Sterling, MA---On a day in which an all-time CGT record 44 players shot rounds of par or better, Tele Wightman paced the field of 102 with an 8-under 63 during round one of the 2nd annual Sterling Open. Mike Harris, less than two weeks removed from a 66th place finish in the PGA Tour's Buick Open, carded a 64 and stands tied for second with Andy Bare, in search of his second win on the CGT in less than six weeks. With temperatures hovering near the 100-degree mark, nine players finished at 66 or better, compared with just one in last year's first round, courtesy of Jeff Seavey.

Wightman, already a winner on Tour at the 2002 Stonebridge Open, rode a new Two-Ball putter to his opening 63, which fell just one shot short of the 62 current PGA Tour rookie and 2004 Sterling Open champion Sean O'Hair fired during last year's final round.

"Once you start making putts, you don't really have to it that close," said the 27-year-old Wightman, who tallied nine birdies against just one bogey on the par-4 15th hole. "[My putting] took a lot of pressure off. I just felt like if I gave myself a chance, I was going to make it."

Ditto for Mike Harris, whose 64 came less than 18 hours after driving five hours from Canada, where he finished second in the Montreal Open.

"I got in Sunday at 11:30 (pm), woke up bright and early Monday morning and had at it," said Harris, whose 64 included no bogeys despite not playing a practice round. Since June, Harris has won four events, spanning three states, earned over $63,000 and has played 21 rounds in a collective 57-under par.

"It's getting to the point where I'm looking for some time off," joked Harris. "But I'm here and I'm playing well."

Harris shares second with Bare, who played his first 11 holes 7-under then parred in for his third sub-65 round of the year.

Nick Cook, this year's Connecticut Open champion, and Jeff Seavey sit at 4-under after matching 66s. Cook turned in even par then shot a 5-under 29 on the inward nine. Seavey, meanwhile, matched the opening 66 he shot last year.

"Can we play here every week," joked Seavey, as he entered the scoring tent. "It's like déjà vu all over again." Former PGA Tour winner Bill Britton sits at 4-under after an opening 67.

Only the top 38 and ties advance to Wednesday's final round. The 44 players at par or better breaks the previous CGT record of 41, set last year in the first round of the Passaconaway Open.