By Craig Smith, USGA

Village of Pinehurst, N.C. – Wesley Bryan, 18, of Chapin, S.C., made four birdies on his way to a three-under-par 67 on the No. 2 course to lead the early finishers by a stroke in the first round of the U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club. Four of the finishers at 68 played the No. 4 course, the second course being used for the two days of stroke play.

Bryan, a freshman at the University of South Carolina, played his sub-par round in an uncharacteristic manner. He hit only four fairways off the tee, but still managed to hit 13 of the 18 greens in regulation.

"I scrambled around all day," said Bryan. "I was hitting it so far off line that I had some good lies in the pine straw and on the packed down cart paths. You name it, I was on it. I got it up and down from everywhere."

With half of the 315 players finished, nine players were in under par. Nick Taylor of Canada, a quarterfinalist in 2007, led a group of seven players in at even par. Eighteen-year-old Danny Lee of New Zealand, who tied for 20^th at last week's PGA Tour event, had a 71 on No. 4.

"I'm pleased with a 71; it could have been a lot worse," said Lee, the world's top-ranked amateur who arrived in Pinehurst late Sunday night after a two-hour drive from Greensboro, site of the Wyndham Championship. "I got off to a bad start. I was two over after five holes."

Following 36 holes of stroke play, the low 64 players will advance to match play. The Championship runs through the end of the week, with a 36-hole final scheduled for Sunday.

The Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

Craig Smith is the USGA's Director of Media Relations. E-mail him with questions or comments at csmith@usga.org.