Curtis Strange leads with opening 67

Curtis Strange shot a 5-under 67 Friday to take a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the FedEx Kinko's Classic.

Strange had six birdies and one bogey in the Champions Tour event at The Hills Country Club, taking an opening-round lead for the first time since the 1998 Doral Ryder Open in Miami.

"I'm taking baby steps right now,'' said Strange, who is playing in just his sixth Champions Tour event. "But I'm starting to get my golf legs under me.''

Brad Bryant and Mark Johnson each shot 68s, and Joe Inman, Jim Thorpe and Bruce Fleisher were another stroke back.

Twenty-nine of the top 30 money winners on the 50-and-over tour are competing in the event, but Strange is the only player in the field to have won back-to-back U.S. Opens.

Last May, Strange left his analyst job with ABC Sports to prepare for the Champions Tour.

"It's been so long, I have a hard time remembering it to be honest with you,'' Strange said. "I knew I couldn't do both TV and golf, and felt I made the right decision to come out here.''

Strange's best finish five previous senior events was a 27th at last week's Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf.

The Champions Tour rookie made four birdies on the front nine, but also made bogey at No. 5. He birdied Nos. 11 and No. 13, then finished with five straight pars for his best round of the year.

Johnson is in only his second year on the Champions Tour, but he said winning the Toshiba Senior Classic in March has given him plenty of confidence.

"I'm playing with the best players in the world and I feel like I belong now, and you don't get many opportunities like that,'' said Johnson, who had six birdies.

Bryant had four birdies on the front nine and offset two bogeys on the back nine with birdies at Nos. 11 and 18.

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