NAPLES, Fla., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Tom Kite, who was winless on the Champions Tour in 2007, shared the lead Friday with Loren Roberts, Bruce Fleisher and Fuzzy Zoeller at the ACE Group Classic.
They all fired a 7-under 65 in the opening round over the Quail West course.
Kite -- the 1992 U.S. Open champion and the first player on the regular PGA Tour to reach $10 million in career earnings -- closed his round with four straight birdies.
Peter Jacobsen, Bruce Lietzke and Joe Ozaki were all a shot back. Wayne Levi, Eduardo Romero, Scott Simpson, Tom Purtzer and Gary Koch were at 67.
Fred Funk, the leading money winner early in the Champions Tour season, skipped this event to play on the regular tour. He made the cut at the Northern Trust Open at the Riviera Country Club in suburban Los Angeles.
Jerry Pate, who is second on the Champions money list, shot a 73.