KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii >> Tom Lehman and Bruce Vaughan shot 7-under-par 65 to share the first-round lead Friday at the $1.8 million Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.

The 33rd Champions Tour season started with little wind early and lots of low scores. All but five of the 41 golfers shot par or better.

This Jack Nicklaus-designed resort course has been the easiest layout on the tour eight of the past nine years.

Lehman birdied the final hole to catch Vaughan. Lehman had five birdies and an eagle, playing the par-5 holes in 5-under.

Last year Lehman won three times and was Player of the Year. He is the first golfer to be named Player of the Year on the three major men’s tours, earning the honor on the Nationwide in 1991 and the PGA Tour in 1996.

Vaughan played in the third group, missing the wind that picked up to 15 mph in the afternoon. His only bogey came on the 16th hole, but he rallied with birdies on the final two holes for his lowest score on the Champions Tour by two shots.

Vaughan has limited exempt status this year and got into this tournament of champions because of his victory at the 2008 Senior British Open.

Loren Roberts, Brad Faxon, Jay Haas and Corey Pavin, who is looking for his first win on the senior tour, are tied for third at 66.

Roberts won here in 2006, setting the tour’s scoring record with a 25-under total. He now has 19 straight sub-par rounds at Hualalai.

Dan Forsman and Michael Allen share seventh at 67. Six others are another shot back, including John Huston and Bernhard Langer.

Huston played the final four holes in 3 over and finished at 68. He and Faxon are making their debut in this event, which is open to champions from the past two years and major champions from the past five.

Eight more golfers, including Pavin, received qualified sponsor’s exemptions.

John Cook, who beat Lehman by two shots here last year, shot 69.