Funk, Allen, Blake lead in South Korea

NEW SONGDO CITY, South Korea, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Fred Funk was among three golfers who turned in 3-under-par 69s Friday and are tied for the first-round lead at the Champions Tour stop in South Korea.

Funk had one bogey and four birdies while Michael Allen and Jay Don Blake each had five birdies and a pair of bogeys in grabbing a share of the lead at the Posco E&C Songdo Championship at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.

John Cook and Sandy Lyle are tied for fourth, one stroke off the lead and D.A. Weibring finished with a 1-under 71.

Rain delayed the start of play for nearly 2 hours.

Funk dropped a long birdie putt at No. 2 and used two putts for a birdie at the par-5 third hole. He gave back a stroke at the par-3 eighth hole but answered that with a wedge to within 15 feet at No. 9 and made the birdie putt. A birdie at 17 moved him to 3-under.

Allen, playing the back nine first, was at 4-under at the turn but had a bogey at the second hole. He had a birdie at No. 8 but finished with another bogey.

Blake, also going off first on No. 10, made his turn at 2-under. His bogeys came at Nos. 1 and 6 but he had back-to-back birdies at 2 and 3 and finished with a birdie at the ninth hole.