ENDICOTT, N.Y. (AP) -Joey Sindelar has lived on New York's Southern Tier all his life, and when he's home good things seem to happen.
Playing the En-Joie Golf Club course for the first time as a member of the Champions Tour, Sindelar shot a 6-under 66 on Friday in the first round of the Dick's Sporting Goods Classic. That was good enough to forge a tie for third with Ronnie Black and Fulton Allem, three shots behind leader Joe Ozaki.
``It's really fun for me to play before my hometown fans,'' said Sindelar, who lives in nearby Horseheads. ``This golf course has worked for me through the years. Coming home from work like a normal person, I don't know that it's an advantage, but it sure feels good.''
It's felt good before. Two of Sindelar's seven career wins on the PGA Tour came in the B.C. Open (1985 and 1987) at En-Joie before the tournament was eliminated from the PGA Tour prior to last season.
Sindelar, who has three top-5s in eight starts since turning 50 in March to become eligible to play the Champions Tour, had four birdies on the front side and three more on the back, with a bogey at the par-4 sixth hole his only slipup on the round. He hit 14 greens in regulation and made birdie putts of 12 feet at No. 7, 15 feet at No. 9, and a 19-footer on the final hole. He also chipped in from 25 feet after missing left with his tee shot at the par-3 17th hole and got up-and-down for par from 40 yards after driving the right trees at the par-4 13th hole.
``I finally made some putts. I basically hit bottom at Oak Hill (in the Senior PGA Championship in May),'' said Sindelar, who still managed a tie for third, his best finish of the year. ``I couldn't get a putt in the hole. I had five birdies for the week.''
Ozaki shot a 9-under 63, his low in three years on the Champions Tour. He was two shots ahead of Argentina's Eduardo Romero.
Playing on a cloudy day with just a hint of wind was easy for Ozaki, who had never played the narrow, tree-lined course before Monday's pro-am.
``Very, very well today,'' Ozaki said with a big smile. ``Perfect. Greens perfect. Easy to stop. Between the trees, no problem.
``OK, finished! Thank you!'' Ozaki said as he began to leave.
Not so fast, Joe.
When PGA Tour media official Dave Senko told him he needed only 22 putts, Ozaki halted, but only momentarily.
``Twenty-two? Really?'' he said. ``Thank you!''
Because heavy rain soaked the course overnight, players were allowed to lift and clean their balls in the fairways, and Ozaki took full advantage. He had no bogeys and closed with a 29 on the back nine.
After sinking a 25-foot birdie putt at No. 9 to reach 3 under, Ozaki made birdie putts of 12 and 6 feet at Nos. 12 and 13, then chipped in from 71 feet at the par-4 15th hole to start a string of four straight birdies.
Romero made his mark on the front nine with six birdies. The only blemish on his day was a double bogey at the par-4 10th after he hit his second shot into one of the 10 water hazards on the course.
``You make a mistake and you're dead. I lost concentration at No. 10, I never lost it after that,'' said Romero, whose best finish this year was a tie for fourth at the Allianz Championship in February. ``I think this is my week.''
It certainly isn't for R.W. Eaks, whose bum knees didn't allow him to approach the level of play he demonstrated a year ago in winning the first edition of this event with a 17-under total. He made three double bogeys on the day and hinted afterward his career might soon be over.
``I need two knee replacements. I'm going to play two more tournaments and then I'm quitting - done,'' said Eaks, who was in a threesome with Sindelar and Andy Bean (69). ``It's not any fun at all. I wanted to come back and play here one more time before the curtain closes, so that's what I did, tried to make the best of it. I saw some good golf today, so that was worth it.
``I'm a 15 handicapper now. I can't practice anymore. I show up on Thursdays and play in the pro-am and try and play. But I can ride my Harley, though, and that's a good thing. At least I've got that to look forward to.''
