CHAMPIONS

• Haas the early leader at the Senior PGA

  
  

  Rochester, NY (Sports Network) - Jay Haas, the 2006 champion, posted a one- under 69 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Senior PGA Championship.

  Haas bested Brad Bryant in a playoff two years ago at Oak Tree Golf Club to pick up his first and only major championship title.

  Jeff Sluman, the 1988 PGA champion, managed an even-par 70 and shares second place with unheralded Bill Britton.

  Bernhard Langer, one of three two-time winners this season, heads a group of players at one-over-par 71.

  He was joined in fourth place by Scott Hoch, Joe Ozaki, Eduardo Romero, 2003 Senior PGA winner John Jacobs, Ian Woosnam, Keith Fergus, Kirk Hanefeld and Tim Simpson.

  Haas ran home a 20-foot birdie putt on the first, but faltered to a bogey at the second on the East Course at Oak Hill Country Club.

  He parred three straight before dropping a seven-iron to six feet at the sixth.

  The 54-year-old moved to minus-two by running home a 30-foot birdie putt on the ninth.

  Haas parred three in a row from the 10th. At the par-five 13th, he rolled in a 15-foot birdie effort to get to three-under.

  In good shape to hold a comfortable first-round lead, Haas stumbled into the clubhouse.

  At the 16th, he found the rough off the tee and that led to a bogey.

  Haas' approach to the par-four 18th plugged into the lip of a greenside bunker. That led to a closing bogey leaving him at minus-one.

  "I played extremely well. I would have taken one-under par before I teed off" admitted Haas. "I would have stayed in the hotel room and wouldn't even have come out here. But a little disappointed in 16 and 18. I just pulled a drive at 16 and pushed it a little bit at 18." Haas was in the later portion of the morning draw, but still battled chilly conditions "Overall I'm extremely happy. It was pretty miserable this morning, cool, everybody's got long johns on and ski caps, wind breakers and such," Haas explained.

  Haas' 69 is the highest score to lead after the first round of the Senior PGA Championship since Gary Player and Larry Ziegler had 69s on the first day of the 1992 Senior PGA Championship.

  Sluman got off to a tough start as his tee shot on the first found the left trees and that led to an opening bogey. He found the rough off the tee and eight and came up short with his approach to the green.

  After chipping to five feet, Sluman missed the par-saving putt. He made a mess of the ninth to turn in plus-three.

  Sluman rallied around the turn. He ran home a 25-footer for birdie on the 10th to start his turnaround. Sluman sank a six-foot birdie effort on the 15th and made it two straight as he birdied the 16th from two feet.

  "I just was, candidly, a little tight. When I get tight I usually hit just a fraction left, which I did on the front nine," Sluman admitted. "I made the turn at three-over and I just thought it was not time to hit the panic button. I knew that I needed to relax and regardless of the score that came out, just try and play the way I've been playing and I hit a bunch of good shots on the back nine and made a couple of nice putts." Britton, a teaching professional in New Jersey, was in the next-to-last group out off the 10th tee. He faltered for bogeys at 13 and 15, before he holed out for eagle on the par-four 16th.

  After four pars around the turn, Britton dropped in birdies on the third and fifth to briefly move to minus-two. However, he struggled to bogeys at six and eight to finish one back.

  Defending champion Denis Watson heads a group of players tied for 13th at two- over-par 72. Among those tied there with Watson at Greg Norman and David Eger.

  05/22 20:31:26 ET