Silvis, IL (Best E Casino) - Ken Duke and Charlie Wi both fired rounds of seven-under 64 on Thursday to share the first-round lead at the John Deere Classic.
Kenny Perry, perhaps the hottest player in the world with two wins in the last six events, Eric Axley, Garrett Willis and Will MacKenzie are knotted in third place at six-under 65 at the TPC Deere Run.
"It just seems like when I get things going and I get in a little groove and I get into courses I like, I seem to play well every week," said Perry.
There were two weather delays on Thursday, one long and one short. The first was short, less than 10 minutes, but the second lasted almost two hours.
Luckily, the first round was completed late Thursday night.
Duke teed off on the 10th hole Thursday and broke into red figures quickly. He tapped in a short birdie putt at the par-five 10th, then parred his next two holes.
At the 13th, Duke ran home a 25-footer for birdie and followed it up with another short birdie putt. His final front-nine birdie came at the par-five 17th when once again his approach came to rest just a few feet from the flag stick.
Duke picked up right where he left off with a pair of 12-foot birdie putts at one and two. He parred his next four holes to stay at six-under par for the championship.
At the par-three seventh, Duke hit a three-iron to eight feet. He made that birdie putt, but a terrible drive at the par-four eighth led to his only bogey of the round.
Duke got back to seven-under thanks to another solid approach at the par-four ninth. His second stopped 12 feet from the hole and Duke converted the birdie putt to take the lead.
"Just seemed like I just saw the line all day. I just read it great all day," said Duke. "Had a lot of good numbers, and golf is fun when you have good numbers and you make good swings."
Duke had a great season in 2007 after winning the money title on the Nationwide Tour the previous year. He finished second to Nick Watney in New Orleans and collected $1,927,102 in earnings.
Duke is enjoying another solid season so far in 2008, despite not registering a victory. He's made just 11 cuts in 20 starts, but tied for sixth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and tied for fourth two weeks ago at the Buick Open.
"You think, oh, he finished 37th on the money list last year, he should finish fifth or something this year," said Duke. "Sometimes it just doesn't happen that way. You get up on the wrong side of the bed one morning, and it's a different day."
Wi also began on the back nine and tallied three birdies and an eagle on his first nine. He started his second side with a three-footer for birdie at the first.
Wi joined Duke in the lead with a five-foot birdie putt at the par-three seventh. He had chances from 13 feet at the eighth and from eight feet at the ninth, but failed to capitalize both times.
"I really hit the ball great today, and I know I left some putts out there, but you know, I'm really pleased with my round today," said Wi.
Chris Riley, Michael Bradley, Patrick Sheehan, Woody Austin, Cameron Beckman, Ryan Armour, Jeff Gove and Brad Adamonis share seventh place at five-under-par 66.
Defending champion Jonathan Byrd opened with a four-under 67.
