Valencia, CA (My Sportsbook) - Nick Price posted a six-under 66 in windy conditions Friday to take a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the AT&T Champions Classic.

Defending champion Tom Purtzer is one shot back after opening with a 67. Dana Quigley, who has played here every year since 1997 but doesn't have a top-10 finish, is alone in third at four-under 68.

Loren Roberts, who was a playoff loser last year to Purtzer, and Graham Marsh are tied for fourth at minus-three.

Price played the back nine first at Valencia Country Club. He kicked in a two- foot birdie putt on the 13th and got to two-under with a birdie on the par- five 15th.

After dropping a shot on the 17th, Price sank a 12-footer for birdie at 18 to turn in minus-two.

"The key on this course it to leave the ball below the hole and that's what I did there," said Price of his approach to 17.

Price got up and down for birdie on the first and followed with birdies on the second and third to move to five-under. That birdie run gave him the lead.

He ran off five straight pars from the fourth. At the ninth, his last, Price pitched his third within four feet and knocked that putt in for birdie to finish at minus-six.

"I really did my damage on the turn, eighteen, one, two and three. I birdied those holes," said Price, who owns his first overnight lead since joining the Champions Tour. "Coming around the turn and back into the wind, I just hung on. That's what its like today.

"You get those into the wind holes, especially the ones that had water on them, you just try and play those holes smart. And I did."

Purtzer got his round going with a two-putt birdie on the first. He parred the next seven holes before making a 20-foot eagle putt on the par-five ninth.

Around the turn, birdies on the 11th and 15th got Purtzer within one of the lead. He could not pull even with Price, though, as he parred the final three holes.

"All in all, it was a pretty good putting day for me," Purtzer stated. "I don't think any of us like playing in the wind, but we all have to play in it. The key the next couple of days is to just hit the ball solid."

Dave Stockton, who shared second here in 1999, posted a two-under-par 70. He was joined in a share of sixth place by Jeff Sluman, Vicente Fernandez, Jerry Pate, Andy Bean, Brad Bryant, Fred Funk and Joe Ozaki.