Lutz, FL (My Sportsbook) - Larry Nelson fired a six-under 65, his lowest round in nearly two years, to take the first-round lead Friday at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am.
Nick Price had a five-under 66 at the windy TPC Tampa Bay to sit alone in second place, while Mark McNulty and Mike McCullough both carded four-under 67s.
Nelson, 61, started his round on the back nine, making his first birdie after knocking a six-iron to six feet at No. 11. Birdies followed at the 12th and 16th holes and he made the turn at three-under 33.
He continued his bogey-free round with a spotless front side, making birdies at the first, third and eighth holes for his lowest round in a couple of seasons.
It was the first time since June 1, 2007, that Nelson posted a score as low as 65 on the Champions Tour.
He didn't need to be told.
"I'm really excited," said Nelson, who had a 65 in the first round of the '07 Boeing Championship. "It was the first really low score I've had in two years."
The 19-time Champions Tour winner hasn't had a victory since claiming two during the 2004 season. Once a force on the elder circuit, he hasn't posted a top-five finish since 2005.
"I chipped in for par (on) one hole. That helped. And I made a couple of putts today, which was nice," said Nelson.
Price also started on the back nine and struggled playing into the wind. He made the turn at even-par 36 after collecting one birdie, one bogey and seven pars.
But he caught fire on the front nine, posting five birdies in a seven-hole stretch, including four in a row from No. 5. He played the front side bogey- free.
"I got on the [front] nine and got downwind. I just got aggressive," said Price. "To me, everything was about the [front] nine."
A great success story on the PGA Tour -- he won 18 times, including two PGA Championships and a British Open -- the 52-year-old Price has yet to break through in two-plus seasons on the Champions Tour.
"I haven't played well enough, pure and simple," said the Hall of Fame South African. "I've just basically started to play better (recently), for whatever reason. The middle of last year, I felt it starting to change."
The tournament -- the Champions Tour's first in three weeks -- includes two rounds of celebrities and amateurs playing alongside the professionals.
Celebrities on hand include former NFL stars Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Vinny Testaverde; former tennis standout Jim Courier; and actors Bill Murray, Michael J. Fox, George Lopez and Mark Wahlberg.
"It was fun to watch. We really appreciate the celebrities coming out," said Nelson.
But Friday's round included a serious incident when Murray, a longtime Pro-Am staple, hit a woman in her front yard with an errant tee shot. The tour did not release any information on the woman's condition.
