Allen Doyle used his slapshot-style swing to shoot a course-record 64 today for a one-stroke lead after one round of the ACE Group Classic seniors tournament.

Doyle's 8-under par at the Bay Colony Golf Club put him one shot ahead of Vicente Fernandez and two in front of Jerry McGee.

"It would be hard to dispute it,'' said Doyle, a defenseman on Norwich University's hockey team some three decades ago. "It is like a slapshot. I remember watching people spray the ball all over the place. I thought (with my swing), I could just keep it straight.''

Doyle carded nine birdies, including six in a nine-hole stretch. His only bogey was at the par-4 third hole, where his approach shot reached the fringe and he failed to convert.

The 64 was one better than Doyle's previous best round on the Senior PGA Tour and left him in position for his best finish since earning medalist honors at December's Senior PGA Tour qualifying tournament.

Doyle, who owns a driving range in LaGrange, Ga., joined the Nike Tour in 1995 and won three times that year. The next year, at age 47, he became the oldest rookie in PGA Tour history. Three years later, he's a rookie again.

"I played six events last year but still had to get through Tour school,'' he said. "My swing started to come around last week. Now my goals coming out are to finish in the top 30. I'd like to win, but first things first.''

With nearly $1 million in prize money last year, Fernandez had no problem making the top 30. But he hasn't won a Senior Tour event since the 1997 Bank One Classic.

His 65 today could have been even better, but at least four birdie putts lipped out. Fernandez hit 12 of 14 fairways and only missed one green in his bogey-free round.

"There were only a few putts (where) I didn't hit the hole,'' said Fernandez, who has been trying to overcome chronic neck pains. "A 65, that's pretty good for me.''

Larry Nelson, who won last week's GTE Classic, led a group of four golfers at 67.