nice to play a course like this, where par is something and you're not getting lapped unless you shoot four-under," said Demsey, who bogeyed the par-three 16th to drop back to minus-three.

Loustalot collected five birdies and one bogey. Two of his birdies came on holes where he used a five-wood, a club he added before this event at the expense of his two-iron.

"I'm not a real high-ball hitter and with some of the par-fours up in the 450-460 yard (range), I just thought it would give me the opportunity to get the ball up in the air a bit on these greens," Loustalot said.

Bradley actually stood at five-under with five birdies and no bogeys through 14 holes, but suffered a double-bogey on the 467-yard, par-four 15th when he had some trouble off the tee. He hit his drive in the right rough then hit his provisional into the same area.

"There were probably 10 people looking for that (first) ball," said Bradley.

Bradley located his second ball but needed two more strokes to reach the green. He minimized the damage by making a short putt to get down in six.

Shane Bertsch, John Riegger and Patrick Burke each carded 69s to finish tied at two-under, while Cleveland Open winner Deane Pappas shot a 70 to finish together with Jim McGovern, Joe Daley and Don Reese at minus-one.

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