June 19, 2009 01:06 am
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By Jim Henry
jhenry@joplinglobe.com
MIAMI, Okla. — Spicing his round with four consecutive birdies, Rhein Gibson carded a 6-under-par 66 Thursday afternoon to claim the first-round lead in the seventh Buffalo Run Casino Classic at the Peoria Ridge Golf Course.
Rhein, from Edmond, Okla., owns a one-stroke advantage over five players, and 11 more are two strokes back.
Sharing second place are Jason Dillard, Nathan Stamey, Travis Bertoni, Joey Lamielle and Pablo Acuna.
Ted Potter, this season’s tour money leader, and Cody Freeman, former northeast Oklahoma resident, and defending champion Jeff Corr were in a large group at 2-under 70.
Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, matched par-72 in his inaugural event on the NGA Hooters Tour, good for a share of 63rd place.
The field will be cut to the low 60 and ties after today’s second round.
Windier conditions that normal sent scores skyward., Gibson’s 66, which had nine birdies and three bogeys in his 32-34 round, was the highest opening-round score in tourney history.
“I think the conditions are good,” Freeman said. “Obviously it’s a little breezy, but it makes the golf course play a little more tougher and a little more challenging. It makes you hit a little more quality shot. I like it.”
Temperatures rose above 90 degrees before noon, but the breeze made conditions tolerable.
“It’s supposed to be hot this week, but we have a nice breeze,” Freeman said. “That keeps you a little cooler. Obviously later in the afternoon, it’s going to be warm.”
Gibson, playing in the first group of the day off No. 1, birdie the second hole, then ran off consecutive birdies on 7, 8, 9 and 10 to jump to 5-under.
After a bogey on 12, Gibson birdied the 12th and 13th to claim the tournament lead. He offset bogeys on 15 and 16 with birdies on the final two holes.
Acuna and Stamey posted the only bogey-free rounds among the leaders. Stamey holed out for an eagle-2 on the 16th hole.
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