Trio take early lead in The Tradition

ALOHA, Ore. (AP) Loren Roberts took a few weeks off before The Tradition and set aside a few days to work with his coach to hone his game. <br/><br/>Roberts wasn't only preparing to defend his title

Friday, August 25th 2006, 5:26 am

By: News On 6

ALOHA, Ore. (AP) Loren Roberts took a few weeks off before The Tradition and set aside a few days to work with his coach to hone his game.

Roberts wasn't only preparing to defend his title in the event, he was hoping for a strong finish on The Champions Tour.

It was all go according to plan Thursday, at least after the 1st round of The Tradition, the last of 5 majors on the tour. Roberts, Bobby Wadkins and Wayne Levi each had 67s for a 1 stroke lead.

Tom Kite and Keith Fergus were a stroke back with 4 under 68s on the par-72, 7,150 yard course at the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club west of Portland, Oregon.

"I thought 4 or 5 under would be a good way to start,'' Roberts said. "It takes a day or two to get back into a groove after time out.''

Roberts won the Senior British Open last month at Turnberry for his fourth victory of the year. He has 5 wins in 21 career senior starts, including last year's Tradition title when he topped Dana Quigley with a bogey on the 2nd hole of a playoff.

Roberts is in friendly competition with Jay Haas, who has won 3 events this year, including the Senior PGA Championship. Roberts has a slight edge in points for the Charles Schwab Cup.

Wadkins has won twice on the Champions Tour this season, including the Senior Players Championship.

Wadkins said he's been having more success this year because he hasn't had much trouble with his back. He's been working out and doing stretching exercises, as long as it doesn't interfere with his hunting.

"There's enough short holes out here that you can make a lot of birdie putts, and that's what I did all day,'' Wadkins said.

He was playing in a group with Bruce Summerhays, who was on the leaderboard until a triple bogey on the par 5 #16 hole.

Levi was coming off his best finish of the season, a tie for 3rd in Seattle.

"I could be scoring even better, just eliminate the 3 putting,'' Levi said. "That's what's been getting me all year.''

Last week, Kite won in Seattle for his 9th Champions Tour victory, beating Fergus with a birdie on the 1st hole of a playoff.

On Thursday, Fergus birdied the final 4 holes, 3 of which are par 5s.

Mark McCumber, Lonnie Nielsen and Curtis Strange each were at 3 under with 1st round 69s.

Haas finished the first round with a 73.

Oregon native Peter Jacobsen, whose event management company runs the event, finished with a 72.

The Tradition was played for 14 years in Arizona before Jacobsen lobbied to relocate it in 2003. Jacobsen's sports management firm runs the tournament, which is sponsored by Jeld-Wen, an Oregon based window and door maker.

Next year, the tournament is moving to Crosswater Golf Club in Sunriver, an up and coming central Oregon resort town, where it's hoped it will attract bigger crowds.

Crosswater, a 7,683 yard course designed by Bob Cupp, was the site of this year's NCAA Division I men's golf championship.