PENN TWP - Michael Kanoff Jr. not only started early, but, more importantly, he started off well.

At Monday's opening round of the 46th annual Pennsylvania State Senior Amateur Championship at Butler Country Club, Kanoff set the standard early and watched it hold up all day.

Kanoff fired a 31 on the front nine holes and finished the day with a 2-under 69. He was the only golfer of the 98 who finished to break par.

"I played pretty well," said Kanoff. "I had four birdies on the front side and didn't make a bogey."

Kanoff made birdies on three consecutive holes (Nos. 3 to 5) to set the tone early and to start a five-hole spurt in which he needed just 14 shots.

"The other thing that helped was I putted well," said Kanoff. "Anytime I can shoot par, I'm pleased with that."

With a par on 10 and a birdie on 11, Kanoff was 5-under, but then had bogeys on 13, 15 and 17 that led to his 69.

Kanoff enters today's second round with a two-stroke lead over Mark Battista of Philadelphia Publinks GA (71) and Ray Seemiller of Diamond Run Golf Course (71) and three strokes over King Knox of Lancaster Country Club (72).

Kanoff played a practice round on Sunday and liked the layout of the course.

"This golf course is pretty much straight forward," said Kanoff. "There's one tricky hole, No. 11, but it's a good golf course."

Oddly enough, all four golfers were in the morning flight and seven of the top 11 scores came from the early round.

One of the favorites of the tournament, Paul Schlachter of The Club at Nevillewood, had to withdraw after playing a few holes.

Schlachter, the defending champion, still had lingering effects of heat exhaustion he suffered last week at a national tournament in Kansas.

"Normally, he would have been under 70 in both rounds," said Butler Country Club member George Bilowick, who finished with a 75.

"He plays well here. Now, it's an open race," Bilowick added.

The best the afternoon flight could do was a pair of 73s turned in by Thomas Fleig of Colonial Country Club and Daniel Burton of Bent Creek Country Club.

There were five golfers tied at 74 and seven more at 75, including Bilowick, who are still in the running for the crown.

"It's always an advantage to play your home course," said Bilowick. "The reality is, that when it's your home course, there's the comment of 'not in my house', but you can be overconfident and over aggressive.

"The course is sort of an enigma, one that it's a flat course and you're playing 6,600 yards," he added.

Jim Vollmer and Robert Baft of St. Jude Golf Club also are taking part in the championship.

Vollmer carded a 78 and Baft a 81. Both shot a 40 on the front nine.

"I had too many three-putts, about five or six, but that's part of the game," said Vollmer. "I started on the No. 12 hole, three-putted and that was the start of my day."

Today's action was scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. with the Super Seniors, followed by the rest of the seniors field. All golfers will begin at the No. 1 tee.

While Kanoff might have the early lead, there's still a cluster of golfers lying in wait.

"There are good players in the field," said Bilowick. "When we have state opens, there's only three or four under par so it's a real test of golf.

"It's not difficult, but it demands proper thinking."