Defending champion among leaders at final B.C. Open

VERONA, N.Y. -- Jason Bohn knew in his heart he made the right choice. On Thursday, his golf game confirmed it.

Opting to defend his B.C. Open title instead of playing in the British Open, Bohn shot a 6-under 66 to tie Harrison Frazar for second, one shot behind 45-year-old Mark Brooks after the first round.

"It shows that I totally made the right decision, makes me feel good. I played well, I'm in contention," said Bohn, who has made 12 straight cuts this year. "The British is my favorite major, too, but this is the last B.C. Open. They deserve to have the defending champion."

Scott Gutschewski, Daisuke Maruyama, Matt Gogel, Omar Uresti, Scott Gump, John Rollins, Ryuji Imada and 1997 B.C. Open champ Gabriel Hjertstedt shot 67s.

Another former B.C. Open winner, 48-year-old Mike Hulbert (1989), was among a logjam at 68 after his best round in four tournaments this year.

The final B.C. Open -- it's being dropped from the PGA Tour after this year -- isn't being played at En-Joie Golf Club in Endicott for the first time since the event became a regular tour stop in 1972. Flooding in late June on the Susquehanna River inundated En-Joie and two weeks ago forced PGA Tour officials to move the tournament about 90 miles northeast to Turning Stone Resort's Atunyote Golf Club.