KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii » When the wind stays low along the Kona coast of the Big Island, so do the scores at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. But when it blows as it did midway through Friday’s opening round of the Champions Tour season, look out.

Rocco Mediate handled the shifty conditions better than anyone with a 6-under 66 that left him one shot clear of Corey Pavin, and one of only 16 golfers to land a round in the 60s. By day’s end, the old boy network managed a scoring average of 71.025, the highest since 1997, the inaugural year this event moved to the island chain. It was windy then as well.

"The wind changed when we got to the back nine," said Mediate, who was paired with Tom Watson. The eight-time major winner carded a 68 and was among seven golfers tied for third, two strokes off the pacemaker.

"It was especially tough on 15 and 16," Mediate said. "I hope it’s like this every day."

So does defending champion Bernhard Langer. At first glance, his even-par 72 looks like a so-so tour of the course that Jack Nicklaus designed. And to be honest, it was for the two-time winner here. But when you put into context that Langer shot a 10 on the par-5 seventh, that’s not a bad 18 holes.

"I was playing good golf," Langer said. "Even that 3-wood shot that went into the rocks wasn’t that bad. It had a touch of a cut-spin on it and the wind just grabbed it. Hit the cart path, I think, and sometimes it hits the rocks and kicks the right way."

This one didn’t do that. It stayed in and instead of taking an unplayable lie, Langer decided to take a swing at it, then another swing, then another swing, then another swing and when he finally got it out, it was a double-hit that resulted in a one-shot penalty. Throw in the two-putt and it left him 5 over for the hole.

"It ended up in a miserable lie," Langer said. "I made a mistake by playing it, instead of taking the penalty. So, it’s done. Can’t change it. I did the same thing here before. Same hole. Not a 10, but it turned out to be a whatever, eight or something a couple of years ago."

With that said, Langer believes he’s still in it, especially if the wind blows as it did Friday. He is tied for 25th and was one of 28 players to shoot par or better. With that many golfers that close to the lead, it’s going to be a race to the finish on Sunday with a playoff a likely possibility.

"I don’t look at playing in the wind as a disadvantage," said Olin Browne, who carded a 68 with a bogey at the last. "It’s maybe a little bit more difficult to putt, but the wind was playable today."

Those golfers who got out early spent the least amount of time dealing with the breezy conditions. Watson first noticed it on the back nine. He closed birdie, birdie and missed a 4-footer at 16 that he wishes he had back.

"It was a good day and I was glad with the way I finished," Watson said of his birdies at 17 and 18. "I played well on the front nine. I hit a lot of good shots. I didn’t come up with as much as I would have liked to come up with. The putter wasn’t acting very well.

"But fortunately the last two holes, the putter acted very nicely. I wish I could have made the birdie at 16. I hit a great shot in there about 4 feet from the hole into the teeth of that hard wind with a 5-iron. That was the best shot I hit all day. And then I couldn’t convert. I made the front end of the one-and-one, but I couldn’t make the back end."

Conditions are expected to be similar on Saturday for the 40 players in this winners-only field. For Langer, he believes that gives him a shot to successfully defend his title.

"Once I started at Benson & Hedges in England many years ago I started quadruple bogey, that was an eight and then a double bogey," Langer said. "So I was 6 over after two holes and I was thinking what Luftwaffe flight goes home. And I finished third in the tournament, two shots behind the winner. I didn’t give up and came back.

"I’m still in it, especially if the wind blows. I’m playing well enough to be going low. If I make four there (at the par-5 seventh), which I would make most of the time, I’m six shots better. I’d be six under par right now, so…"