Scott Hoch and newcomer Franklin Langham each shot 6-under-par 66s Thursday to share the lead after the opening round of the Houston Open.
Hoch, who has four top-10 finishes this year, had birdies on three of his first six holes on the Tournament Players Course at The Woodlands north of Houston, then strung three straight birdies on his back nine.
Langham, making a second attempt on the PGA Tour after losing his playing card for 1997, started with three consecutive birdies, including a 20-footer on the par-3 No. 3. He was at 7-under and in the lead heading to the tough water-lined, par-4 18th. His drive went into the rough and he missed a 10-foot putt for par, giving him his lone bogey of the day.
Bruce Lietzke, returning to competition after four weeks off, was one shot back at 67 along with Mike Hulbert, Jay Delsing and Guy Boros.
– Pat Hurst made eight birdies, all from inside 10 feet, and wound up with a 7-under-par 65 for a share of the lead with Dawn Coe-Jones after the first round of the Titleholders Championship in Daytona Beach, Fla. England’s Lisa Hackney, the LPGA rookie of the year in 1997, and Eva Dahloff of Sweden were another stroke back. Annika Sorenstam putted for birdie on every hole and was among six players at 67.
