<p>DULUTH, Ga. &mdash; Stephen Ames shot a 6-under 66 on Friday to take the first-round lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ Mitsubishi Electric Classic.</p>
<p>The 57-year-old Ames had an opening bogey and seven birdies for a one-stroke lead over Paul Goydos.</p>
<p>“I don’t think I had one highlight, I think I was very steady Eddie,” Ames said. “I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens to give myself a lot of opportunities.”</p>
<p>A naturalized Canadian citizen from Trinidad, the four-time PGA Tour champion won the 2017 tournament at TPC Sugarloaf for his lone senior title.</p>
<p>“I think a combination of everything,” Ames said. “Hitting the ball really nicely and been working on my putting, a couple things on my putting that came through today, which is nice.”</p>
<p>Goydos played the back nine in 5 under, closing with a birdie on the par-5 18th. The 56-year-old Goydos has five senior victories after winning twice on the PGA Tour.</p>
<p>Gene Sauers followed at 68, and John Huston and Billy Andrade shot 69.</p>
<p>Jim Furyk, 2019 winner Scott McCarron, 2014 champion Miguel Angel Jimenez and Kenny Perry were in the group at 70. McCarron also won two PGA Tour events at TPC Sugarloaf.</p>
<p>Alex Cejka shot 71. He won the Regions Tradition last week in a playoff for his first senior victory, beating Steve Stricker in a playoff.</p>
<p>Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz had a quadruple bogey on the par-4 17th and a double bogey on 18 in an 84. He was 79th among the 80 finishers.</p>
<p>Wes Short Jr. shot 85, making five straight double bogeys in the middle of the round.</p>