Near home, Marino leads Tiger's tourney

(AP Photo/Nick Wass)

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) It's just like old times for the PGA Tour's annual stop in the nation's capital. There's no Tiger Woods to be found, and there's a potential first-time winner atop the leaderboard.

In fact, other than the venue - the historic and well-heeled Congressional Country Club - the first round of the AT&T National on Thursday was one big flashback to the days of the Kemper Open. Local kid Steve Marino led a field lacking many top names in front of galleries that offered plenty of room for viewing space.

Not that Marino and his lively group of supporters were complaining. The 28-year-old Virginia native shot a 5-under, bogey-free 65 on the famed Blue Course, an early echo of the tradition established by Rich Beem, Tom Scherrer, Frank Lickliter and others who got their career-changing first victory in the suburbs of Washington.

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