Non-winner doesn't let up after strong first nine

Updated: July 15, 2004, 9:20 PM ET

Associated Press

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ENDICOTT, N.Y. -- Kelly Gibson completed the soggy first round of the B.C. Open and had just one wish.

"I hope a hurricane comes tomorrow and there's a one-round winner," Gibson joked Thursday after an 8-under 64 placed him alone atop the leaderboard. "Would they do it? Why not? I'll take the cash."

Although showers caused a 28-minute delay on the En-Joie Golf Club course, the first round was completed with Gibson holding a one-shot lead over rookie Camilo Villegas, Todd Fischer, John Morgan, last week's runner-up, and Kevin Stadler.

Brett Quigley, Garrett Willis, Brenden Pappas and Roland Thatcher were another shot back.Tommy Tolles and 1997 B.C. Open champion Gabriel Hjertstedt were among 11 players at 67, including defending champion Craig Stadler, who couldn't match son Kevin on this day.

Heavy rains cut short Wednesday's pro-am and a couple of downpours early Thursday finally forced play to be stopped in late morning for course maintenance. But the changing conditions still were ideal for scoring and tournament officials added a helping hand. They allowed players to lift, clean and place over the first two rounds.

"We saw a week's worth of weather out there today," said two-time B.C. Open champ Joey Sindelar, who shot 68. "It was calm and misty this morning, and then it was misty and windy, and then windy and sunny. But the scores are there. Greens are holding, and they're at a speed you can make putts on. When they're a little bit slower, guys start pouring them in."

Guys like the 40-year-old Gibson, who has never won on the PGA Tour since turning pro in 1986. He birdied his first three holes and was 6 under on the front nine. His only glitch, a bogey at No. 10, came right after the delay.

"We got held on the 10th tee, and when I came back out I hit a wedge in between wind gusts," Gibson said. "I kind of misclubbed there."

It didn't take long to regain that rhythm. Gibson rolled in a 30-foot putt for birdie at No. 11 and followed that with birdies at 12 and 14.

"That was the best putt I made all day, coming off a bogey," Gibson said. "That kind of zapped me back into thinking I could shoot a real low number. I was able to sustain the momentum, and that's usually the key to shooting a low round."

The most unlikely name near the top of the leaderboard was the 22-year-old Villegas, who is playing only his fourth tournament since qualifying for last month's U.S. Open. The native of Colombia began the day with a sizzling 29 on the back nine, reaching 6 under over the final five holes with four birdies and an eagle on the par-4 16th. He faltered with three bogeys on the front nine but stayed near the top with another eagle on the par-5 third.

"I didn't even realize I made 29. It's my first," said Villegas, an academic All-America at the University of Florida and two-time SEC player of the year. "It's the first time I've seen my name in a PGA tournament. That was pretty cool. But I controlled my emotion out there. I was feeling great. I was driving awesome, and that makes it seem a lot easier. It's not that hard when you're in the middle of the fairway and the greens are that soft."

It was for Fred Funk, who elected to play here instead of the British Open in an attempt to score more points in his quest to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team. He shot a 2-over 74 that included four bogeys and only two birdies and was distraught as he left the course.

"It's a typical round," said Funk, who won here in 1996 and also has finished second twice. "I'm just playing pitiful. I've been playing like this for about six months. I don't know if I can turn it around."

First-round divots
There have been five first-time winners on the PGA Tour this year, and another could be on tap here. Of the top 10 players after the first round, only Willis has won on tour.

Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press