Peffley's 67 earns tie for lead

Four players, led by 2004 Pennsylvania Amateur champion Blaine Peffley, fired rounds of 4-under-par 67 Monday to share the first-round lead in the 94th Pennsylvania Open championship at Applebrook Golf Club in Malvern.

Peffley, a mini-tour pro from Lebanon who competed in the U.S. Open earlier this summer at Pebble Beach, was joined by professionals Robert Rohanna of Waynesburg and Kevin Busteed of Peckville and amateur Nathan Sutherland of Wyomissing.

Peffley, who carded seven birdies during his round, and Rohanna both saw chances to take sole possession of the early lead thwarted by late bogeys. Peffley bogeyed the 17th hole, and Rohanna did the same at No. 18.

A total of 32 of the 129 players in the field bettered par 71 over the 6,815-yard Applebrook layout.

An eight-way tie at 68 included David McNabb, the head professional at Applebrook, 2006 Pennsylvania Amateur champion Chad Bricker of Waynesboro, Overbrook Golf Club assistant pro Scott Hunter, and amateurs Robert Galbreath Jr. and Andrew Mason, both of Huntingdon Valley.

Mike Van Sickle of Wexford, a two-time Open champion as an amateur who is competing in the event for the first time as a pro, shot a 74.

After Tuesday's second round, the field will be cut to the low 40 scores and ties for Wednesday's final round.

First-round results:

a-amateur

a-Nathan Sutherland, Wyomissing 67

Robert Rohanna, Waynesburg 67

Kevin Busteed, Peckville 67

Blaine Peffley, Lebanon 67

Chad Bricker, Waynesboro 68

Billy Stewart, Devon 68

a-Andrew Mason, Huntingdon Valley 68

David McNabb, Newark, Del. 68

a-Matt Smith, Lancaster 68

a-Matt Moot, Johnstown 68

Scott Hunter, Collegeville 68

a-Robert Galbreath Jr., Huntingdon Valley 68

John Spina, Schwenksville 69

Eric Kennedy, Haverford 69

Joe Boros, Saxonburg 69

John Allen, Media 69

a-Brian Creghan, Radnor 69

a-Zak Drescher, Lancaster 69

Jon Rusk, Yardley 69

Mike Larkin, Gibsonia 69