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Bob Gilder takes two shot advantage Bob Gilder tied the tournament and course record with an 8-under 64 Friday for a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the Constellation Energy Classic.
Gilder needed only eight putts on the front nine at Hayfields Country Club and finished with just 22 for his lowest round on the Champions Tour since 2003 at the Emerald Coast Classic, his last victory.
Tom Watson and Dan Pohl were tied for second after opening 66s. John Bland, John Jacobs, Larry Nelson, Hajime Meshiai and D.A. Weibring were another shot back, and former major league pitcher Rick Rhoden and two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange were in a group at 4 under.
Gilder got to 8 under through No. 14 and putted for birdie on each of the last four holes, but failed to break the tournament record shared by five players.
``I think I made more putts today than I've made all year,'' said Gilder, a seven-time winner on the Champions Tour. ``It was fun, that's for sure.
``Shoot, I didn't know it was going to be a course record. They should've told me. Maybe I'd have made one.''
The 54-year-old Gilder, whose best finish this year is a tie for fourth at the Allianz Championship, made his share of putts over the first 14 holes. Using a modified claw grip, he rolled in five birdie putts of 10 feet or more, including a 25-footer at No. 10. He also chipped in for birdie from 30 feet on No. 6 and saved par with an 11-foot putt at the eighth.
Watson didn't make as many putts, but he hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation. The Senior British Open champ saved a par after driving into the water at the par-5 fifth, the only green he missed, and converted six birdie chances.
``When you don't make a bogey, you're happy,'' Watson said.
Lee Trevino, playing in his first event since January because of back pain and after undergoing minor surgery in May, opened with an 80.
Bob Gilder 32-32-64 -8
Tom Watson 34-32-66 -6
Dan Pohl 33-33-66 -6
Larry Nelson 35-32-67 -5
D.A. Weibring 33-34-67 -5
John Jacobs 34-33-67 -5
John Bland 31-36-67 -5
Hajime Meshiai 33-34-67 -5
Rick Rhoden 35-33-68 -4
Jim Colbert 34-34-68 -4
Andy Bean 37-31-68 -4
Mark James 35-33-68 -4
Curtis Strange 33-35-68 -4
John Ross 34-34-68 -4
Gary McCord 32-37-69 -3
Keith Fergus 32-37-69 -3
Allen Doyle 35-34-69 -3
Pete Oakley 35-34-69 -3
Bruce Fleisher 37-32-69 -3
Tom Jenkins 34-35-69 -3
Morris Hatalsky 34-35-69 -3
Bob Charles 34-35-69 -3
Doug Johnson 35-35-70 -2
Mike San Filippo 37-33-70 -2
Bob Murphy 34-36-70 -2
James Mason 34-36-70 -2
Dave Barr 34-36-70 -2
Gibby Gilbert 36-34-70 -2
Rocky Thompson 35-35-70 -2
Norm Jarvis 34-37-71 -1
Brad Bryant 36-35-71 -1
Ed Dougherty 35-36-71 -1
Joe Inman 36-35-71 -1
Bobby Wadkins 37-34-71 -1
Mike Sullivan 36-35-71 -1
Mike McCullough 33-38-71 -1
Wayne Levi 34-37-71 -1
Des Smyth 35-36-71 -1
Doug Tewell 36-35-71 -1
Jay Sigel 37-34-71 -1
Don Pooley 34-37-71 -1
Dana Quigley 34-37-71 -1
Jim Albus 33-38-71 -1
Walter Hall 35-36-71 -1
Howard Twitty 37-34-71 -1
Graham Marsh 36-35-71 -1
Charles Coody 36-35-71 -1
Bruce Summerhays 37-35-72 E
Mike Reid 36-36-72 E
David Eger 35-37-72 E
Mark Johnson 35-37-72 E
Gary Koch 37-35-72 E
Tom McKnight 37-35-72 E
Dave Stockton 35-38-73 +1
Dale Douglass 37-36-73 +1
Jerry Pate 36-37-73 +1
Lanny Wadkins 37-36-73 +1
Mike Hill 35-38-73 +1
J.C. Snead 38-35-73 +1
Jim Thorpe 36-37-73 +1
Jim Ahern 36-37-73 +1
Tom Kite 35-38-73 +1
Raymond Floyd 38-35-73 +1
Lonnie Nielsen 36-37-73 +1
Mike Donald 37-37-74 +2
Leonard Thompson 37-37-74 +2
Terry Dill 37-37-74 +2
Mark McCumber 39-35-74 +2
John Harris 36-38-74 +2
Joe Clark 40-34-74 +2
R.W. Eaks 39-36-75 +3
Mark Lye 31-44-75 +3
Larry Ziegler 40-36-76 +4
Jim Dent 37-39-76 +4
Deane Beman 36-40-76 +4
Don Reese 34-43-77 +5
Dick Mast 39-39-78 +6
Lee Trevino 39-41-80 +8
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