DENVER (Colorado), Aug 8: Davis Love shot a spectacular 9-under-par 63 on Thursday to take a handy lead after the first round at the International.

Love reeled off 10 birdies and one bogey to pick up 19 points in the modified Stableford format at Castle Pines.

He was five points ahead of Charles Howell and seven in front of Bob Tway and Jonathan Kaye.

Some of the players did not complete the round due to a weather delay of nearly two hours.

Greg Norman, who played with Love, was impressed by what he saw. bad tee shot, one bad wedge and one bad 6-iron. I couldn’t hit it or putt it much better.”

Howell, who played in the easier morning conditions, shot a flawless 7-under 65 for 14 points.

“Any time you go off early here, you need to make a bunch of birdies,” he said.

Among the other big names, Mike Weir compiled nine points, Phil Mickelson eight and Ernie Els four.

First round scores (the tournament uses the modified Stableford scoring format):

19 Davis Love III

14 Charles Howell III

12 Bob Tway, Jonathan Kaye

11 John Rollins

10 Chris Riley

9 Steve Lowery, Mike Weir, Phillip Price, Geoff Ogilvy, Stuart Appleby

8 Chris DiMarco, Phil Mickelson, Heath Slocum, Greg Chalmers

7 David Sutherland, Robert Allenby, Kent Jones, Paul Casey

6 Kirk Triplett, Briny Baird, Cameron Beckman, Bob Burns, J.J. Henry, Greg Norman.

HAVRET ON TOP