Steve Pate collected 11 points to hold the lead after the first round of The International in Colorado.

Pate, who is without a win on the PGA Tour since 1998, led the way in the tournament which employs a modified Stableford scoring system.

Pate appeared quite comfortable at the Castle Pines Golf Club and took advantage of a system that rewards golfers for aggressive play.

Eight points are awarded for double eagle, five for eagle, two for birdie, zero for par, minus-1 for bogey and minus-3 for double bogey or higher.

Playing the back nine first, Pate had four birdies on the first eight holes and increased his points total to 13 with an eagle on the par-five first hole.

But he then dropped down to 11 points with bogeys on the fifth and ninth.

Rich Beem, whose only PGA win came at the Kemper Open in 1999, is tied for second with Billy Mayfair after scoring 10 points.

Struggles

Open champion Ernie Els finished with eight points and is among five golfers tied for ninth place.

Els won The International in 2000, when he tied a tournament record with 48 points, and finished in a tie for third last year in a tournament won by Tom Pernice Jr.

Among those who struggled were Phil Mickelson, winner of the event in 1993 and 1997 and second in 1998 and 2000, who finished at -2.

First-round leaders (US unless stated):

+11 points - Steve Pate
+10 - Rich Beem, Billy Mayfair
+9 - Hank Kuehne, John Senden (Aus), Heath Slocum, Duffy Waldorf
+8 - Ernie Els (Rsa), Hunter Haas, Jay Haas, Steve Lowery, Chris Riley, Paul Stankowski