Langham leads with record round

Franklin Langham is putting his doubts to rest.

Langham tied a course record with an 8-under-par 63 on Thursday and opened a two-shot lead after the first round of the $3.6 million Kemper Open.

Winless in nine years on the PGA Tour, Langham torched the TPC at Avenel with a bogey-free round that included eight birdies. He became the ninth person to shoot a 63.

Langham also matched the lowest round of his career, previously established in the second round of the 2000 Doral-Ryder Open.

Bob Estes is two shots back while Chris DiMarco is among five players three strokes behind. Australia's Greg Norman also is in contention after a 4-under 67.

But the big story was Langham, whose career was in jeopardy last year after he underwent major surgery on his left elbow in October. He participated in the PGA Championship in August before taking the rest of the year off.

"There were times I was scared," admitted Langham, who has missed the cut in four of his first six events this season. "I never got to the point where I said I'm not playing again. But I definitely was scared."

"Surgery was in October. It took me until the end of November until I could straighten my arm out again. The first month of my therapy was only just working to get ... my arm back. And it hurt so bad from stuff I did, like how am I ever going to grip a club again? But I was really determined to do it. I feel like I got a lot of fight in me, so hopefully it's paying off, and now I'm starting to reap the rewards."

Langham also may have something working in his favor. This tournament has produced first-time PGA Tour winners each of the last three years in Rich Beem, Tom Scherrer and Frank Lickliter III.

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