Ray grabs narrow first day advantage

Conrad Ray carded a five-under-par 67 on Thursday to move out to a one-shot lead over Pat Perez after one round of the inaugural Buy.com Monterey Peninsula Classic at Bayonet Golf Course.

Ray posted four birdies against two bogeys to make the turn in two-under 32 then added birdies on the 10th, 14th and 18th holes to tie his career-low round in two seasons on the Buy.com Tour.

Ray, who was a member of Stanford's 1994 NCAA National Championship squad, made only three cuts in 20 starts in his rookie season last year. He has had a bit more success this year, surviving seven cuts in 25 events prior to this week. His best finish was a tie for sixth at the Richmond Open, which kicked off a stretch of four straight weeks in which he made the cut.

Perez, a Buy.com rookie who won the Ozarks Open in August, sandwiched a double-bogey between birdies at the start of his round. He collected two birdies just before the turn and added two more on his second nine for a 68. Charley Hoffman, a rookie who made his first cut in 16 starts at last week's Oregon Classic, is alone in third after turning in a bogey-free 69.

A total of nine players are tied four fourth at one-under, including Florida Classic champion Fran Quinn and Knoxville Open winner J.J. Henry.

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