KAHUKU — While the North Shore gusts blew most golfers to relatively routine scores in the opening round of the Turtle Bay Championship, Gil Morgan appeared to play in a breeze-proof bubble yesterday. Morgan has a two-shot advantage over Morris Hatalsky at the Champions Tour's first full-field event of the year after shooting a 7-under-par 65 at the Palmer Course.

Morgan chipped in for eagle on the ninth and drained a 35-foot eagle putt on the 12th to provide his cushion. A crowd of seven, including four rookies, are another shot behind Hatalsky, who led yesterday's putting statistics — as he did throughout the 2004 and '05 seasons.

Morgan, 61, was blissfully ignorant of what was going on until he saw his first scoreboard at the 16th, and was four ahead of the field. It was an eye full for a guy who hardly practiced before last week's MasterCard Championship, where he finished next-to-last. Morgan won the first MasterCard in a 1998 windstorm.

He has not fared as well in the North Shore breeze. His best finish was 14th, two years ago. Last year he opened with a 75 and tied for 28th.

"I haven't played as well as I'd like at this golf course," Morgan admitted. "It's always kind of blustery conditions. I was kind of surprised at my round today. I didn't feel like I was playing quite that good. ... Hopefully my game will improve a little as I go forward, but I don't know if I can improve on this round. It would be kind of hard."

Fulton Allem, one of the many at 4-under, thinks two more 68s might win it tomorrow if the typically tough conditions prevail. A year ago, Fred Funk won here by a record 11 shots, shooting a remarkable 23-under in remarkably calm conditions.

"If I can get it to 12-under I think it's going to have some kind of chance," Allem said. "Unless something happens like Freddie last year. He just got comatose with the putter."

In just his third Champions start, the South African had it to 5-under before bogeying the last hole when he hit in the water. Allem hasn't won in 15 years, but if he is going to end his drought, it might be here.

"By the way," he said, abruptly changing the subject as he talked of his round, "this Paspalum grass ... this is the finest seaside golf course condition-wise I've played in all my years of playing on tour. To have a seaside course with the grain going all in one direction and very little of it, and the condition of the course immaculate, it's unheard of really."

Morgan blew by everybody by making the turn in 5-under. He got it to 8-under at the 12th but, after sinking a trio of 4-footers to save par, he had his only bogey with a three-putt at the 17th.

Suddenly his four-shot advantage was cut in half, but no one could get closer through the wind and rain of the final hours. Morgan is looking for his 26th senior win, and closing on $24 million in career money. He is the only golfer to make at least $1 million each of the last 11 years.

Hatalsky is looking for his fourth Champions win, but coming off his worst season. He birdied the last two holes to slide into second yesterday. Hatalsky needed just 23 putts, one-putting 13 greens. He hit just 10 greens in regulation, compared to 16 for Morgan.

In contrast, former Kailua resident Scott Simpson bogeyed the final two holes to drop into 10th at 69. This is Simpson's third start here. He finished second in 2006 and 10th last year. His worst round at the Palmer is 70.

Fred Funk, who warmed up for this title defense by winning last week at Hualalai, was 4-under after 12 holes. He bogeyed the next hole — his first bogey in 67 holes at Turtle Bay — and finished at 70. His worst score here last year was 65.

NOTES

With weather worries to contend with, the Champions Tour will start players off the first and 10th tees today beginning at 9:30 a.m. The leaders go out at 11:30 a.m.

Lee Trevino withdrew after Thursday's Pro-Am with back problems. James Mason took Trevino's place in the 78-man field.

David Ogrin is making his Champions debut this week, on a sponsor's exemption. He turned 50 on Dec. 31.

Punahou freshman Cyd Okino has received an invitation from Japan to play in the Monday qualifier of the LPGA's Fields Open in Hawai'i, Feb. 18 at Ko Olina Golf Club.

Pros Mark Wiebe and Morris Hatalsky led the winning Pro-Am team, which had a total of 38-under Wednesday and Thursday. Amateurs were Michael Wo, Robert Brant, Keith Nakamura and Jay Higa. Wiebe three-putted twice yesterday. He came into the event without any three-putts in his senior career. The hiccup on the ninth hole ended his streak of holes without a three-putt at 296.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.