Round 1 Notes: Commerce Bank Championship

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• Loren Roberts' six-under 65 matched his low round of the 2008 campaign. Roberts shot 65 in the second round of the season-opening MasterCard Championship at Hualalai and also had 65 in the opening round of The ACE Group Classic in Naples in mid-February.

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Defending champ Lonnie Nielsen had one of 10 eagles on Friday.

• For the second consecutive year at the Commerce Bank Championship, Loren Roberts is the first-round leader. Last year on Friday, Roberts posted a seven-under 64 and led Eduardo Romero by one stroke and Lonnie Nielsen, the eventual winner, by two shots. This year, Romero and Nielsen matched four-under 67s and are again in contention after play on Friday. Roberts eventually finished second at the 2007 Commerce Bank Championship.

• Only five of the previous 20 Commerce Bank Championships have been won by first-round leaders/co-leaders. Ron Streck, the 2005 champion, was the last first-round leader to win this event. Thus far in 2008, only five of 15 first-round leaders/co-leaders have gone on to win.

• Allen Doyle's 3-over 74 today ended his streak of years at this event with a first-round sub-70 score at nine straight.

• Allen Doyle's former caddie, Greg Hickman, today posted his best score as a Champions Tour player, a five-under 66. Hickman worked for Doyle for the better part of the last six years and has also caddied off and on on the Champions Tour over the last 10 years for both Howard Twitty and J.C. Snead as well as Doyle. Hickman worked as a caddie at the Champions Tour's National Qualifier last fall for his good friend Gene Jones who also posted a 66 today. Ironically, both Hickman and Jones successfully open qualified for the Commerce Bank Championship on Tuesday, shooting 67s on the White Course at Eisenhower Park. Both players will play together in the final grouping tomorrow with Loren Roberts.

• Loren Roberts is five for nine on the Champions Tour when leading/co-leading after Round 1. Here's a complete record of his first-round leads/co-leads:

• Ronnie Black, a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR, made his Champions Tour debut today and carded an even-par 71. Black became eligible for the circuit when he turned 50 on May 26th.

• The 78-man field averaged 70.705 on Friday compared to 70.321 last year in the opening round. Today, there were 29 players with rounds in the 60s compared to 26 sub-70 scores in the opening round last year.

• The most difficult hole today was No. 1. The 458-yard, par-4 yielded just five birdies and played to a stroke average of 4.295.

• There were 10 eagles made today, three on par-4s -- Ed Dougherty (No. 7), Lonnie Nielsen (No. 9), Scott Hoch (No. 9). Last year in the opening round, there were six eagles made.

• Loren Roberts (-6), Greg Hickman (-5), Keith Fergus (-4), Nick Price (-3), Tom Purtzer (-1) and Ron Streck (E) all had bogey-free rounds today. Streck made par on all 18 holes. Gene Jones (-5), Brad Bryant (-4) and Andy Bean (-3) made the most birdies (7) today.

• Bob Gilder extended his streak of consecutive events played to 106 consecutive and shot a two-under 69 today. The last event Gilder missed was the 2004 Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn. Dana Quigley holds the all-time record for consecutive events played with 264.

• Eduardo Romero hit the longest measured drive today, 301 yards at the par-4 18th hole...Loren Roberts hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation, missing only the 4th green on the par-4 hole...John Cook had 12 one putts today and had just 24 putts for his round.

• Jimmy Powell withdrew before the round and was replaced by Kenny Knox.