EVERETT, Wash. -- Rick Hartmann, a 25-year-old golf pro who had some success earlier this year on the circuit in South Africa, fired a 6-under-par 65 Friday to take the first-round lead in the $200,000 Everett Open.
The tournament at the Everett Golf and Country Club, the first PGA event in the Puget Sound area in 18 years, is part of the Tournament Player Series for younger pros who haven't qualified for the regular tour and for veteran pros in the 40-to-49 age bracket.
A group of three players was tied at 66 one stroke behind the leader, including 1975 U.S. Open champion Lou Graham, Jeff Sanders and Ron Commans.
Another stroke back at 67 was a large group including 1973 Masters champion Tommy Aaron, one-time tour regular Homero Blancas and Rick Fehr, a Seattle native making his PGA debut after a successful college career at Brigham Young.
Hartmann got hot after making the turn in par-36. He had six birdies and three pars to complete the front nine in 29 and take the first-round lead.
Hartmann, who makes his home in Venice, Fla., won $13,000 during a six-week stint on the South African tour earlier this year, including a victory in the Swazi Open worth $3,100.
'Since playing in Europe and South Africa, I'm a lot more relaxed on the course,' Hartmann said.
The course plays to a short 6,227 yards but is made tougher by its tight, tree-lined fairways.
Graham, who played the course in 1966 when the Seattle-Everett Open was held there, admitted that he left his driver in his bag for much of the first round.
'I played here in 1966 but I didn't remember the course being as short and narrow as it is,' said Graham. 'I hit a lot of 2-irons off the tee. I must have lost my guts in the last 18 years.'
