PALM COAST, Fla. (AP) – One of the best Champions Tour rookie classes in recent memory was nearly outdone by 64-year-old Raymond Floyd.

On a windy day that made just standing over the ball difficult, the four-time major championship winner flirted with shooting his age before settling for a 4-under 68 on Friday at the Ginn Championship at the Ocean Club at Hammock Beach.

Floyd briefly shared the lead before bogeying his final two holes to finish one shot behind leaders Brad Bryant and Keith Fergus. Des Smyth, R.W. Eaks and Joe Ozaki also opened with 68s.

Floyd hit 14 greens in regulation and made seven birdie putts of 15 feet or less in besting the likes of Nick Price, Mark O’Meara and Fred Funk, who is still good enough to win on both tours in the same year.

Still packing punch in their early-to-mid-50s are Jay Haas, Craig Stadler, Tom Purtzer and Loren Roberts.

“This is a Raymond Floyd kind of day,” Bryant said. “He has such a good feel and such a good short game. No matter how good you hit it today, you’re not going to hit all the greens. When everyone is going to miss a few greens, Raymond is amazing.”

Floyd, however, noted that he hasn’t won on the Champions Tour since the 2000 Senior Players Championship and that he’s averaged 11 starts per year since 2002.

“At this stage of my career, I don’t come to golf tournaments any longer with the thought of winning,” he said. “I’m playing. I think it’s good for the tour and I’m trying to contribute.”

Floyd also said he uses his limited play to help keep in reasonable physical shape.

“From a selfish side, I think it keeps me good health,” he said. “I don’t want to come out here and embarrass myself. I’m playing pretty much under those terms, not that I’m coming to try to win.”

Even so, Floyd will be playing in the final threesome in Saturday’s second round, after his best first round on the Champions Tour since a 67 last fall at the AT&T Championship.

“Overall, I’m thrilled with the way I played,” he said. “The scoring, with the wind … certainly I’m surprised myself. But it goes to show you if you hit the ball solid and you make some putts, you can get some scores put up.”

It wasn’t just Floyd’s short game. He reached the green on his second shot at two par-5 holes (two-putting for birdie at both holes) and wielded a utility club like a sword through the brisk wind.

“All of us at this level know how to play in the wind,” he said. “The key is to hit it solid, commit and go. And patience, you know … bad weather, patience.”

Bryant and Fergus – with four PGA Tour and two Champions Tour victories between them – are leading a tournament chock-full of past major championship winners.

A group of eight players who are two off the lead at 3-under includes past Masters champions Ben Crenshaw, O’Meara and Stadler; and three-time U.S. Open champion and all-time Champions Tour victories and earnings leader Hale Irwin.