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US duo off to Ginn flyers

Defending champion Chopra bottom of leaderboard after opening 81

Last updated: 31st October 2008

Letzig: share of the lead

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American duo Michael Letzig and Kent Jones both returned bogey-free rounds of 65 to share the lead on seven-under-par after the first round of the Ginn sur Mer Classic in Florida.

Letzig got his bid going with three consecutive birdies from the sixth hole on the Conservatory Course in Palm Coast.

The 28-year-old hit the turn in 32 shots and came up with three more birdies on the back nine as he bids to add a victory to his four top-ten finishes this season.

By contrast Jones is without a top-15 in his last 21 starts and is facing a real battle to retain his card for next season.

However, the 41-year-old New Mexico native produced a superb display to give himself every chance of banishing those fears as he birdied two of his final three holes to grab a share of the lead.

Letzig and Jones are two clear of compatriot, Ryan Palmer, who carded an opening 67while three more Americans, James Driscoll, Cameron Beckman, Tom Scherrer, and Australian Robert Allenby are one stroke further adrift on four-under.

Returning champion Daniel Chopra got the defence of his crown off to the worst possible start as he came home with a disastrous 81, including two double-bogeys, to sit at the bottom of the leaderboard.

The event is the penultimate on the PGA Tour's 2008 schedule with many of the field still battling to secure their card for next season.

With only the top 125 on the money-list guaranteed to do so, the desperate scramble to secure playing privileges was highlighted by Jeff Overton - 126th on the list - who teed off just nine days after emergency appendectomy surgery.

The American got his campaign underway with a steady one-under-par 71.