Friday, July 21 2006 14:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Vernon (New York): Former USPGA Champion Mark Brooks fired a seven-under 65 here Thursday to take a one shot lead over defending champion Jason Bohn in the PGA Tour's BC Open.

With the game's elite fighting for the the third major title of the year at the British Open, Brooks, Bohn and company were battling it out on the unfamiliar territory of Turning Stone Resort's Atunyote Course, a par-72, 7,315-yard layout.

En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott, New York had hosted the BC Open for 35 years, but heavy rains earlier this summer caused flooding in the area and left the course unplayable.

Last year Bohn set a record of 24-under-par at En-Joie, one better than Calvin Peete's previous tournament mark. He was impressed Thursday with the condition of the course, particularly the greens.

"The course played pretty difficult today," Bohn said.

"I was really surprised how many low scores there were, but the greens were just so good you could make putts from everywhere. That is why we are seeing a lot of low scores.," he said.

An opening birdie got Bohn going and he added three more on the front nine. He had back-to-back birdies at 12 and 13 and he followed a bogey at 17 with a closing birdie.

"I played fairly nicely," Bohn said.

"I putted unbelievable today. I think I made three putts outside of eight feet for par, which really kind of saved my round, kept the round going," he said.

Brooks, who has seven wins but none since the 1996 PGA Championship, started on the 10th. He also had consecutive birdies at 12 and 13 and again went back-to-back at 15 and 16.

He also carded his only bogey at 17 and grabbed the lead with four birdies coming in. "The key to my round was 17," Brooks said.

"I hit a really bad tee shot and got stymied behind a tree, chipped it out and missed the green, pitched it to the green and made a 10-footer for bogey," he said.

"That was a pretty good putt for a five," he said.

Harrison Frazar had seven birdies and a bogey and also was one shot back. There were 10 players at 67 and another nine at 68.

Tight finishes have been the norm at this event, with the last four editions decided by one stroke.

"I feel confident because I am trying to remember the positive memories I had from last year," Bohn said.

"Anybody says the word 'BC Open, I am going to have a smile on my face, probably for the rest of my life," he said.