Jul 4, 2008 - 8:09 PM
0 shoutsENDICOTT, New York (Ticker) -- Joe Ozaki showed quite the closing kick.
Ozaki birdied six of his final seven holes Friday to take the lead after the first round of the $1.6 million Dick's Sporting Goods Open.
The Japanese native had been consistent over his first 11 holes, carding three birdies. However, the birdies came in bunches over his final seven holes.
"I played very, very well," Ozaki said. "It was my best score on the Champions Tour."
Ozaki started his birdie binge at the par-5 12th hole and added another at No. 13. After a par, he reeled off four consecutive birdies to punctuate a round of 9-under-par 63. The 63 was his best score since he joined the Champions Tour in 2006.
"The greens were perfect," Ozaki said. "We started early and had good conditions."
The scintillating finish by Ozaki, who never has won on the Champions Tour, gave him a two-shot lead over Eduardo Romero (65).
While Ozaka closed with a flourish, Romero enjoyed a sterling start. The Argentine opened with three straight birdies and had six over his first eight holes.
Romero endured his only hiccup at the par-4 10th with a double-bogey. However, he recovered to card three birdies over his final eight holes, putting himself within two shots of the lead at En-Joie Golf Course.
"I had a good start and made a lot of putts today, it was a fantastic round," Romero said. "I'm very happy with how I played. I think you'll need three rounds like this to win."
Joe Sindelar, Ronnie Black and Fulton Allem all are three strokes off the lead following 66s.
"The first eight or nine holes, I left a few out there," Sindelar said. "I finally made some putts today and that was the story. I've been working on my putting, and today it paid off."
Defending champion R.W Eaks is 12 shots behind Ozaka after managing only a 75. Last year, Eaks earned his first Champions Tour title with by a three-stroke victory over Bruce Vaughan.
Plagued by knee pain and looking down the road at possible double-knee replacement surgery, Eaks has only one top-10 finish this season.
Last week's winner, Loren Roberts, is not in the field.
First prize is $240,000.
