Allred leads by one in Miami

Miami, FL – Jason Allred fired a 7-under 64 on Thursday to grab a 1-shot lead after the opening round of the Miccosukee Championship.

Allred posted not only his best first-round score of the season, but his best score of the year in any round. He has struggled all year with a tie for 12th at the Mylan Classic being his best finish of the year.

Christopher DeForest is one stroke off the lead at Miccosukee Golf & Country Club after opening with a 65.

Morgan Hoffmann, who has posted three straight top-6 finishes, carded a 5- under 66. He was joined in third place by Michael Connell and Phillip Choi.

Allred played the back nine first on Thursday and got off to a quick start with birdies on the 10th and 12th. He closed that nine with six straight pars.

"It was nice to get off to a good start like I did with birdies on Nos. 2 and 3," said Allred.

The 32-year-old caught fire on the front side. After his seventh consecutive par at the first, Allred converted back-to-back birdie efforts from the second.

Allred birdied the par-5 fifth to move to minus-5. He followed with birdies on six and seven to move into the lead. Allred parred his final two holes to match his career-low round on the Web.com Tour.

"The last couple of weeks have been a little frustrating and discouraging because I feel my game has been close. I just haven't had good results, but today was really enjoyable to see it all come together," said Allred, who missed the cut in three of his last four starts.

"My caddie and I said during a practice round earlier in the week that we just have to recommit to the process and be great at what we can control."

DeForest bogeyed the first two holes, but came back with birdies on four and five. After another bogey at the sixth, he erased that error with a birdie on No. 7.

From there, it was all birdies. DeForest birdied the eighth to get into red figures for the first time all day. He followed with birdies at 10 and 13. DeForest closed his round in fine fashion as he birdied the last three holes.

"I chipped in early in my round on No. 4 to get back to 1-over and then made another bogey at No. 6, but from that point on, I played pretty solid golf and hit a lot of good shots," stated DeForest. "Those first couple of holes are pretty tough when you're playing into the prevailing wind like that and I think if you check at the end of the day those holes with be playing among the hardest."

NOTES: Allred entered the week 78th on the Web.com Tour money list...Peter Lonard and John Chin both withdrew during the round...Life, clean and place rules were in effect since the course received nearly an inch of rain on Wednesday.