Ginn sur Mer Classic: First-round notebook

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PALM COAST, Fla. -- Michael Letzig and Kent Jones -- both graduates of the University of New Mexico -- posted matching bogey-free 7-under 65s on Thursday to share the first-round lead at the Ginn sur Mer Classic -- the sixth of seven events on the PGA TOUR Fall Series. Ryan Palmer, with a 5-under 67, is two shots back.

• A total of five players did not finish their round as darkness settled in over the par-72 Conservatory Course. Those players will be back in position -- on the par-5 ninth hole -- at 8:30 a.m. on Friday. The second round will begin, as scheduled, at 7:40 a.m. The list of players includes Kyle Thompson (2 under through 17), Bobby Clampett (1 under through 17), Andrew Buckle (1 over through 17), Ron Whittaker (even through17) and Chip Deason (even through 17).

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Michael Letzig is a co-leader in Palm Coast after a 7-under 65.

Letzig through 18 holes

Stats Rd. 1 Total Rank Eagles -- 0 N/A Birdies 7 7 T1 Pars 11 11 T71 Bogeys -- 0 N/A Double bogeys -- 0 N/A Other -- 0 N/A

• Jones has now held or shared the first-round lead three times in his career. The others came at the 2008 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (tie for 48th) and the 2002 Buick Open (tie for 14th). This represents the first lead after any round for Letzig on the PGA TOUR.

• History isn't on Jones and Letzig's side this season, as the first-round leader/co-leader has won just nine times in 44 events, including most recently Marc Turnesa at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

• Letzig, currently No. 109 on the official money list, has now posted six consecutive rounds in the 60s, dating back to a 69 in the second round of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (missed cut). Last week, he posted rounds of 69-66-68-68 for a tie for 29th finish at the Frys.com Open. He recorded a career-best 63 in the third round of the 2008 Travelers Championship on his way to a career-best tie for 10th.

• Jones, No. 179 on the money list, is making his 22nd start of the season. He is still seeking his first top-10 finish of the year, but enters the week having posted all four top-25 finishes in his last nine starts, dating back to a season-best tie for 19th at the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee.

• Robert Allenby, the highest ranked player in the field at No. 12 on the money list, recorded a 4-under 68 on Thursday -- his 100th round of the season. Since missing the cut in his first start of the year at the Sony Open in Hawaii, Allenby has reeled off 25 consecutive made cuts on his way to a career-best $3,450,530.

• Jeff Overton, currently No. 126 on the money list, opened with a 1-under 71 just nine days after undergoing an emergency appendectomy. His nearest competitor on the money list is No. 125 Patrick Sheehan, who posted a 2-over 74 on Thursday.

• Jason Bohn, No. 116 on the money list, opened with a 4-over 76 in his first start since a missed cut at the U.S. Open. Bohn has been sidelined since the U.S. Open after requiring three surgeries to fix problems associated with his spinal cord and a disc in his back.

• James Driscoll, currently No. 134 on the money list, posted a bogey-free 4-under 68 on Thursday and sits three shots off the lead. Driscoll is fighting for his TOUR card just one year after finishing No. 24 on the Nationwide Tour money list.

• Defending champion Daniel Chopra struggled to a 9-over 81 on Thursday. He is hoping to duplicate the feat that Kevin Stadler performed at last week's Frys.com Open, where he followed up an opening-round 81 with a career-best 61.

• Cameron Beckman, the winner of last week's Frys.com Open, opened strong this week with a 4-under 68. Although at a different course, Beckman also played well at the 2007 Ginn sur Mer Classic, finishing T5.

• Wesley Graham, playing on a sponsor's exemption, opened with a 1-over 73. Graham, 18, is currently a freshman golfer at Florida State University.

• Letzig and Jones' bogey-free 65s were two of four mistake-free rounds on Thursday. The others came from James Driscoll (68) and John Huston (70).