Thorpe takes opening day honours

Jim Thorpe shot a 6-under-par 65 Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Bruce Fleisher and Bob Gilder in the opening round of the SBC Championship at Oak Hills Country Club.

Arnold Palmer, playing in San Antonio for the first time since 1986, shot a 2-over-par 73, one stroke less than his age.

"The 10th was the turning point," said Thorpe, who eagled the hole to go to 3-under par. "I hit a big drive and that got me pumped up."

Thorpe, ranked fifth on the Champions Tour money list, had six birdies and one eagle on the par-71, 6,661-yard course.

The 54-year-old Thorpe, winner of last year's Long Island Classic, made the eagle with a driver and 6-iron to 10 feet of the pin on the par-5, 513-yard 10th hole.

Thorpe, whose best finish at the San Antonio tournament was a tie for seventh in 2000, birdied the par-3, 198-yard 18th hole.

Fleisher and Gilder each shot 5-under-par 66s.

Fleisher, ranked 11th on the money list, bogeyed the 18th hole and missed a chance to share the lead. Gilder, last year's SBC Championship runner-up, had a birdie on the final hole.

Lanny Wadkins, Fuzzy Zoeller, Craig Stadler and Hale Irwin were tied at 4-under-par 67.

Bill Rogers and Allen Doyle stood at 3-under 68. Defending champion Dana Quigley, playing in a record 231st consecutive Champions Tour tournament, shot a 2-over par 73.

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