CHAMPIONS TOUR Dougherty, Wadkins lead Southern

Favorable weather marks first round at Columbus Southern Open
COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) -- Ed Dougherty and Bobby Wadkins had 5-under 65s Friday and shared the first-round lead in the inaugural Columbus Southern Open.
Dougherty birdied his final hole about an hour after Wadkins closed with a three-putt bogey.
They were one shot ahead of Des Smyth, Tom Kite, Walter Hall, Dana Quigley and Morris Hatalsky in The Champions Tour event at Green Island Country Club.
Wadkins is one of the many the golfers who played here more than a decade ago in the PGA Tour's defunct Southern Open, which moved up the road to Callaway Gardens and became the Buick Challenge before folding last fall.
"It was enjoyable to come back to Green Island," said Dougherty, whose birdie came on No. 9 when he hit a 6-iron within 15 feet.
Grain Island
The old Green Island, with its grainy Bermuda greens, infuriated many players, who derisively called it Grain Island. But the smooth, bent grass greens on the muddy remodeled course made for prime scoring opportunities.
The round was played under the lift, clean and place rule with the grounds soggy from near record rains in the Chattahoochee Valley area.
"The whole key today and for the rest of the tournament was keeping it in the fairway," Wadkins said. "The rough is extremely wet. The greens are absolutely perfect.
"I played well except for three-putting the last hole," Wadkins said of No. 18, his only bogey. "Besides that, it was a good day."
Wadkins birdied five of his first 13 holes on the strength of his iron play. Four of the five birdies were set up with sand wedges into the green that left him short putts.
Like Wadkins, Smyth did most of his scoring on the front side although he started on the back. He was 1-under through 12 holes then had three birdies in four holes.
"I knew the conditions were perfect and the course was in good shape after drying out and that scores would be low," Smyth said.
Hatalsky had four birdies over his last nine holes and Hall birdied his last two holes.