Craig Hosie and Harris Bundy, both of Toronto, shot a 6-under 64 to take a one-shot lead into the second round of the 56th annual John R. Williams Invitational at Oak Hill Country Club.
Playing early, Hosie and Bundy went 3-under on each side, with only a single bogey on the par-3 4th offsetting seven birdies.
They lead by a single shot over two teams. Andrew Kay (Pittsford, N.Y.) and David Fried (Penfield, N.Y.) shot a 65 in the morning, while Jeff March (Penfield, N.Y.) and Francesco Romano (Ashburn, Va.) matched the score in the afternoon.
Four teams are tied for 4th at 66, including the Houston-based team of John Hunter and Greg Cole. Hunter was the 2016 champion with partner Kyle Nathan of Illinois.
Another Toronto team, the 2015 champs Simon McInnis and Garrett Rank, shot a 3-under 67 and sit in a tie for 8th with six other teams. Among them are the South Carolina team of Jordan Sease and Walt Todd, Jr., winners of the Devlin Cup earlier this year.
The defending champions, Clark and Eric Rustand of Tucson, Arizona, opened with a 1-under 69 and are in a tie for 16th.
The field will be cut after tomorrow’s second round. The current cut line is even par, with 37 teams at that score or better.
In the Senior Division, the Georgia-based team of Bob Royak and Doug Hanzel shot an 8-under 63 to take a one-shot lead over Adam Kugler (Closter, N.J.) and Dan Levinson (New York, N.Y.).
Keith Holmes and Gay McMichael, both from Macon, Ga., are another shot back at 6 under.
The defending champions John Kircher (Pittsford, N.Y.) and Mike Jaros (Endicott, N.Y.) are tied for fourth at 4-under 67, along with 2015 senior champions Don Erickson III and John Benson of Pennsylvania.
Two-time champions Tom Blank and Mark Dugan (Pittsford, N.Y.) shot a 3-under 68 and are in a tie for seventh place.
The projected senior cut is at 3 under, with 9 teams at that mark or better.