ESPN Golf Online news services
Friday, October 6

NAPA, Calif. -- Hugh Baiocchi, John Mahaffey, Jim Colbert and Jesse Patino all shot 6-under 66s on Friday to share the first-round lead atop a crowded leaderboard at the $1.1 million Transamerica.

	John Mahaffey is seeking his second career Senior Tour title.

With three of the top four money leaders taking the week off, the quartet -- plus 14 others within two shots of the lead -- have an opportunity to break through.

Of the four leaders, Colbert is enjoying the best year. The 1998 Transamerica champion is 23rd on the money list with $668,027, posting eight top-10 finishes, including a tie for second at the Audi Senior Classic in May.

"I overplayed this year," said Colbert, who is competing in his 30th tournament of the season. "I didn't schedule myself very well. I have two stress fractures in my right foot. I will take care of that in the offseason."

Patino, 47th on the money list with $344,411, is the only one of the leaders yet to win on the Senior Tour.

"Before I came out on the Senior Tour (in 1998), I won 57 or 58 mini-tour events," said Patino, whose best finish this year is a tie for fourth at the Vantage Championship. "I didn't just fall out of the orange tree. I was really comfortable when I came out here."

Jim Thorpe and Vincente Fernandez carded 5-under 67s and are one stroke ahead of a logjam of 12 players, including defending champion Bruce Fleisher, Dana Quigley and Allen Doyle.

Fleisher is looking to claim the money title and player of the year honors for the second straight year. He has amassed $2,224,806 season and trails leader Larry Nelson by about $270,000 with five tournaments left.

With this week's event offering a $165,000 first prize, Fleisher would be right on Nelson's heels with a victory.

Nelson has won four titles in his last five events but is skipping this tournament, along with Hale Irwin and Gil Morgan, who are third and fourth, respectively.

Last year, Fleisher broke the tournament record at the Silverado Resort with a 17-under 199. His one-stroke victory over Doyle was the sixth of his seven 1999 titles.

Seeking his first Senior victory since winning here two years ago, Colbert got his bogey-free round going on No. 4 when he holed a 99-yard wedge for an eagle.

He added birdie putts of 4 feet on No. 5 and 6 feet on No. 9 to make the turn at 4-under. Colbert completed his round with birdies on Nos. 11 and 17.

"I only missed one green," he said. "I didn't play great, but I just kept it in front of me. I've been consistently inconsistent this year."

Baiocchi, who has three wins on the Senior Tour, recorded seven birdies and just one bogey, which came on the par-4 sixth hole after driving into the rough.

He blasted out of the sand to sink a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 9 before draining consecutive 15-footers the next two holes to get to 4-under.

"Putting was the big difference today," said Baiocchi, who is 37th on the money list this year with only four top-10 efforts. "That has been lacking for most of the year."

After making a 2-foot birdie putt on No. 14, Baiocchi nailed a 12-footer to save par on No. 17, then gained a share of the lead by two-putting for birdie from 55 feet on the par-5 closing hole.

"I made two long putts on Nos. 17 and 18, where I probably would have three-putt earlier in the year," he said.

Mahaffey has eight top-10 finishes this year, including a third-place showing at the Kroger Senior Classic three weeks ago, but is just 25th in earnings. He snared his only career Senior title last year at the Southwestern Bell Dominion.

Mahaffey sank four birdie putts of more than 10 feet, recording birdies on three of the four par-5s. But bogeys on Nos. 8 and 14 cost him sole possession of the lead.

"I got a new driver early this week," he said. "I don't think I missed a fairway. Lots of short irons into the holes. I had only two bad iron shots and I really putted well. When you do that, you usually shoot a good score."