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Gove and Campbell lead in New York

Verona, NY (Sports Network) - Jeff Gove and Chad Campbell each fired rounds of seven-under-par 65 on Thursday to share the first-round lead of the Turning Stone Resort Championship at Atunyote.

Atunyote hosted the B.C. Open last year, when John Rollins won, but this is considered a new event so Rollins is not considered the defending champion.

With the inaugural FedEx Cup Playoff series completed last week at The Tour Championship, this week begins the Fall Finish. There is still quite a bit to play for, especially for a player like Gove.

He ranks 152nd on the PGA Tour money list. The top 125 get their cards for next season and Gove, who only has one top 10 this year, will need a strong finish to stay on tour.

Gove wasted little time in breaking into red figures on Thursday. He hit a sand-wedge to five feet to set up birdie at the first and made it back-to- back birdies at two when his six-iron approach stopped three feet from the stick.

Gove made it three in a row with a 15-footer for birdie at three. He laid up with his second at the par-five fifth, then wedged his approach to four feet for his fourth of the round.

At the par-five eighth, Gove drove behind a tree and had to pitch back into the short grass. From 212 yards out, Gove hit a four-iron to 10 feet and holed the putt to reach five-under par.

He dropped a shot at the ninth, but got the stroke back early on the second nine. Gove hit a poor iron shot to the par-three 11th, but made the 40-footer over a hill for his sixth birdie. Gove drained a five-footer for birdie at 12, but fell down a bit with a bogey at 13.

Gove closed his round with a spectacular shot that gave him a share of the lead. He had 101 yards to the flag and hit his sand-wedge a few yards past the hole. Gove' ball spun back into the hole for the eagle that gave him a piece of first place.

"Couldn't see the bottom of the cup from the fairway because the bunker guards it," said Gove. "And I saw the crowd react, and that was a nice way to finish. I was excited.

"I'm pumped. I'm sad to see the day end. I was having fun hitting golf shots and had a good feel for the greens today and was just definitely enjoying the walk."

Campbell collected five birdies through his first 10 holes then got within one of Gove's lead thanks to a seven-foot birdie putt at the 12th. He slipped down the board at 13 after an errant drive and errant approach, but got into first with his play late.

At the par-three 16th, Campbell knocked his tee ball to four feet. He converted the birdie putt, then kicked in a three-footer at the par-five closing hole to join Gove atop the leaderboard.

"I gave myself a lot of opportunities, hit my irons pretty close," said Campbell, who has dipped to 85th on the money list this year. "I was able to make some good par saves when I needed to."

Mathew Goggin shared the lead playing the par-five 18th, but bogeyed the hole. His six-under-par 66 tied him for third place with John Senden, Steve Flesch and Brendon de Jonge, who eagled his 17th hole, but bogeyed No. 9, his last hole on Thursday.

Rollins and Robert Allenby, the only two players in the field who participated in the FedEx Cup playoffs, both shot rounds of five-under 67. They are tied for seventh place with John Mallinger and Matt Hendrix.

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