Mayfair leads International field

There aren't many players who make more eagles and birdies than Billy Mayfair. And there aren't any tournaments that reward below-par shooters the way the International does.

Mayfair, who ranks second behind only Vijay Singh in birdies and eagles this season, rolled in a 70-foot putt for eagle on No. 17, then finished with a birdie to take the lead after the first round of one of the tour's most unique events Friday in Castle Rock, Colo.

Playing at high altitude (6,300 feet) and using the modified Stableford scoring system, two factors that reward big hitters and aggressiveness, Mayfair scored 15 points to lead Brandt Jobe by two, D.A. Points and Charles Howell by three and Geoff Ogilvy and Tim Petrovic by four.

Under the Stableford scoring system, players get five points for eagles, two for birdies, nothing for pars and lose one point for bogeys.

Nationwide Tour

U.S. Open fan favorite Jason Gore shot a 12-under 59 in the second round of the Nationwide Tour's Cox Classic in Omaha, Neb., becoming the third golfer to accomplish the feat on the developmental tour.

Gore started on the back nine and had five birdies for a 31 at the turn. After a bogey at the par-5 first, he went on to post two eagles and four birdies for a 28 on the second nine at the 6,966-yard, par-71 Champions Run course. He closed with a 20-foot eagle putt and moved into third place, three shots behind leader Jon Mills, who was at 15 under after an 11-under 60.

A two-time winner on the Nationwide Tour this year, Gore tied the tour record set by Notah Begay in 1998 and matched by Doug Dunakey later that same season.

Champions Tour

Tom Purtzer matched the tournament record with a 9-under 63 that included a hole-in-one, and he held a one-stroke lead over Bruce Lietzke after the opening round of the 3M Championships at the TPC of the Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn.

Champions Tour rookie Don Reese had a 66, one stroke in front of nine players, including defending champion Tom Kite.

The group at 69 included U.S. Senior Open champion Allen Doyle and leading money-winner Dana Quigley.

Scandinavian TPC

Liselotte Neumann shot a 2-over 74 in rainy conditions to lead Gwladys Nocera by one stroke after the second round of the Scandinavian TPC in Loddekopinge, Sweden.

Tournament host Annika Sorenstam shot 75 to share sixth place on a windy day at the Barseback course.

Nocera, the only player to break par with a 69, finished one shot ahead of Minea Blomqvist (72), Suzann Pettersen (72) and Carin Koch (74), who tied for third. Sorenstam was tied for sixth with fellow Swede Helen Alfredsson.

The cut came at 10 over -- the highest of the year on the Ladies European Tour.

Neumann, who won the 1988 U.S. Open to become the first Swedish major winner, finished at 2-under 142.

-- From wire reports