Cary, N.C. ? Jim Thorpe found his dream putter in the first round of the SAS Championship.

Thorpe, using a new Calloway putter that was shipped here two days ago, shot a 64 to grab a two-shot lead over Dana Quigley on Friday.

Dana Quigley flips a ball to his caddie after finishing the 18th hole. Quigley finished the opening round of the SAS Golf Championship 6-under, two shots behind Jim Thorpe on Friday at the Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, N.C.

The 8-under-par round at Prestonwood Country Club was Thorpe’s season low and matched the 64 he shot in the final round of the Senior PGA Tour event in 2001.

“I’ve always used short putters my whole career but I could never get them heavy enough,” Thorpe said. “Calloway made me one heavy enough, and I’ll tell you what man, this putter is magnificent. This is the best putter I’ve ever put in my hands.”

Thorpe, who grew up in nearby Roxboro, started last year’s SAS with rounds of 73 and 72 before his 64 was good enough for a 17th place tie.

He didn’t wait nearly as long to get it going this time around, getting birdies on his final two holes to break away from Quigley, whose 66 was his best round in three months.

Vicente Fernandez and Wayne Levi are at 67.

Thorpe said his caddie reminded him of his final round last year on the 7,129-yard layout before he teed off.

“I said, ‘Well, let’s go do it again,” Thorpe said.

Thorpe made four birdies of 17 feet or longer on the back nine and finished with 26 putts. On Thursday, Thorpe made the first three 10-footers he attempted with his new putter on the practice green.

“The name of the game out here is putting,” Thorpe said. “The putter separates us. If I can just stay close to some of the top putters, then I can win some golf tournaments.”

Thorpe, whose only win this season came in late April, entered the SAS Championship 36th on tour in putting.

“The good thing was I only left one putt short all day long,” he said.

After shooting a pair of 66s in the first two rounds of last week’s RJR Championship, Thorpe got irritated after three-putting three times on the back nine en route to a closing-round 70 to tie for seventh.

Thorpe got off to a fast start with birdies on two of his first three holes and made the turn at 3-under before closing strong.

Thorpe also is partly responsible for getting Quigley out of his three-month long slump.

Quigley, who hasn’t been in contention since a second-place tie at the BellSouth Senior Classic in mid-June, borrowed a set of Calloway irons from Thorpe after a Tuesday practice round with his pal.

The new clubs worked as Quigley closed his round with an eagle and birdie to temporary take the lead before Thorpe forged ahead an hour later.

“I normally don’t help my opponents, but Dana and I have been friends a long time,” Thorpe said. “When they play well it lifts your game, but I may take them back this evening.”