Maggert, de Jonge on top in Milwaukee

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Three-time PGA Tour winner Jeff Maggert fired a seven-under-par 63 Thursday to grab a piece of the lead after the first round of the U.S. Bank Championship.Maggert was joined atop the leaderboard by Brendan de Jonge, who is still looking for his first PGA Tour crown.Garrett Willis is alone in third at Brown Deer Park Golf Course at minus-six. Jay Williamson and Robert Gamez are one shot back at five-under-par 65.Recent winners here -- Corey Pavin, Ben Crane, Carlos Franco -- all broke lengthy winless droughts.Maggert did win last year, but prior to that his last crown came in 1999. He picked up his first birdie on the second, but gave that stroke back as he bogeyed the par-four fourth.The 43-year-old Maggert rebounded with back-to-back birdies from the fifth. He parred the next three before moving to minus-three with a birdie on No. 10.After four consecutive pars, Maggert eagled the par-five 15th. He came right back with a birdie on the 16th. Maggert closed with a birdie at the last to share the first-round lead for the first time since Bay Hill in 2003."Obviously the way I've been playing, it is nice to get off to a good start," said Maggert, who has missed four straight cuts. "It was a very good day for me."The key for Maggert was a mew set of irons that just went into his bag."In the Pro-Am on Wednesday, that was the first time I had a chance to use (the new irons)," admitted Maggert. "I made six or seven birdies and that was a good boost of confidence heading into today's round."Maggert's co-leader, de Jonge, started on the back nine. After a birdie on 10 and a bogey on 11, de Jonge dropped in birdies on 12 and 13.However, de Jonge gave another stroke back with a bogey on 15. The Zimbabwe native recovered that lost stroke with a birdie at the 17th.Around the turn, de Jonge holed out for eagle on the par-four second to jump to four-under. He collected birdies on the fifth and sixth, then birdied the ninth, his last, to join Maggert in the lead."It felt good to finally play a good, solid round," stated de Jonge. The wind really picked up on the back nine and I was not very accurate off the tee. Obviously I played well today though."Prior to this event, de Jonge's best previous standing after one round was a share of seventh earlier this year at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.Tim Herron, who had top-three finishes here in 2001 and 2002, posted a four- under-par 66. He was joined in a share of sixth place by Craig Bowden, Steve Elkington, Tom Johnson and Jesper Parnevik.Camilo Villegas and Mark Wilson lead a group of seven players at minus-three. Defending champion Corey Pavin is part of a large group tied for 35th at one- under-par 71.