BLACKSBURG -- Just in case, Garland Green is planning to bring an extra piece of equipment to the golf course today.

"I'm bringing a black cat," he threatened friend and rival Adam Webb upon learning that Webb is more than a wee bit superstitious.

Webb was brave about it. "Fine," he said with a smile. "As long as it doesn't cross my path."

"I'm putting it in your cart," Green answered.

Green had an answer for everything on Saturday in the opening round of the Allegheny Amateur. Defending champ Webb was 4-under through the first five holes, but Green came home with five birdies and just a single bogey for a 4-under 68 and a two-shot lead at the 6,675-yard Blacksburg Country Club.

Webb and John David Hunter, who were paired with 2007 -champion Green, and former pro Brandon LaCroix were two shots back in second.

Martinsville's Jerel Whiting, Samuel Banks, of McLean, and Buck Brittain, of Tazewell, are four back in the two-day tournament which finishes today. Five more golfers are tied at 73, five strokes off the lead.

Bill Nunnenkamp, of Blue Ridge, shot a 72 on the 6401-yard white-tee layout to lead the senior division by one stroke. Last year's winner Charles Green III, of Tazewell, and Chipps Woody, of Troutville, were tied for second. Roger Young, of Christiansburg, was third with a 75.

Marvin Taylor, of Roanoke, shot a 74 over 5,900 yards to lead the super seniors.

Roanoke's Bill Proffitt and Blacksburg's Mac McClelland were tied for second with 75s.

Last year, Webb shot a 73 on the first day before scorching the course with a second-day 61 to win the title.

He started much stronger on Saturday, going four strokes under par through the first five holes.

"I knew I was going to have to make some birdies ..." Green said.

"The way he was playing," agreed Hunter, of Bluefield.

Hunter, who was two over through the first four, was three under on the back nine to catch up with Webb, of Ridgeway.

Green passed him with those five birdies.

Both got a little help.

"I was four under through five, and then the wheels fell off," Webb said.

That made Green, of Tazewell, smile.

"It's funny 'cause it could have happened to me too," Green said.

Webb said the course got tougher as the wind kicked up around midday.

"You didn't know where it was going," Webb said.

The wind was actually a bonus to the course itself, which pro Brad Ewing estimated had absorbed about 3 ¹₂ inches of rain over the past week alone and took a few showers during Saturday's round. The grounds crew double-cut the greens and rolled them after Friday's practice round. Wind helped dry them further.

"The greens are 100 percent better than the practice round," said Brittain, who is in a three-way tie at 72 despite not putting as well as he usually does.

"The course ... is in great shape," said LeCroix, of Roanoke.

LeCroix's game was in much better shape too.

"I shot like a million last weekend in the Hall of Fame" tournament in Roanoke, LaCroix said. "I haven't had time to play. I haven't touched a club all week. But I kind of figured it out."

LaCroix, 29, is a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch, and said that was exactly why he didn't get to spend time this week working out the kinks in his game.

"These younger kids, they're playing every day," LaCroix said, echoing Brittain, a 42-year-old attorney.

"This is just a neat layout with some tough holes and some birdie holes. I could definitely see somebody going low.

"But this is what you play for. Being somewhere within reach. This is what you come out for, it's what I've loved over the years. I'm not at the top of my game. I'm a little rusty. But who knows?"