Eduardo Romera watches his chip shot on the 17th green. Romero leads the pack after an shooting an opening-round 68 on Thursday at the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, S.C.

Kiawah Island, S.C. ? Argentina’s Eduardo Romero never minded playing in strong wind in his home country. So the Atlantic gusts Thursday in the Senior PGA Championship were little problem.

Romero shot a 4-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead over Naomichi “Joe” Ozaki at The Ocean Course, which is hosting its highest profile event since the 1991 Ryder Cup.

Back then, the world’s best were outfoxed and rattled by the shifty wind. And while many golfers couldn’t handle the gusts of up to 31 mph Thursday, Romero simply called on his youth in Cordoba when he routinely played windier rounds.

“I feel very comfortable with the wind,” he said. “I’m playing a lot of times in this wind.”

It showed Thursday. Romero had birdies on all four par 5s, landing his approaches inside 5 feet each time.

He looked as if he’d have a bogey-free round, but he missed a 2-foot par putt on No. 18. “Stupid on that,” Romero said. “But it is OK because the day was perfect … very nice.”

Asked if he’d like to keep it blowing this way all weekend, Romero didn’t hesitate: “Oh yes, of course.”

Not everyone shared his opinion.

The wind clanged hospitality tents and whipped competitors’ slacks. When John Jacobs spied fellow competitor Jim Ahern after the morning round, he yelled, “Jimmy, you made it.”

Dave Stockton, captain of the victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team 16 years back, found the course as maddening now as his players did then. His 81 included a triple-bogey 8 on the second hole.

Former U.S. Open champion Hubert Green was 3 under through four holes, but finished 8 over the rest of the way.

Tournament officials did their part to counter the wind, using front tee locations that sliced about 200 yards off the listed course distance of 7,201.

Tom Watson said the placements kept competitors from needing full-blown 3-woods to reach the treacherous 17th, shrunk 19 yards to 178.

“Thank you, very much. They used some common sense, those people at the PGA,” Watson said.

Birdies boost Kim at Colonial

Fort Worth, Texas – Anthony Kim birdied the last six holes – the PGA Tour’s longest birdie streak this season – for a 7-under 63 and a one-stroke lead in the suspended first round of Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

The 21-year-old tour rookie was among 57 players – exactly half of the 114-player field – to finish play before a thunderstorm flooded the course. Play never resumed after the second weather delay of the day, and the round was suspended until today.

Ted Purdy, at 7 under before a bogey on his 16th hole, and Jeff Maggert completed rounds of 64. Nathan Green and Jeff Quinney were together in the first group and shot 65s, as did Peter Lonard. Frank Lickliter was 5 under through eight holes – with six birdies and a bogey – when play was suspended the second time. Kevin Na, paired with Lickliter, was 4 under with five birdies and a bogey.

Charlotta Sorenstam on top

Corning, N.Y. – Charlotta Sorenstam has been teaching a lot at her famous sister’s golf academy in Florida. Her fees are about to go up.

Sorenstam shot a bogey-free 8-under 64 on Thursday, matching her career low, to take a one-shot lead over Beth Bader after the first round of the LPGA Corning Classic.

Paula Creamer, Shi Hyun Ahn and Jamie Hullett opened with 66s, and Diana D’Alessio, Giulia Sergas, Charlotte Mayorkas, Hye Jung Choi and In-Kyung Kim had 67s.

Sorenstam, the former NCAA champion at Texas who won the 2000 Standard Register Ping for her lone LPGA Tour victory, hit 15 of 17 greens in regulation and needed just 25 putts. She birdied four of her final five holes.

Rose leads Euro championship

Virginia Water, England – Englishmen Justin Rose and Paul Broadhurst shot 6-under 66s to share the first-round lead in the BMW PGA Championship, the PGA European Tour’s flagship event at historic Wentworth.

Rose, a regular on the PGA Tour, had been sidelined by a back injury since tying for fifth in the Masters in April.