Overton leads at Turning Stone, where autumn´s arrival brings a chill

10/3/2008

The sky cleared just in time for Jeff Overton

Teeing off on what became a bright late afternoon after a cold, soggy morning, Overton shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Turning Stone Resort Championship, the second stop on the PGA Tour's Fall Series.

Overton, who started at the 10th hole, made three birdies on the front side to take a one-shot lead over Michael Allen and Steve Allan.

Tag Ridings, Carlos Franco, and Jason Day were tied for fourth at 69.

Another shot back were Briny Baird, Bo Van Pelt, Kent Jones, Mark Hensby, Tommy Gainey, Scott Sterling, Paul Claxton and Troy Matteson, who had a bogey-free round.

Defending Turning Stone champ Steve Flesch, a black knit cap pulled tightly over his ears in brisk conditions that never rose much above 50 degrees, shot a 74.

The inaugural Turning Stone Championship last September was played under near ideal conditions with little wind and temperatures in the 80s.

At the start of play Thursday, it was 48 degrees with intermittent rain and a steady 20 mph wind, a day to watch Canada geese fly south, not little white balls soaring where they weren't meant to go. Only 27 players broke par.

When the sun broke through, it made playing more bearable.

Allen, who finished second to Flesch last year, finished his round wearing a golf shirt and was smiling despite having left 100-degree weather at his Arizona home to come to upstate New York.

The conditions made the 7,482-yard Atunyote Golf Club course play much longer and promised to make it difficult to match Flesch's winning total of 18 under in 2007. "It's totally different," Allen said. "It's playing a lot more difficult."

Despite the inclement weather, the greens remained firm, perfectly smooth and lightning quick.

Leaderboard – Round 1:

1. Jeff Overton                      USA  67 - 5
2. Steve Allan                        AUS  68 - 4
    Michael Allen                     USA  68 - 4
4. Ted Ridings                       USA  68 - 4
    Carlos Franco                    PAR  69 - 3
    Jason Day                         AUS  69 - 3
7. Briny Baird                         USA  70 - 2
    Bo Van Pelt                       USA  70 - 2
    Kent Jones                        USA  70 - 2
    Mark Hensby                     AUS  70 - 2
    Troy Metteson                   USA  70 - 2
    Paul Claxton                     USA  70 - 2
    Scott Sterling                     USA  70 - 2

Source: AP, PGA Tour