Andy North leads with opening 64

Andy North let his game speak for itself Friday.

North, a two-time U.S. Open champion who doubles as an ESPN golf analyst, tied a course record with an 8-under par 64 that gave him a two-shot lead after the first round of the Kroger Senior Classic at the TPC at River's Bend.

In his third year on the Senior PGA Tour, the 52-year-old North turned in a bogey-free round that included eight birdies and an eagle on the par-5 third hole.

Bob Gilder, the only golfer on the elder circuit to win consecutive events this year, recorded the Senior Tour's 12th hole-in-one of the season but finished at 6-under 66 and is tied for second with Mike Smith.

Seeking his first career victory in his third year on the Senior Tour, Smith surged into contention with five straight birdies beginning at the fifth hole. He made the turn at 5-under, then added two birdies and a bogey on the back.

Ed Dougherty, Hubert Green and Gil Morgan are another shot back, while Japan's Isao Aoki, Jim Dent, Allen Doyle, John Harris and Dana Quigley are tied for seventh at 4-under.

Playing only his sixth competitive round of the year, North matched the course mark set in June by Steve Flesch in a U.S. Open sectional qualifier. The 64 also equaled North's low round since joining the Senior Tour in 2000.

It marks the first time North has led or shared a first-round lead since the 2000 Gold Coast Classic. He captured the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf with Jim Colbert in 2000 and 2001 but has yet to win an official event on the Senior Tour.

North has only one top-10 finish this year, a tie for seventh at the 3M Championship.

The highlight of Gilder's round came when he aced the 157-yard 12th hole with an 8-iron on the fly. It was the fourth hole-in-one in tournament history and the first since Jimmy Powell in 1996.

Gilder had a 13-under-par 200 total last week to beat South Africa's John Bland by one stroke and capture the Allianz Championship for his third victory of 2002.

The win brought Gilder's season earnings to a career-best $1,702,209. Hale Irwin tied for third at the Allianz and has winnings of $2,328,806. He is the only other Senior Tour member with three wins this year.

Irwin carded an even-par 72 Friday, ending his string of 16 consecutive sub-par rounds.

North was just 1-under through six holes but birdied the seventh and eagled the eighth to make the turn at 4-under. He birdied three of the last four holes to complete a 64, matching his best score since the third round of the 2000 Las Vegas Senior Classic.

Gilder also had a bogey-free round, carding 3-under 33s on each side. He nearly nearly made a second eagle before tapping in for birdie at the par-5 18th hole.

Defending champion Jim Thorpe posted a 2-under 70 and is tied for 17th. Thorpe is seeking his second title of the year and is trying to become the first player to win defend his crown here.

The TPC at River's Bend is a par-72, 7,145-yard course.

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