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| May 14, 2005 | Saturday | Rabi-us-Sani 5, 1426 |
Appleby sets pace, Els starts well
IRVING (California), May 13: Australian Stuart Appleby fired a seven-under 63 to take the first-round lead at the Byron Nelson championship on Thursday, one-shot clear of South Africa’s Ernie Els and Americans John Daly and Brett Wetterich.
Winner of the season-opening Mercedes championships in January, Appleby made a near perfect start to the $6.2 million tournament, mixing eight birdies with a single bogey at the TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas in Irving, Texas to lead a field including the top five players in the world.
Following his victory in Hawaii Appleby returned home to Australia for the birth of his first child but has yet to recapture his brilliant early season form having missed the cut in two of his last three events.
World number three Els, playing his first U.S. PGA event since his poor showing at the Masters, was in stunning form on his return to America, carding a bogey free six-under 64.
While the smooth-swinging Els has managed three international wins this season he has not been able to translate that success on to the PGA Tour where he is still without a victory.
Following a disappointing 47th place at Augusta the big South African jetted off to China where he quickly regained his confidence by romping to a 13-stroke win at the Asian Open.
Crowd favourite Daly was also set to sign for a flawless round until a bogey at the par four 18th resulted in his only blemish on an otherwise error-free performance.
World number one Tiger Woods, playing in just his second event since winning his fourth U.S. Masters, battled to a one-under 69.
Woods, who needs a good result to stop Fijian Vijay Singh from reclaiming top spot in the rankings, had a quiet round as he mixed an eagle with a single birdie and two bogeys.
World number four Phil Mickelson also carded a 69 after an uneventful round of one birdie and 17 pars.
Singh, winner of two of the last three PGA Tour events, opened with a two-under 68 in a rollercoaster round including five bogeys and seven birdies.
South Africa’s world number five Retief Goosen settled for an even par 70, while Spain’s Sergio Garcia began the defence of his title with a one-over 71.
Leading scores:
63 Stuart Appleby
64 John Daly, Ernie Els, Brett Wetterich
65 Steve Lowery, Omar Uresti
66 Ted Purdy,Glen Day, Ian Leggatt, Todd Fischer, Harrison Frazar, Gavin Coles, Cameron Beckman, Nick Price, Sean O’Hair, Paul Gow, Jason Hartwick John Rollins, Mark Hensby, Kenny Perry, Vaughn Taylor, Fred Funk Shigeki Maruyama, J.J. Henry, Pettersson, Bo Van Pelt, Roy Williamson, Todd Hamilton, Trevor Immelman.—Agencies
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