IRVING, Texas – Louis Oosthuizen is still looking for a remedy for his recurring back issues.

A victory at the Byron Nelson Championship would sure make him feel much better.

“The last year and a half was really frustrating,” he said.

Oosthuizen birdied four of the last five holes for a 6-under 64 on Saturday and a share of the third-round lead with Brendon Todd. The 2010 British Open champion had the low round of the day after recovering from bogeys on two of the first four holes.

“I made a nice birdie on 5, and just really made some good putts,” Oosthuizen said. “Every opportunity I had for birdie I actually made. My eye was good today, and I hit a lot of them really close.”

Todd who made 12 consecutive pars before holing a 4-foot birdie at No. 18 for a 68 to match Oosthuizen at 10-under 200.

On the morning of the Nelson’s final round last year, Oosthuizen withdrew because of a neck issue. He missed extended time last season, and is still bothered by the back even though he won at home in South Africa in January.

Mike Weir, James Hahn and Gary Woodland were a stroke back.

“That’s what I’ve been working toward the last few years, to get myself back here in this position, and looking forward to the challenge,” said Weir, the 44-year-old left-hander.

Weir, the 2003 Masters champion who hasn’t a top-25 finish since 2010 when the Canadian had an elbow injury, shot 67 while missing 4-foot putts on Nos. 15 and 16. Hahn’s 65 included five birdies in a row on the back nine, and Woodland shot 66 with a double bogey at No. 7.

Morgan Hoffmann twice fell out of the lead after hitting drives left into the water and making double bogey, at Nos. 11 and 18. He finished with a 68 and was tied for sixth at 8 under with three-time major champion Padraig Harrington, Marc Leishman and Graham DeLaet.

Todd’s only bogey was at the 420-yard fourth hole, when his approach went over the green and he two-putted from 8 1/2 feet. But that was sandwiched by long birdies.

After beginning the day with a two-stroke lead, Todd had to make a 4-foot birdie on No. 18 to regain a share of the lead.

“I wanted to get one more birdie under my belt so I could be that much closer to shooting the score I need to win Sunday,” Todd said.

Oosthuizen was 2 under and well off the pace after his bogey at No. 4, when he hit his second and third shots from the rough and then was in a greenside bunker. The South African blasted to about 10 feet and had to make that putt for bogey, then made three birdies in a row.

He made an 8-foot birdie putt at the par-3 fifth, and followed that with an approach to 6 feet at No. 6 and a two-putt from 58 feet at the par-5 seventh. There was another string of three consecutive birdies at Nos. 14-16 before a closing 4 1/2-footer at No. 18.

“It’s always nice finishing a round on a high,” Oosthuizen said. “You sort of feed off that the next day, and that keeps you going.”

Hoffmann was at 10 under and alone in the lead when he hit his drive into the water to the left at the 320-yard 11th hole, with Weir was just ahead on the green.

Weir sank a 2-footer for his fourth consecutive birdie to get to 10 under. Hoffmann then hit another drive after his penalty and wound up with a double bogey. But Weir missed putts from about 5 feet on both Nos. 15 and 16, the latter lipping the cup.

Hoffmann was again 10 under after birdies at Nos. 15-16, but hit his drive at No. 18 into the water and then hit twice out of the same greenside bunker.

Scott Scheffler, a 17-year-old top junior from Dallas playing on a sponsor exemption, made a hole-in-one using a 5-iron on the 218-yard second hole. He is the fourth amateur since 1983 with an ace in a PGA Tour event. That was part of his 69 that also included five bogeys and four birdies to get to 2 under for the tournament.

Dallas native Jordan Spieth, now 20 and ranked eighth in the world, made the Nelson cut as an amateur at ages 16 and 17. Spieth shot 73 on Saturday and was even par overall.

Brad Fritsch was 2 over after a 71 Saturday. He’s tied for 69th.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Kenny Perry’s driver is sailing long and true again, just like the one he used to win two major championships last year.

Perry shot a 3-under 69 on Saturday at Shoal Creek to take a one-stroke lead over John Inman after the third round of the Regions Tradition.

He is seeking his third Champions Tour major title after winning the Senior Players Championship and U.S. Senior Open in consecutive tour starts last year.

Perry switched drivers after his first-round 72. The one he used to win both majors last year was destroyed on a flight from New York to Seattle for the Boeing Classic last August when the airline “killed it.”

“I’ve struggled ever since,” Perry said. “I did win the AT&T at the end of last year to hang on and win the Charles Schwab Cup, but I didn’t really play great and I haven’t played very well this year either.

“I’ve been fighting driver woes so hopefully this is a turn in the right direction and this driver’s going to solve my problems.”

Perry had a 7-under 209 total. He had four birdies and bogeyed No. 16, savoring the warm, sunny weather after two rounds in cooler temperatures and playing “very consistent, very solid golf.”

Inman, a two-time PGA Tour winner who coached at the University of North Carolina, shot a 66 after two even-par rounds. He had seven birdies before his first slip-up, a bogey on No. 16.

“I just hit a lot of solid shots,” Inman said. “I didn’t drive the ball as well as I would have liked, but when I drove it in the rough, I just hit some miraculous shots.”

His big putt was some 20 feet on No. 7.

Steve Elkington, second-round leader Mark Calcavecchia, Jay Haas, John Cook, Jeff Maggert, Olin Browne and Tom Pernice Jr. were 4 under.

Perry’s best finish on the tour this season was a fifth-place tie at the Toshiba Classic. The 54-hole leader has won only one of the last seven majors.

He made nearly matching 12-15-foot uphill putts on Nos. 12 and 13 to take a two-shot lead.

His only bogey on 16 came when his bunker shot went long and he missed the putt, but he bounced back with an 8-footer for par on the next hole.

A light rain had been replaced by sunshine by the time the leaders teed off, but for the third straight day they were allowed to lift, clean and place their golf balls.

“Still the scores are high,” Perry said. “Whenever you let a pro get his hands on it, the scores really tend to drop pretty low but this golf course is really beating us up with the swirling winds. We had South winds today. We played northwest winds the first two rounds.”

Calcavecchia began the round with a one-stroke lead over Haas, but both struggled.

Calcavecchia had a double bogey on No. 11 on his way to a 74. He lost a six-stroke Saturday lead in the 2011 Regions Tradition, largely thanks to a pair of double bogeys on 12.

“Two wrong clubs and a chunk wedge in the water on 11, that’s two bogeys and a double,” Calcavecchia said. “I actually hung in there pretty good for that.”

He said nagging rib problems plagued him for the third straight day, this time starting on the second hole.

Haas shot a 73 to snap the tour’s longest streak of par or better at 23 rounds. He had three straight bogeys starting on the second hole and didn’t have a birdie until No. 10.

The conditionally exempt Inman’s best finish in his first three tournaments of the year was a tie for 15th at the Allianz Championship in February.

He played in 14 events in 2013, mostly through the career victory category thanks to his PGA Tour wins, and didn’t finish better than ninth.

He’s the younger brother of former PGA Tour and Champions Tour winner Joe Inman. Only three sets of brothers have won on the Champions Tour – Bobby and Lanny Wadkins, Bart and Brad Bryant and Dave and Mike Hill.

The siblings both had successful Saturdays. Joe Inman coached Georgia State into its first NCAA championship since 2007 and his little brother followed with a big round.

“It feels good to get in because I’ve only played three events this year and I just need to play,” Inman said.

Defending champion David Frost was 2 under after a 71r. Tom Watson, the Tradition winner in 2011 and 2012, was even after a 72.

Canada’s Rod Spittle is tied for 31st at 3-over 219. Jim Rutledge was tied for 59th at 9-over 225.

Fred Couples shot a 73 and was 8 over.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Hee Young Park topped the leaderboard at 8 under Friday in the suspended second round of the Kingsmill Championship.

The South Korean player, fighting a lingering wrist injury, shot a 3-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead over Stacy Lewis, Brittany Lang, Lexi Thompson, Azahara Munoz and Lizette Salas.

“Last week I rested like whole week, so I can I think more focus on the course and I’m ready,” said Park, a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour. “Yesterday more hard ground, so a bit tough to hit solid, hit the ball. But today more soft fairway, everything, so it helped a lot. So more comfortable today. A lot of ice, good food, good sleep.”

The second-ranked Lewis, in position to take the top spot in the world ranking from Inbee Park, had a 65.

“Definitely have a better feeling coming off the course today,” Lewis said. “Just feel like I played a lot more solid, hit the ball better, definitely had more control going into the greens. I think less wind helped there. Just stayed really patient and made a few putts, and added up to a pretty good score.”

Lang finished with a 68.

“I’ve been playing really well and working really hard just trying to be confident out there and committed to my shots,” Lang said. “Working on a few things, so good first two days.”

Thompson, Munoz and Salas were unable to finish the round because of darkness after the start of play was delayed 3 1/2 hours because of overnight rain. Thompson, the Kraft Nabisco winner, and Munoz had five holes left, and Salas had seven remaining.

Coming off a victory two weeks ago in the North Texas LPGA Shootout, Lewis would jump to No. 1 with a victory or a solo second-place finish, as long as third-ranked Lydia Ko doesn’t win. Ko, 2 under with six holes left in the round, needs a victory to move to No. 1. Inbee Park is skipping the tournament.

“I’m excited,” Lewis said about her lofty spot on the leaderboard. “This is a position I love to be in. I love giving myself a chance to win. I’m right where I need to be. I just got to keep staying patient and get a few putts to fall.”

Defending champion Cristie Kerr was tied for 12th at 4 under after a 71. She also won the Michelob Ultra at the course in 2005 and 2009.

Canada’s Alena Sharp was tied for 12th at 4-under par when the horns sounded Friday. Lorie Kane was at even par and tied for 42nd.

IRVING, Texas – Canadian Mike Weir hasn’t had a top-25 finish since 2010. After the second round of the Byron Nelson Championship Friday, he’s closer to breaking that drought.

Weir, of Brights Grove, Ont., and fellow Canadian Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., are part of an eight-player group tied at 6-under 134, two strokes behind leader Brendon Todd, heading into Saturday’s third round.

“The work I’ve been doing over the years is to get back into this position, and now I’ve got to see if I can handle it and get momentum going and play well on the weekend,” said the 44-year-old Weir. “It’s been difficult to play and not be in contention.”

Also at 6 under after Friday were Martin Kaymer _ five days after winning The Players Championship _ Paul Casey, who finished near the top of the leaderboard after a record back nine, Morgan Hoffmann, who had had bogey-free 66s, Tim Herron (66), Charles Howell III (66) and Marc Leishman (68).

Casey was over par Friday before matching the PGA Tour record for the best score on a back nine, an 8-under 27 with six birdies and an eagle. That was part of his 7-under 63 that was the low round of the day, though he could never remember such a good nine.

“On par-3 courses, I think,” Casey said. “I like to think I would be good at shooting low rounds of golf through the past, but certainly nothing like that.”

When Casey made the turn, he was coming off a three-putt at No. 9, his third bogey of the day. The 36-year-old Englishman, whose only PGA Tour victory was five years ago, was then 2 over for the tournament, even after making a 9-foot eagle putt on the par-5 seventh hole.

“I think it’s easier when your back is up against the wall, like I was today” Casey said. “I was backed into a corner and had to do something. A little shift in, let’s say, attitude, and a little shift in goals.”

Kaymer had his second consecutive 67, and has been in the 60s for all six of his rounds at TPC Four Seasons. The German won at TPC Sawgrass on Sunday.

“If you had a good week, obviously you can take a lot into the next week. You play a little bit more free, a little bit more relaxed,” Kaymer said. “It’s a new week, and I want to do as good as possible here.”

For the second time in five years, Todd is back on the PGA Tour after getting his card back through the Web.com Tour. He ended his round with back-to-back birdies to wrap up a round of 64 in which he needed only 22 putts. That included the 6-footer at the par-3 17th after his tee shot rolled just past the hole.

“It’s nice to put two under-par rounds together before the cut. That’s been a challenge for me this year,” Todd said. “I was patient today.”

Todd, who started with six consecutiveF pars before four birdies in a five-hole stretch, first got to 7 under with a 12-foot birdie at the par-3 13th hole, but gave that stroke back at the par-4 15th when he hit his first two shots into the rough and had his only bogey.

Peter Hanson was leading after a first-round 65, but was eight strokes worse Friday and dropped back to a tie for 25th at 2 under.

David Duval, only a stroke off the lead after an opening 66 that included birdies on four of his last five holes, shot a 76 Friday and missed the cut by a stroke at 2-over 142. The former No. 1 player, now 890th in the world 15 years later, had six bogeys over his last 11 holes and had only one birdie during his second round.

Casey made a 6 1/2-foot birdie putt at No. 10. His drive at the short par-4 11th was short of the greenside bunker, and from an awkward stance hit his approach over the pin onto the fringe before making a 24-foot birdie. He also had birdies at Nos. 13-15, a 32-foot putt for an eagle-3 at the 16th, and closed with another birdie.

The overall nine-hole scoring record is Corey Pavin’s 8-under 26 on the front nine in the first round of the 2006 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee in 2006. Seven others have had 27s on nine holes, the last Nick Watney in the third round of the 2011 AT&T National.

Scottie Scheffler, a 17-year-old amateur from Dallas, shot a 68 with six birdies and four bogeys to make the cut at 1-under 139.

Jordan Spieth, now 20 and the eighth-ranked player in the world, made the Nelson cut at ages 16 and 17 when he too was a top-ranked junior player from Dallas playing on a sponsor exemption. Spieth was 3 under after a 67 Friday.

Defending Nelson champion Sang-Moon Bae missed the cut after rounds of 73 and 74.

Stephen Ames had quite an interesting Friday in Texas. The Calgary native spun one back from 58 yards out on the par five 16th hole for eagle, but was later disqualified for an incorrect scorecard.

Stephen Ames DQ’d from @hpbnc, signed for a 4 but made a 5 at the fifth hole. #PGATOUR

— PGA TOUR Media (@PGATOURmedia) May 17, 2014

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mark Calcavecchia made an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Jay Haas after the second round of the Regions Tradition at Shoal Creek.

Calcavecchia shot his second straight 3-under 69 to reach 6 under, while Haas had a 70 after they came in as part of a four-way tie at the Champions Tour major.

Haas missed a 4-footer on No. 18 to give Calcavecchia a shot at sole possession of the lead at the midway point. Calcavecchia said finishing with a birdie improves his mood, lead or no lead.

“It really doesn’t matter, other than the fact that I’m happier that I made the putt on the last hole, made the 8-footer for birdie as opposed to missing it,” said Calcavecchia, who is seeking his first Champions Tour win since the 2012 Montreal Championship. “Sixty-nine sounds better than 70, it always has.

“It always feels good to birdie the last hole. Leading as opposed to being tied for the lead, that makes no difference whatsoever to me.”

He aggravated a rib problem late in Thursday’s round and had upper back spasms. Calcavecchia said it began flaring up again after swinging starting on No. 14 Friday.

Kenny Perry and Olin Browne were 4 under. Perry had a 68, and Browne shot 71. Browne was part of the first-round logjam along with Chien Soon Lu, who shot a 77.

Haas birdied the first four holes, and Calcavecchia had three birdies on the first six holes.

“I didn’t put myself into a lot of bad positions,” Haas said. “Being 4 under after four was kind of a dream start and it kind of slowly got away from me. But I like my position. I feel pretty good about my situation going into the weekend.”

He bogeyed No. 5 after landing in the bunker and then three-putted No. 15 for another bogey. Haas followed that with a 35-footer for birdie on No. 16.

Calcavecchia also had a bogey on the 15th hole after having a bad lie about 10 yards right of the green. He chipped it some 15 feet past the hole.

Calcavecchia said he started his round knowing Haas had gotten off to a good start and that Tom Pernice Jr. – who finished with a 70 and was four strokes back – had also opened with four straight birdies. Beyond that, he said he’s not a scoreboard watcher.

“There’s no point in really looking at this stage,” Calcavecchia said. “You’re just trying to play the course and make as many birdies as possible and pars. Still a long way to go. If it was a three-rounder like most of our regular tournaments, it would be a little different story maybe. But we’re only halfway done.”

Haas takes a different approach.

“I look at scoreboards all the time,” he said. “I like seeing my name up there and seeing what’s going on and all that. It’s such a long race and there’s so much golf left to be played that I’m not too concerned about one shot here and there. You hate to throw any shots away obviously, but I’m still feeling pretty good about where I am.”

Perry had three birdies on the final nine holes and was already looking forward to Round 3.

“Saturday’s the rocking chair day as I call it, and I’ve got to make my move on that day,” said Perry, who also had two bogeys. “I need to shoot another one of these or a little better to get back into it for Sunday.”

Canada’s Rod Spittle is tied for 36th after a second round 75. He’s 3-over par thru two rounds and nine off the pace.

The other Canadian in the field, Jim Rutledge, is tied for 56th at 6-over par.

Defending champion David Frost was five strokes back and two-time winner Tom Lehman was six away from the lead. Both had 71s.

Fred Couples was 7 over after a 77.

GIRONA, Spain – Thomas Pieters overcame three early bogeys to shoot a second consecutive 3-under 69 Friday and take a one-shot lead after the second round of the Spanish Open.

The Belgian rookie, who earned his European Tour card here at the PGA Catalunya Resort in November, had a 6-under 138 total to sit one shot ahead of first-round leader Eddie Pepperell of England (71) and Joost Luiten of the Netherlands (69).

Italy’s Francesco Molinari had six birdies to sit two shots back after a 67.

The 22-year-old Pieters “I just hung in there and made some late birdies. The wind died out on the last nine and I took advantage of that.”

Sergio Garcia had six bogeys in his 74 to slip five behind Pieters.

Bernadette Little, the three time Nova Scotia Golf Association (NSGA) Junior Girls Champion, recently completed a very successful sophomore season with the Cleveland, TN based NCCAA division II Lee University Flames. Finishing within the top 10 at every event she played in, she also earned herself a first medalist honours.

Beginning her 2013-14 season on a high note, Little won the Smokey Mountain Invitational by two strokes in September after firing rounds of 69-73-(142). After her first tournament win, Little used that momentum to add four more top five finishes; including second overall at the NCCAA National Championship. These individual successes rolled in, all while she helped the Lady Flames achieve three tournament wins and three second place finishes.

“Winning the Smokey Mou
Outside of her tournament win, a second place individual finish at the NCCAA National Championship in November was also an impressive highlight for Little. Her win there was made even more special when the Lady Flames won their first national title, and teammate Courtney Shelton took medalist honours.ntain was really exciting and exactly what my golf game needed,” explained Little.  “After getting my first win my mind set going into tournaments changed, I now feel I have a chance to win events, whereas before I just wanted to shoot a score that could help my team.”

“National Championship was a total team effort,” Little added “I was also really happy to see Courtney get that win, knowing how much time she put into her game. Finishing runner up to a teammate while winning the team portion in both men’s and women’s events made it even better”.

Little has finished inside the top 10 in all 10 events she played in this season, which she attributes to a combination of hard work in the off season, increased focus on her mental game and her coach, John Maupin.

Maupin had nothing but praise for the sophomore talent.

“Bernadette has helped our team this year in numerous ways, not the least of which is her stellar play,” explained Maupin. “Bernadette provides great leadership to our team through her dedication and work ethic. She also has a knack for teaching, and has been able to effectively share information with her younger teammates”.

Little’s success has made Maupin much more aware of some of the talent available in Nova Scotia

“It’s something I discuss often with Bernadette, we would love to add another player from the province,” he added.

Despite her collegiate season being done, don’t expect Little to have much down time when she gets home. Little has her eyes set on the provincial amateur, nationals and a tournament in Florida this August in order to prepare for next season.

As for expectations heading into 2014-2015, Little said she wants to continue more of the same from this season. “I just want to keep improving my game, and put myself and our team in position to win some tournaments.”

Maupin sees Little’s stock continuing to rise. “She has a true talent, but even more importantly she has the desire and passion necessary to be the best. Knowing Bernadette, she won’t stop until she is the best player in Division II”.

Off the course, Little studies business management at Lee and plans on becoming involved with the coaching aspect once she graduates.

“After graduating I plan on becoming a golf coach and hopefully have the chance to work my way to the college level,” said Little.

Given her work ethic and pedigree as a player, Little’s future pursuit of a coaching role will no doubt be successful as well.

____

Kody Blois is a former goaltender with the Amherst Ramblers, now attending Saint Mary’s University, and is the Tournament and Communications Coordinator for the Nova Scotia Golf Association. You can follow him on twitter @kodyblois or follow his blog www.kodyblois@blogspot.ca.

IRVING, Texas – Peter Hanson made his only back-nine birdie with a 6-foot putt at the 18th hole Thursday, closing out a 5-under 65 for a one-stroke lead over David Duval and two others after the first round of the Byron Nelson Championship.

Duval, ranked 890th in the world 15 years after being No. 1, birdied his last three holes – Nos. 7-9 – after pitching in from 57 feet for another birdie at the fifth hole.

Marc Leishman and Tim Wilkinson matched Duval at 66.

The 42-year-old Duval almost withdrew before the round because of a muscle issue in his right elbow that made it painful to hit balls and practice this week. About a half-hour before teeing off, he still wasn’t sure that he was going to play because his arm was hurting again.

“I’m just glad I chose to tee off today, because I was seriously considering not,” Duval said.

Martin Kaymer, The Players Championship winner Sunday, was among eight players at 67.

Hanson made the turn at 5 under after shooting 30 on the front side. The Swede couldn’t keep up the pace on the back nine at TPC Four Seasons that he hadn’t played before Thursday because of travel issues and a sore back.

All six of Hanson’s birdie putts were inside 10 feet.

While Hanson, Duval and Wilkinson played afternoon rounds, Leishman was in one of the first groups out in the morning. He had a tap-in birdie putt at the par-3 second hole.

Leishman’s only bogey, at the 431-yard fourth hole after missing the green, was sandwiched by a pair of birdies. The Australian hit 13 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens in regulation in a round he described as “fairly stress-free for the most part.”

It was Leishman’s best-scoring round since an opening 66 at Torrey Pines in January when he was the runner-up with his second consecutive top-five finish. In eight tournaments since, he missed three cuts and his only finish in the top 30 was a tie for 23th at The Players.

When Duval finished his round, he had a share of the lead – until Hanson sank his final putt. Hanson didn’t arrive in Texas until Tuesday after a canceled fight and has also been bothered by a sore back.

Duval hasn’t led the end of any round on the PGA Tour since the fourth of five rounds at Las Vegas in 2002. That was a year the last of his 13 PGA Tour wins at the 2001 British Open. He is playing his first Colonial since 2003 as a past champion on tour, a status that provides only limited playing opportunities.

After his bogey on his 12th hole, the 528-yard third hole, Duval was even par for his round. He had the long pitch on No. 5, and a similar shot from 43 feet at the par-5 seventh hole started his closing birdie stretch. He sank putts of 3 1/2 and 17 feet to finish.

Canada’s Graham DeLaet and Mike Weir opened with matching 2-under 68s and hold a share of 13th spot.

Stephen Ames was at even-par after his round Thursday. Brad Fritsch took 72 swings to get around TPC Four Seasons Resort.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Champions Tour players put on long-sleeved pullovers and tried to figure out which way the wind was swirling from hole to hole. They left Shoal Creek with little separation at the top.

Jay Haas, Mark Calcavecchia, Olin Browne and Chien Soon Lu shared the first-round lead at 3-under 69 on Thursday in the Regions Tradition, the first of the 50-and-over tour’s five majors. Nine others were within two strokes of the lead.

With windy, unseasonably cool conditions, it was the highest score for first-round leaders at the Tradition since three players tied at 3-under in 1990 at Desert Mountain Club in Arizona. The course absorbed more than an inch of rain heading into Thursday and the players were allowed to lift, clean and place their golf balls.

The Tradition hasn’t been so tightly bunched in the top spot after the first round since a seven-way tie in 2008 and the average score was about two strokes higher than last year’s first round.

“The winds were very tricky,” the 60-year-old Haas said. “I kind of had a handle on it, I thought, on the front nine. And then by the time we got to about 13, 14, 15, I had no idea which way the wind was blowing.

“With all the trees and the valley and everything, you get a lot of swirling winds and you just have to be extra careful and think it out and then hit the shot that you’re planning to hit, which I did most of the time.”

Calcavecchia birdied three of the final nine holes and came within a whisker of a fourth and the solo lead on No. 18.

“When it was about 10 feet short, I didn’t think it could miss,” he said. “It was just dead center the whole way and the last couple of feet, it was still in the middle of the hole and it just dribbled just a shade to the right and singed the right lip.

“That would have been nice to walk that one in to end the day. Those are the ones that make the rest of the day go by a little bit better, dinner taste a little better.”

Haas capped a run of three straight birdies with a 50-foot putt on the 12th hole to move to 5 under. He finished with six birdies and had bogeys on three holes, including two of the next four after the long putt.

The sun actually shone much of the day but the wind and wet course did make for some challenges.

“There was no roll in the fairways,” Calcavecchia said. “We had to play lift and place. The ball was just caked with mud every time you picked it up in the fairway. The wind was very tricky.”

Lu did manage to birdie the final hole and two of the last three to grab a share of the lead

The native of Taiwan has two second-places in the Tradition, 2010 in Oregon and 2012 at Shoal Creek.

Calcavecchia’s history at the scenic course has been up and down, though he says it’s his favorite stop on the Champions Tour.

He lost a six-shot lead in 2011, including a pair of weekend double bogeys on No. 12. This time he avoided a bogey on his most troublesome hole but tweaked a rib on a shot from the fairway bunker.

“The 12th hole is not my favorite out here, I’ll tell you that right now,” Calcavecchia said.

Browne’s only win on the 50-and-over circuit came in the 2011 U.S. Senior Open Championship. He missed five months of last season with a stress fracture in his back, playing only 14 events.

Browne, who tied for second at the ACE Group Classic in February, had a bogey-free round with his final birdie on No. 17.

“It was blustery and it was difficult to gauge, but my caddie and I did a decent job,” Browne said.

Steve Elkington, Willie Wood and Corey Pavin were one stroke off the lead at 70 and six players were two shots back.

Canada’s Rod Spittle carded an even-par 72 Thursday. He was tied for 14th with nine players including Tom Watson, Colin Montgomerie and David Frost, among others.

Jim Rutledge shot 76 Thursday.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Azahara Munoz and Austin Ernst had strong finishes Thursday to share the first-round lead in the Kingsmill Championship at 6-under 65.

The former NCAA individual champions completed their morning rounds on the front nine at Kingsmill’s River Course, with Munoz birdieing four of her last seven holes, and Ernst closing with birdies on No. 7 and 9.

“I don’t think it’s easy,” Munoz said. “The wind is pretty tricky, but the pins were somewhat accessible. Obviously, the course is playing is much shorter than normal because it’s warmer and drier. Holes I had been having 4-irons in, I was having 9-irons in today.”

Munoz had a bogey-free round, saving par with a 10-foot putt on the par-3 second – her 11th hole – after hitting into a greenside bunker. The Spaniard lost a playoff to Paula Creamer in Singapore in March, when Creamer made a 75-foot eagle putt on the second extra hole.

“I’ve been having a much better attitude,” said Munoz, the 2008 NCAA winner at Arizona State who won the 2012 Match Play Championship for her lone tour title. “When I miss a shot, I don’t let it get to me so much like I used to. I used to get pretty upset, and that really hurt me.”

Ernst, the 2011 NCAA winner at LSU, rebounded from a bogey on the par-4 first with an eagle on the par-5 third, hitting a 6-iron from 182 yards to 10 feet on the downwind hole.

“Really just solid,” Ernst said. “Gave myself a lot of looks, hit a lot of greens and made it really easy on myself out there on a day when it was pretty windy and it could kind of get away from you a little bit.”

Heavy rain was expected overnight and Friday morning, likely delaying second-round play.

“We’ll just kind of see,” Ernst said. “I’m kind of glad I’m in the afternoon tomorrow. That way I don’t have to kind of hang out. If it does get delayed, you’re not waiting on the update every 30 minutes.”

South Korea’s Hee Young Park shot 66.

“Everything is pretty good,” Park said. “I made a lot more putts.”

Defending champion Cristie Kerr opened with a 67 after missing the pro-am Wednesday because of illness. She also won the Michelob Ultra at the course in 2005 and 2009.

“It was weird. I started feeling really bad Tuesday night,” Kerr said. “I woke up and just didn’t want to get out of bed. Just kind of knew something was wrong. I just was going to stay in bed and try to recover, but my husband was like, `You got to go see a doctor.’ So I went, and he was like, `You have heat exhaustion and maybe something else going on.’ So they took me to the hospital and gave my IV fluids and ran some tests and I had an infection.”

Lexi Thompson, the Kraft Nabisco winner, also was in the group at 67 along with Lizette Salas, Brittany Lang, Kathleen Ekey, Danielle Kang and Thidapa Suwannnapura.

“Overall, I’ll definitely take 4 under,” Thompson said. “I feel really good about my game right now. I’ve worked extremely hard in my offseason, especially on my short game. I put a lot of hours and hard work into it. To see it paying off definitely helps my confidence out.”

Jessica Korda, Yani Tseng and Ai Miyazato topped the group at 68.

Second-ranked Stacy Lewis and No. 3 Lydia Ko, both in position to take the top spot in the world ranking from Inbee Park, each shot 70. Lewis would jump to No. 1 with a victory or a solo second-place finish, as long as Ko doesn’t win. Ko needs a victory to move to No. 1. Park is skipping the tournament.

Lewis won the North Texas LPGA Shootout two weeks ago.

The 17-year-old Ko is coming off a victory three weeks ago in the Swinging Skirts event in California.

“I think I’m hitting the ball really well, which is a really good sign,” Ko said. “So, hopefully, I can hit like this the next couple days and get some putts going in.”

Alena Sharp is leading Canadian after the opening-round in Virginia. Sharp is 2-under, four back off the lead after a 69.

Lorie Kane carded a 2-over 73 Thursday, leaving her tied for 79th.

Team Canada members Rebecca Lee-Bentham and Jennifer Kirby, as well as Maude-Aimee LeBlanc, were all tied for 123rd after 5-over 76s.

Sue Kim was 6-over after a 77.

Heavy rain was expected overnight and Friday morning, likely delaying second-round play.