Two veterans of the men's tour shared the lead after the first round of the Wachovia Championship in North Carolina on Thursday.

Price took advantage of the conditions to post a fine score

Nick Price and Fred Couples took advantage of benign afternoon conditions to shoot six-under-par 66s on the demanding Quail Hollow course, hosting its first PGA Tour event since 1979.

Price, 46, and Couples, 43, headed Rich Beem by one stroke on a day when nine of the top 10 played in the afternoon.

Just two days after being named to the World Golf Hall of Fame, Price needed just 20 putts in a round that included seven birdies and one bogey.

"There are two things you have to do with putting - get the ball on line and hit the right pace," he said.

"When one of them is a given, it makes it a lot easier to putt.

"I'm not worried about getting the ball on line. I'm just worried about the pace, and that's when you putt your best."

Price expressed great enthusiasm for Quail Hollow, saying it easily was good enough to host a major championship.

Couples, who ended a five-year drought when he won the Houston Open two weeks ago, did not drop a shot.

"I started out in the rough every hole off the tee, but I hit some good iron shots and I putted well," he said.

Rosie Jones and Sweden's Sophie Gustafson each carded six-under-par 66s for a share of the first-round lead in North Augusta.

Jones had a rollercoaster day, with an eagle, seven birdies and three bogeys at the Mount Village Plantation Golf Club.

She matched her lowest score of the year - a 66 in the third round of the season-opening Welch's/Fry's Championship.

Winless since claiming the last of her 12 career titles two years ago, the 43-year-old Jones is looking to become the first American to triumph on the Tour this season.

Fellow Americans Pat Hurst (67), Laura Diaz and Wendy Ward (68) were within two shots of the lead.

Gustafson played bogey-free en route to her 66 - a stroke off her best round of the season.

She has finished sixth or better twice and no worse than 15th in her last four starts.

Defending champion Janice Moodie of Scotland was among five players to shoot 69 but Se Ri Pak of Korea was tied for 60th after a disappointing 73.

Swedish super star Annika Sorenstam is playing in Japan as she continues preparations for a historic PGA Tour appearance later this month at the Colonial.