Andrade takes narrow opening advantage

Billy Andrade shot a 5-under-par 66 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over J.J. Henry and rookie Kenneth Staton in the Pennsylvania Classic.

Andrade, who won the last of his four PGA Tour titles late in the 2000 season, birdied all three par 5s in his bogey-free round, closing with a 2-foot putt on the par-5 18th.

"I was fighting my swing all summer long and playing some horrible golf," Andrade said. "You've got to find a way to get it back. I'm a classic fighter, I guess."

Donnie Hammond and Australia's Mathew Goggin opened with 68s on the Waynesborough Country Club course.

Paraguay's Carlos Franco topped a nine-player group at 69, and Len Mattiace, a two-time winner this year, was another stroke back along with Buick Classic winner Chris Smith. Australia's Robert Allenby, the winner last year at Laurel Valley in Ligonier, had a 71.

Play began in chilly and windy conditions, with only four of the first 24 starters finishing under par.

"It was tough playing earlier," Hammond said. "It was windy and kind of hard to get it close to the hole. It had to be the wind."

Staton had three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the front nine and took a share of the lead with a birdie on No. 15. After a three-putt bogey on the par-3 17th, he got back to 4 under with a birdie on No. 18.

"I lost a little concentration on 17," he said. "It's really my own fault. I just told myself to forget it and not bogey 18."

Jeff Maggert ran into trouble on his final hole, four-putting for a double bogey on No. 9 after hitting his approach above the hole. He finished with a 71.

Hammond lipped out birdie tries on Nos. 17 and 18.

"I was pretty happy with 68," Hammond said. "It's hard to get it close. It's hard to even see where the pin is to the green the way they're sloped. There are a lot of blind shots out there."

Henry, who started play on the back nine, opened with a birdie and made the turn at 4 under, but played the front nine in even par.

"I hit a good drive on the opening hole, but started playing into the wind," he said. "I made a long birdie putt that really carried my momentum during the day."

Henry entered the week 104th on the money list with $514,938 in 28 events.

"I joked with my caddie two weeks ago in Vancouver that I had as much money then as I did the same time last year when I went on to make over a million dollars and have a great rookie year," he said. "So I can play more aggressively these last seven or eight weeks and give myself a chance." a 4-under 31 on the front. ... Jim Furyk, from nearby West Chester, had four birdies and six bogeys in a 73. ... Dudley Hart and Bob May withdrew because of back injuries.

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