Tom Lehman recorded a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead over Doug Garwood and Roger Chapman of England after the first round of the Encompass Championship at North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Ill.
Lehman, a former teaching pro at Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley, finished his round on the front nine and took the lead by reeling off four consecutive birdies through No. 7.
“I’ve been living in this zone of second-guessing my reads, second-guessing my stroke because I misread so many putts,” said Lehman, who said he has been struggling since winning his seventh Champions Tour title in the 2012 Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
“Then I become less committed to the putt and start putting bad strokes on them. It’s kind of a cycle. It’s been a very frustrating last couple of years in that way.”
Garwood, from Valencia, chipped in from the rough on the 13th hole for one of his eight birdies in a round of 66.
Chapman, who captured the U.S. Senior Open and the Senior PGA Championship in 2012, birdied four straight holes through No. 6 and added two more on the back nine in his 66.
Michael Allen of San Mateo and University of Nevada Reno posted a 67 and was tied for fourth with Mark O’Meara of Mission Viejo and Long Beach State, Bart Bryant, Jeff Sluman, Kirk Triplett, John Inman and Sandy Lyle of Scotland.
Defending champion Craig Stadler of San Diego and USC opened with a 73 and was tied for 56th.
