Cary, NC (My Sportsbook) - Russ Cochran and Denis Watson both fired rounds of six-under-par 66 on Friday to share the first-round lead at the SAS Championship.

Tom Pernice, Jr. is making his Champions Tour debut a memorable one. He posted a five-under 67 and is tied for third with Joey Sindelar, Larry Mize, R.W. Eaks, Dan Forsman and Jim Thorpe at Prestonwood Country Club.

Cochran started Friday's first round with four straight pars, then broke into red figures for the first time with an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-four fifth.

He tallied a pair of birdies before the turn, including a two-putt at the par- five seventh and a 20-footer at No. 9. Cochran continued his good form on the second nine with a hole-out birdie from the bunker at 10 and a beautiful six- iron tee shot to four feet at 11. He made that birdie putt and was five-under par for the championship.

After two pars, Cochran hit a six-iron approach into the top of a bunker at the 14th. He couldn't save par, but he atoned for error with a 15-foot birdie putt at 15.

At the par-five 17th, Cochran missed the green with his second, but pitched to four feet with his third. Cochran converted the birdie putt for his first 18- hole lead on the Champions Tour.

This is Cochran's rookie season on the elder circuit and he is in the mix for Rookie of the Year. He has missed significant time throughout the year, but a top 20 at the Senior British Open, a third at the U.S. Senior Open and a tie for second last week and Cochran is a legitimate threat for a first-time victory.

"I'm one of those guys who's taken advantage of my opportunity," said Cochran, who has battled wrist and shoulder injuries throughout his career. "I got high enough on the re-shuffle to get in the last five events. Senior British Open and U.S. Senior Open really gave me a big boost."

Watson is in search of that big boost. He's a four-time winner on the Champions Tour, but has only two top 10s in 2009 -- one in early March and the other in mid-July.

"It's been a struggle, so it's nice to get a good round in," admitted Watson, who said his inability to find a new driver after breaking his last year has hurt. "If I keep hitting it solid, I should still be in contention."

Watson began on the 10th tee Friday and rolled in a 13-footer for birdie at No. 11. He birdied four in a row from the 14th, including a pair of eight- footers, then saved par at the 18th to make the turn at five-under-par 32.

On the second nine, Watson flew out with birdies at one and two. He misclubbed from a fairway bunker at the fifth and made bogey to fall to minus-six.

Watson sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the seventh to get into sole possession of the lead at seven-under par. At his final hole, the ninth, Watson drove near the lip of a bunker and couldn't save par. That mistake cost him the outright lead, but it was still enough to match his lowest score of the year and give him the first-round lead for the first time.

Nick Price, Andy Bean, Tom Jenkins, Bobby Wadkins, Scott Simpson, D.A. Weibring and Chip Beck are knotted in ninth place at four-under-par 68.

Defending champion Eduardo Romero struggled on Friday. He shot a three-over 75 and is part of a large group tied for 62nd place.