Blake finds his touch

Jay Don Blake shot a six-under-par 64 to take the first-round lead at the Greater Milwaukee Open in Wisconsin.

Blake is one stroke ahead of Kirk Triplett and two clear of 2001 winner Shigeki Maruyama, of Japan, and four other Americans, Joel Edwards, Jerry Kelly, Brett Quigley and Kenneth Staton.

Defending champion Jeff Sluman, a twice winner of the event, shot a two-over-par 72.

Blake, 44 and without a win on the US Tour since 1991, made five birdies on the front nine. He said: "I started to hit a lot of greens and tried not to get too aggressive. I played well and felt comfortable."

Blake's 64 was his best opening round of the year. He shot an opening round of 66 at the US Open last month and said that effort had helped him mentally.

"It gave me some confidence," said Blake, who has missed 10 of 14 cuts this year.

"Down the road I thought that I could turn it around and into something good."