Madison’s Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly are tied with three others for the lead after the first round of the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship in Akron, Ohio.

Stricker birdied the final hole for a 2-under 68, joining Kelly, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Wes Short Jr. and Rod Pampling atop the leaderboard.

All five leaders, along with Paul Broadhurst (1-under 69), are the only golfers to break par.

Steve Stricker

Madison’s Steve Stricker has the first round lead at the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship.  Stricker was at 5-under-par through 17 holes when play was suspended by rain and lightning for the day.

Stricker’s opening round included a hole-in-one on the 184-yard, par-3 seventh at Firestone Country Club.  He was in the middle of the 18th fairway when play was stopped.  He’ll resume play at 7 a.m. Friday morning.

Stricker is seeking his third straight major victory on the PGA Tour Champions after winning the Regions Tradition and then the U.S. Senior Open.

Paul Goydos was second at 2-under after five holes.  Madison’s Jerry Kelly was one over after six holes.

PGA Tour

Roberto Diaz fired a 9-under 62 to take the first-round lead in the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois.  Adam Long and Russell Henley are two strokes back.