Huston in Top Spot at Senior Players Championship


John Huston carded a 5-under 65 to take the opening-round lead in the Constellation Senior Players Championship. The $2.7 million Champions Tour major began Thursday at Fox Chapel Golf Club in Pittsburgh.

Huston, a 52-year-old from Illinois with seven PGA Tour wins and one victory on the over-50 circuit at the 2011 Dick's Sporting Goods Open, started play on the 10th tee. He posted five birdies, an eagle on the par-4 seventh hole (his 16th), and two bogeys to forge a one-stroke lead over Duffy Waldorf, Fred Funk, Russ Cochran and Fred Couples.

The start of the tournament was delayed by a nearly five-hour rain delay. Scheduled to start at 7:29 a.m. the round actually began at 12:20 p.m. To accelerate play, the field started on both the first and 10th tees.

Five players carded 67s on the par-70 course. The group includes Joel Edwards, Jim Gallagher Jr., Tom Pernice Jr., Mike Goodes and Michael Allen.

Americans Jeff Hart, Bobby Clampett, Chip Beck, Scott Hoch, Larry Mize, Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Lehman and Mark O'Meara shot 68s along with Australia's Steve Elkington and South African David Frost.

Making his Champions Tour debut, Scotland's Colin Montgomerie opened with a 69.

The winner of last week's Encompass Championship, Craig Stadler, was among a host of players to open with a 70.

Last year's surprise winner in the Senior Players Championship, Joe Daley, shot a 1-over 71. Bernhard Langer, an 18-time winner on the Champions Tour, had a 72.

For all scoring updates, visit http://www.pgatour.com/champions/leaderboard.html.