By Rusty Miller
The Associated Press

AURORA, Ohio - Mixing business with pleasure, Steve Paramore made the most of the opening round of the 97th Ohio Amateur.

The Ashland native and new women's golf coach at the University of Ashland shot a 3-under-par 68 Tuesday to take a one-shot lead over Duke senior-to-be David French of Upper Arlington.

Paramore's caddie was his new bride, Kerre. They were married June 28.

"We're treating this like it's a second honeymoon," Paramore said after putting together a five-birdie, two-bogey round at Aurora Golf and Country Club.

Kerre is not exactly a partner on the course. She carries the bag but doesn't offer yardage or advice. She's better at reading her husband than reading greens.

"I can read him," she said with a grin. "I know when I can talk to him and when not to."

The course might have been the big winner on the opening day. Most of the holes require a player to work the ball off the tee - something that was nearly impossible in the swirling, unpredictable winds that hampered the players all day.

Only three of the 140 players broke par. The field averaged 79.5 scores. Only 69 players broke 80.

The Paramores returned just in time from their honeymoon in San Diego.

A former golfer at Florida Southern, Paramore, 21, turned in even-par after starting on the 10th tee. He had birdies at the par-4 first and then birdied holes No. 6 and 7.

He said simplicity was the key. So was a brief talk with a friend, Matt Marino, a University of Ashland golfer who was the only person to even match par from the first half of the field with morning tee times.

After playing in the Eastern Amateur, Duke's French rushed back to Ohio on Sunday night.

Despite a glittering career in high school and junior golf, French has never before played in the Ohio Am.

David Allan of Terrace Park shot a 70 to stand alone in third, two behind Paramore, with Marino next at 71.

Sylvania's Kevin Kornowa kept alive his hopes of a defense of his title, shooting a 72.

In one of the first groups off the tee in the morning, Cincinnati real-estate broker Dave Lockard was among the early leaders before he carded a 15 on the par-4 10th. He hit his drive and a provisional into the woods, then couldn't find the first ball, and the second ball lodged between two tree stumps. It took him six swings to move the ball an inch so he could extricate it. He finished with a 91.

The field will be cut to the low 60 and ties through 36 holes today and to the top 40 and ties heading into Friday's final 18 holes.