ALOHA, Ore. (AP) _ Bobby Wadkins has been easier on himself this
year.
As a result, he's been playing better, not kicking himself as
much, and, well, smiling more.
``Now you see why Tiger and those guys are always smiling,'' he
said. ``It's easy to smile when you're playing well.''
Wadkins, Wayne Levi and defending champion Loren Roberts each had
67s for a one-stroke lead after the first round of The Tradition,
the final major on the Champions Tour.
Tom Kite and Keith Fergus were a stroke back with 4-under 68s on
the par-72, 7,150-yard course at the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club
west of Portland, Ore.
Wadkins has won twice on the Champions Tour this season,
including the Senior Players Championship.
Wadkins said he's been having more success this year because he
hasn't had much trouble with his back. He's been working out and
doing stretching exercises, as long as it doesn't interfere with his
hunting.
``There's enough short holes out here that you can make a lot of
birdie putts, and that's what I did all day,'' Wadkins said.
He was playing in a group with Bruce Summerhays, who was on the
leaderboard until a triple bogey on the par-5 No. 16 hole.
Wadkins said his best shot of the day was a 25-foot birdie putt
on the par-4 No. 10.
``There's a long way to go but we're off to a good start,''
Wadkins said. ``We're just jockeying for position right now.''
Roberts won the Senior British Open last month at Turnberry for
his fourth victory of the year. He has five wins in 21 career senior
starts _ including last year's Tradition title when he topped Dana
Quigley with a bogey on the second hole of a playoff.
Roberts took two weeks off going into the event and worked with
an instructor.
``I feel good about what I'm doing,'' he said of his solid play.
Roberts is in friendly competition with Jay Haas, who has won
three events this year, including the Senior PGA Championship.
Roberts has a slight edge in points for the Charles Schwab Cup.
Haas finished the first round with a 73.
Last week, Kite won in Seattle for his ninth Champions Tour
victory, beating Keith Fergus with a birdie on the first hole of a
playoff. He called his score on Thursday a ``low stress 68.''
``It was just kind of a nice, steady, good, solid start,'' he
said.
Fergus birdied the final four holes, three of which are par-5s.
Levi was coming off his best finish of the season, a tie for
third in Seattle.
``I could be scoring even better, just eliminate the
three-putting,'' Levi said. ``That's what's been getting me all
year.''
Mark McCumber, Lonnie Nielsen and Curtis Strange each were at
3-under with first-round 69s.
Peter Jacobsen, whose event management company runs the event,
finished with a 72.
The Tradition was played for 14 years in Arizona before Jacobsen
lobbied to relocate it in 2003. Jacobsen's sports management firm
runs the tournament, which is sponsored by Jeld-Wen, an Oregon-based
window-and-door maker.
Next year the tournament is moving to Crosswater Golf Club in
Sunriver, an up-and-coming central Oregon resort town, where it is
hoped it will attract bigger crowds.
Crosswater, a 7,683-yard course designed by Bob Cupp, was site of
this year's NCAA Division I men's golf championship.
