With seven birdies and one bogey, Clagett tied the mark for lowest stroke play round at the Senior Amateur set by Bob Kulp in the first round in 2003. Clagett, who was the medalist by four strokes in 2002, played his second nine holes (the front nine) in 5-under-par 31.

"Good God, I made five birdies on my back nine with 13 putts,” said Clagett, a golf cart salesman. “Where am I going with that? That’s pretty good.”

John DiMuccio, 56, of New Castle, Pa., fired a 68 to trail by two strokes and Randy Reifers, 59, of Columbus, Ohio, was another stroke back after a 69 at the 6,737-yard, par-72 layout in northwest Georgia.

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Greg Reynolds of Grand Blanc, Mich., the 2002 champion, was among a group of six players who posted 2-under-par scores of 70. That group included Alan Foster of Manlius, N.Y., the 2005 British Senior Amateur champion, Mike Bell of Indianapolis, Ind., Ernie Newton of High Point, N.C., Marty West of Rockville, Md., and Jules Victor III of Savannah, Ga.

"I got away with a couple of mistakes because you can’t play this golf course without mistakes,” said Clagett, who is playing in his third Senior Amateur. “On a golf course like this that puts a premium on shot-making, you are going to make mistakes. To shot 4-, 5-, 6-under par, you’re very fortunate."

DiMuccio, a semi-retired business consultant, hit every fairway and all 18 greens and posted four birdies with no bogeys despite an arthritic back that needed “only 7 or 8 Advil today,” he said. “It was good day. That’s as good as I’ve played. Ever. It’s got to be.”

Reynolds, 58, who was tied for low amateur at the 2005 Senior Open and advanced to match play at last week’s U.S. Mid-Amateur, registered five birdies and three bogeys. Reynolds 3-putted three greens.

"It makes it a lot easier,” said Reynolds of playing well on the first day of qualifying for match play. “I did just the opposite in the Mid-Am (last week). You are struggling trying to come back from being over par. It’s important to get that first one in while the conditions are such that you can score.”

Defending champion Mark Bemowski of Mukwonago, Wis., along with 1992 Mid-Amateur champion Danny Yates of Atlanta, was in a group of seven at 71. However, Bemowski was satisfied with this position.

"The first round is so important,” Bemowski said. “You just cruise right through, get some practice and go again. I feel good.”

Sixteen players posted sub-par scores. Two-time Senior Amateur champion Kemp Richardson of Laguna Nigel, Calif., shot 77, and 1991 U.S. Amateur champion Mitch Voges of Simi Valley, Calif., shot 76.

USA Walker Cup captain Bob Lewis injured his wrist on the first hole but played nine holes in 8-over-par before withdrawing.

Play continues Sunday with the second day of stroke play after which the field will be cut to the low 64 scorers. The first of six rounds of match play begins Monday and ends Thursday.

The USGA Senior Amateur, for amateurs 55 and older, is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the USGA, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

Rocky Face, Ga. – Results from Saturday’s first day of stroke play at the 2005 USGA Senior Amateur Championship at The Farm Golf Club (6,737 yards, par 72):

Billy Clagett, Austin, Texas, 31-35—66

John Dimuccio, New Castle, Pa., 34-34—68

Randy Reifers, Columbus, Ohio, 35-34—69

Alan Foster, Manlius, N.Y., 34-36—70

Ernie Newton, High Point, N.C., 36-34—70

Greg Reynolds, Grand Blanc, Mich., 35-35—70

Jules Victor III, Savannah, Ga., 35-35—70

Martin West, Rockville, Md., 35-35—70

Michael Bell, Indianapolis, Ind., 37-33—70

Danny Yates, Atlanta, Ga., 34-37—71

Douglas Crawford, Wayland, Mass., 35-36—71

John Hogden, Black River Falls, Wis., 34-37—71

Ken Redfern, Austin, Texas, 36-35—71

Lynn Martin, Powell, Ohio, 34-37—71

Mark Bemowski, Mukwonago, Wis., 37-34—71

Rick Ten Broeck, Chicago, Ill., 35-36—71

Frank Abbott, Napa, Calif., 35-37—72

Gary Hardin, Ft Worth, Texas, 37-35—72

Gayle Sanchez, Baton Rouge, La., 36-36—72

Jack Vardaman, Washington, D.C., 39-33—72

James Wittenberg Jr, Memphis, Tenn., 35-37—72

Larry Barnacle, Mahtomedi, Minn., 34-38—72

Mike Rice, Houston, Texas, 38-34—72

Robert Mielcarz, Concord, N.H., 38-34—72

Dave Parsons, Benicia, Calif., 36-37—73

Ed Chylinski, Gulph Mills, Pa., 37-36—73

Francis McFadden, Newtown Square, Pa., 37-36—73

Larry Boswell, Jamestown, N.C., 37-36—73

Mike Brummer, Rapid City, S.D., 40-33—73

Robert Heaton, Oakley, Calif., 37-36—73

Robert Morris, Great Falls, Va., 39-34—73

Stan Fischer, Richmond, Va., 37-36—73

Tim Miller, Kokomo, Ind., 38-35—73

B. Shawn McLoughlin, Bethel, Conn., 35-39—74

Charles Bagby, Birmingham, Ala., 39-35—74

Greg Shaw, Little Rock, Ark., 38-36—74

James Myers, Oceanside, Calif., 36-38—74

James Weeks, Savannah, Ga., 37-37—74

Jim Brown, Loudon, Tenn., 40-34—74

Joe Bushee, Cabot, Ark., 34-40—74

Rick Woulfe, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 38-36—74

Robert McIntyre, Westfield, N.J., 38-36—74

Spencer Sappington, Alpharetta, Ga., 36-38—74

Al Everett, Cumming, Ga., 37-38—75

Bill Dorece, Cincinnati, Ohio, 38-37—75

Bob Hullender, San Antonio, Texas, 35-40—75

Bob Kain, Hunting Valley, Ohio, 35-40--75

Boyd Johnson, Statesboro, Ga., 36-39—75

Chuck Munson, Austin, Texas, 37-38—75

Fred Lukasik, Rock Island, Ill., 37-38—75

J. Michael Fetter, Williamsville, N.Y., 39-36—75

Jack Forbes, Morgantown, W.Va., 38-37—75

Ken Benson, Alpharetta, Ga., 38-37—75

Logan Jackson, Winston Salem, N.C., 40-35—75

Ray Henry, Canada, 40-35—75

Tony Reboton, Palm Desert, Calif., 37-38—75

Alan Bouchard, Falmouth, Maine, 37-39—76

Alan Pineault, San Antonio, Texas, 40-36—76

Chip Campion, Salinas, Calif., 38-38—76

Dick Iverson, Lake Oswego, Ore., 41-35—76

Don Kuehn, Kansas City, Mo., 39-37—76

Edward Fletcher, The Villages, Fla., 37-39—76

Frank Saxon, Clearwater, Fla., 36-40—76

Greg Mirabile, Albuquerque, N.M., 38-38—76

Harcourt Kemp, Louisville, Ky., 37-39—76

Henri Delozier, Chevy Chase, Md., 38-38—76

Michael Reuther, Auburn, Calif., 37-39—76

Mitch Voges, Simi Valley, Calif., 39-37—76

Robert Callan, San Francisco, Calif., 40-36—76

Robert Kulp Jr, Winston-Salem, N.C., 37-39—76

Ronald Vannelli, Edison, N.J., 37-39—76

Roy Vomastek, Cadillac, Mich., 37-39—76

Skip Pierce, Boise, Idaho, 38-38—76

Thomas Slater, Vero Beach, Fla., 39-37—76

Tim McAdam, Scottsdale, Ariz., 37-39—76

Bob Ethridge, Plantation, Fla., 41-36—77

David Barber, Anchorage, Alaska, 38-39—77

David Lind, Burr Ridge, Ill., 39-38—77

George Covellis, Memphis, Tenn., 39-38—77

Gerald Siemons, Jefferson City, Mo., 38-39—77

Henry M. Hodde, Santa Fe, N.M., 39-38—77

James Alcorn, Irwin, Pa., 38-39—77

Jerry Hudgins, Houston, Texas, 38-39—77

Jerry Knutson, Eugene, Ore., 37-40—77

Karl Stewart Sr, Chino Hills, Calif., 37-40—77

Kemp Richardson, Laguna Niguel, Calif., 38-39—77

Kent Christopher, Farmington, Utah, 37-40—77

Marty Perez, Lithonia, Ga., 37-40—77

Michael Coffelt, Oklahoma City, Okla., 38-39—77

Michael Walters, Tampa, Fla., 41-36—77

Mike Hilton, Muskego, Wis., 38-39—77

Peter Allen, Rochester Hills, Mich., 42-35—77

Rick Weihe, Bellingham, Wash., 40-37—77

Steve Dallas, Mesa, Ariz., 38-39--77

Ted Lyford, Redlands, Calif., 39-38—77

A .B. Sisco, Pensacola, Fla., 37-41—78

Allen Sharpe, Scottsdale, Ariz., 39-39—78

David Cannon, Salt Lake City, Utah, 39-39—78

Don Terry, Stillwater, Okla., 38-40—78

Edward Patridge, Birmingham, Ala., 38-40—78

Gary Shimmin, Okatie, S.C., 39-39—78

Joe Cadle, Wichita Falls, Texas, 39-39—78

Mickey Jones, Odessa, Texas, 38-40—78

Rick E Luzar, Melbourne, Fla., 40-38—78

Rob Thompson, Merced, Calif., 36-42—78

Steve Bogan, Placentia, Calif., 42-36—78

Tom McLean, Greenville, N.C., 37-41—78

Al Brownridge, Canada, 40-39—79

Bruce Walters, Pikeville, Ky., 38-41—79

Chan Henry, Madison, Miss., 35-44—79

Gary Haynie, Kailua, Hawaii, 39-40—79

Kent Brown, Colville, Wash., 42-37—79

Mark Henrickson, Grand Blanc, Mich., 38-41—79

Mickey Williams, Bozeman, Mont., 40-39—79

Mike Hale, Pine Bluff, Ark., 40-39—79

William Best, Jacksonville, Fla., 39-40—79

Bobby Kilgore, Tampa, Fla., 40-40—80

Dave Crawford, Camarillo, Calif., 42-38—80

Gary Miller, Fort Worth, Texas, 41-39—80

Joel Hirsch, Chicago, Ill., 41-39—80

William Boles, Wilson, N.C., 41-39—80

Bud Zipf, Aiken, S.C., 39-42—81

Dale Pecjak, San Diego, Calif., 42-39—81

Denis Johnson, Nutley, N.J., 40-41—81

Edward Gregorczyk, Moosic, Pa., 41-40—81

James Felker, Franklin, Tenn., 41-40—81

Larry Lang, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 40-41—81

Peter Friedes, Winnetka, Ill., 44-37—81

Steve Yavorsky, Capistrano Beach, Calif., 39-42—81

Bruce Richards, Bellevue, Wash., 43-39—82

Danny Naughton, Marion, Iowa, 42-40—82

Dennis Moore, Chesterfield, Mo., 42-40—82

Gary Snyder, Aspen, Colo., 37-45—82

George Waterhouse, Jackson, Wyo., 40-42—82

Malcolm Bund, Bethesda, Md., 39-43—82

Paul Quigley, Barrington, R.I., 43-39—82

Robert Currey, Boston, Mass., 43-39—82

Roy Holloway, Monroe, La., 40-42—82

Vinny Giles, Richmond, Va., 37-45—82

Bill Swed, Sun Lakes, Ariz., 46-37—83

Craig Collins, Enid, Okla., 41-42--83

Jamie Gough, Washington, D.C., 41-42—83

John Martin, Juno Beach, Fla., 41-42—83

Lawrence Campbell, Montgomery, Ala., 41-42—83

Richard Thorstad, Aurora, Colo., 42-41—83

Thomas Di Cinti, Voorhees, N.J., 43-41—84

Bill Douglas, London, Ky., 42-43—85

Herb Weber, Tucson, Ariz., 45-40—85

Larry Semin, Lincoln, Neb., 42-43—85

Moot Thomas, Ocala, Fla., 40-45—85

Roger Schurke, Anoka, Minn., 44-41—85

Ron Shapiro, Loveland, Ohio, 45-40—85

Tom Liller, Rocky River, Ohio, 39-46—85

Mark Peterson, Portage, Mich., 46-41—87

Mike Miller, Ormond Beach, Fla., 43-44—87

Greg Scurlock, Augusta, Ga., DQ-DQ—DQ

Robert Lewis Jr, Cleveland, Ohio, WD-WD--WD