Kurt Kitayama steered a steady course in demanding conditions Friday to take a one-shot lead in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where he's chasing his first US PGA Tour title.
The Californian, who has two European Tour titles on his resume, parred his first nine holes and had three birdies and a bogey coming in to post a two-under-par 70 for a nine-under total of 134.
He was one stroke clear of first-round leader Hank Lebioda, Kevin Mitchell, Brando Wu and Joseph Bramlett.
"Today was really tough," said Kitayama, who played the par-72 Pebble Beach Golf Links, one of three courses in use over the first three rounds along with par-72 Spyglass Hill and the par-71 Monterey Peninsula course.
"Overall, I'm really happy with where I'm at and how I played today."
Of the group sharing second, three played at Monterey Peninsula, where Wu carded a 66, Mitchell posted a 68 and Bramlett carded a 67.
Lebioda, who opened with a 63 at Monterey Peninsula on Thursday, carded an even-par 72 at Pebble Beach.
Lebioda teed off on 10 and had the solo lead at 10-under after birdies at the 10th and second, but he dropped back with a double-bogey at the par-three fifth.
After gusting winds hit the later starters on Thursday, morning rain and more blustery winds pushed up scores on Friday morning.
More rain and wind was forecast for the weekend, and tee times were moved up to try to miss the worst of it.
England's Justin Rose and Ireland's Seamus Power both said the weather reminded them of home.
"It was a bit of a dreary kind of day, kind of English I suppose," said Rose, whose three-under-par round at Spyglass Hill included a hole-in-one at the par-three 15th.
"A special day always when you manage to have a hole-in-one," he said. "I believe it's my 12th.
"Kind of felt like I could have kicked on from that point a little more," added Rose, who had two late bogeys and finished the day tied for 11th, three shots off the lead.
Kurt Kitayama of the United States plays his shot from the 11th tee (Getty Images via AFP)
