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Marino Takes Lead With 65

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The Associated Press

Published: July 4, 2008

Updated: 07/04/2008 12:23 am

BETHESDA, Md. - Steve Marino used to consider it a treat the few times he played Congressional as a teenager. It was a thrill on Thursday to play bogey-free in the first round of the AT&T National and shoot 5-under 65 for a one-shot lead.

Marino, who grew up half an hour away in Fairfax, Va., birdied three of his opening four holes, never had a par putt longer than 5 feet and finished his round with an 8-foot birdie putt to be in the lead after any round for the second time in his career.

"I played a bunch of junior golf growing up here, all over the D.C. area, so it feels great to get off to this good start," Marino said. "And I'm looking forward to the rest of the week."

It has already been a big week for Jeff Overton and Frank Lickliter, who were among those at 66.

Overton had missed six of his last seven cuts, working harder than ever with nothing to show for it, until the 36-hole qualifier Monday outside Detroit for the British Open. He was the medalist, earning his first trip to a major.

"It just carried over from there," he said.

Lickliter had not made a cut in his last six tournaments, dating to the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. After four birdies on his front nine, he recovered from a pair of bogeys with consecutive birdies.
Rod Pampling and Bob Estes also were at 66, while the large group at 67, including Anthony Kim and Notah Begay III.

PGA EUROPEAN: Ross Fisher had 10 birdies in shooting a course-record 9-under 63 to take a two-stroke lead over Graeme McDowell and David Frost after the first round of the European Open in Ash, England.

Justin Rose opened with 69, defending champion Colin Montgomerie shot a 70 and Sergio Garcia had a 71.

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