Brad Fabel, seeking his first win in eight years on the PGA Tour, shot an 8-under-par 64 Thursday to take a two-shot lead over Australian Wayne Grady in the first round of the Buick Open.
Fabel, whose best career finish was a tie for second two years ago at the Hartford Open, birdied six of the first nine holes he played. Playing the back side first, he made his only bogey at No. 1 when he needed three putts to get down from 50 feet.
”I never got ahead of myself,” he said. ”I`ve had a lot of trouble putting lately. But I`ve played really well the last couple of months.”
Grady, who hasn`t won since taking the 1990 PGA Championship, tied for 10th at the Buick Open last year over the 7,105-yard layout at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club.
Jeff Maggert, Bill Kratzert and David Frost were three strokes off the lead at 67.
Among the big-name golfers vying for the $180,000 first prize, Greg Norman shot 68, Fuzzy Zoeller 70 and defending champ Brad Faxon 69.
