Seattle's Black leads Washington State Open after 67

BELLEVUE -- Seattle club professional Darren Black, from Rainier Golf and Country Club, shot a 4-under-par 67 to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the 86th Washington State Open Invitational in Bellevue on Monday.

Glen Griffith from Albany, Ore., was second after a 69.

Seven other players broke par at 1-under 70, including Spokane's Corey Prugh and past champions Jeff Coston of Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine and Josh Immordino of Kent. Nationwide touring pro Jeff Gove of Seattle also shot a 70.

Another Nationwide Tour pro - Olympia's Andres Gonzales, who tied for 19th at the PGA Tour event that finished Sunday near Dallas - shot a 1-over par 72 to join a group tied for 13th that included Walla Walla's Brady Sharp.

Richland professionals Jason Aichele (Meadow Springs) and Ryan Dahl (Horn Rapids) opened with rounds of 7-over 78. Canyon Lakes professional Steve Stull was at 80.

The 96 pros invited to the championship continue today at Glendale Country Club, which is playing at 6,525 yards and par 71, with tee times from 7:30-9:30 a.m. and 12:30-2:30 p.m.

They are chasing a share of the $145,000 purse.

The field will be cut to the low 48 professionals and ties for the final round Wednesday.

Black and his amateur partner, Casey Ribera, are co-leaders in the concurrent pro-am competition. They shot 63, as did Coston and his partner, Eric Read, and Twin Lakes-based pro Issac Henry-Cano and amateur Leon Xu.

Thirty pro-am teams will survive the cut today to play the final round Wednesday.

This story was originally published May 22, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Seattle's Black leads Washington State Open after 67 ."