KAPALUA (Hawaii), Jan 5: Stiff Kona breezes got the attention of the 32-player field Friday at the Mercedes Championships, turning the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort into a turbulent track.

Little wonder then that two players who have found their comfort zones share the lead.

PGA champion David Toms shot a 66, tied for the day’s low score, while Kenny Perry had a 67 to grab the lead midway through the season-opening event on the PGA Tour. The pair came in at 11-under-par 135, one shot ahead of Canadian Open winner Scott Verplank.

Toms, celebrating his 35th birthday, had the only bogey-free round on the wind-blown 7,263-yard Plantation Course. He eagled the par-five ninth after a four-iron to 12 feet and added five more birdies.

“I just want to maintain this level of play,” said Toms, who grew up on Bermuda greens in Louisiana and is used to contending with their grainy characteristics. ”

Perry, 41, who qualified for this winner’s-only field by capturing the Buick Open, also is happy these days, but for different reasons.

Stress was high Friday on the Plantation Course thanks to the uncharacteristic Kona winds that made the course play exceedingly long and the putting treacherous.

First-round leader Mike Weir of Canada also struggled to steady himself on the greens and suffered an up-and-down day of five bogeys and four birdies that added up to 74. He is fourth at 137, one shot ahead of 1999 Mercedes winner David Duval, who had a 71, and Mark Calcavecchia.

Calcavecchia made two eagles after a bogey-bogey start to tie Toms for low round of the day at 66.

World number one Tiger Woods stumbled on the opening hole, hitting into a hazard and three-putting on the way to a triple-bogey seven.

He ended up with a one-over 74, his worst round since an opening 75 at last year’s Buick Classic. He brushed past reporters without speaking after his round.

He wasn’t alone in his struggles. David Gossett shot 78 and Garrett Willis 80 as the field scoring average of 72.03 was nearly two strokes higher than Thursday’s opening round of 70.31.

Second round scores:

135 Kenny Perry 68 67, David Toms 69 66

136 Scott Verplank 67 69

137 Mike Weir (Canada) 63 74

138 Mark Calcavecchia 72 66, David Duval 67 71

139 Chris DiMarco 67 72, Jim Furyk 67 72

140 Joel Edwards 69 71, Bob Estes 70 70, Frank Lickliter 66 74, Tom Pernice, Jr. 70 70, Cameron Beckman 67 73, Retief Goosen (South Africa) 69 71

141 John Cook 72 69, Davis Love III 69 72, Steve Stricker 71 70

142 Robert Damron 69 73, Brad Faxon 71 71, Justin Leonard 70 72, Tiger Woods 68 74, Sergio Garcia (Spain) 73 69—AFP/Reuters