PONTE VEDRA BEACH (Florida), May 9: Spaniard Sergio Garcia, steadily regaining confidence in his putting, took advantage of an early tee-off time to seize a two-stroke lead in the Players Championship first round on Thursday.

Seeking his first PGA Tour title in almost three years, Garcia fired a sparkling six-under-par 66 at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass to take control of the event widely regarded as the unofficial fifth major.

The 28-year-old piled up seven birdies, four of them in six holes, and a lone bogey in breezy morning conditions to finish two ahead of Americans Kenny Perry and Paul Goydos.

Twice champion Steve Elkington of Australia opened with a 69 to lie three off the pace, level with Britain’s Ian Poulter, Swede Niclas Fasth and Americans Heath Slocum and Todd Hamilton.

On a day when the average score ballooned to 73.716, the late starters had to cope with strengthening winds and sun-baked greens as the firm, fast-running Stadium Course dried out.

Garcia, runner-up at Sawgrass last year, launched his sizzling birdie run at the par-five 11th and holed a monster putt from 40 feet before reaching the turn in four-under 32.

He picked up further shots at the second and fifth before offsetting a three-putt bogey at the eighth with another birdie at the par-five ninth, his final hole.

Argentina’s Angel Cabrera, winner of last year’s US Open, had shared the lead with Garcia at five under with six holes remaining before bogeying the 14th and double-bogeying the last for a 70.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson also opened with a 70 after rebounding from consecutive bogeys around the turn.

Australian Adam Scott, the 2004 champion, and South African world No 4 Ernie Els were among the late starters.Scott battled to a 75 while Els was annoyed to double-bogey the treacherous par-three 17th, where he found water off the tee, on his way to a 72.

Leading first-round scores:

66 – Sergio Garcia (Spain).

68 – Kenny Perry (US); Paul Goydos (US).

69 – Heath Slocum (US); Steve Elkington (Australia); Ian Poulter (Britain); Niclas Fasth (Sweden); Todd Hamilton (US).

70 – John Merrick (US); Nicholas Thompson (US); Brett Quigley (US); Fred Couples (US); Troy Matteson (US); Angel Cabrera (Argentina); Phil Mickelson (US); Kevin Stadler (US); Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain); Ben Crane (US); Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain); Anthony Kim (US); Boo Weekley (US); D.J. Trahan (US).

71 – Jeff Quinney (US); Tommy Armour III (US); Briny Baird (US); Mike Weir (Canada); Brett Wetterich (US); Woody Austin (US); Scott Verplank (US); Aaron Baddeley (Australia); Soren Hansen (Denmark); J.J. Henry (US); Chris DiMarco (US); Stewart Cink (US).72 – Rich Beem (US); Ken Duke (US); Bernhard Langer (Germany); Rod Pampling (Australia); Padraig Harrington (Ireland); Daniel Chopra (Sweden); Ryan Moore (US); Pat Perez (US); Jose Coceres (Argentina); Alex Cejka (Germany); Kevin Na (US); Billy Mayfair (US); Jesper Parnevik (Sweden); Jeff Maggert (US); Brian Gay (US); Ernie Els (South Africa); Brandt Snedeker (US); Johnson Wagner (US); J.B. Holmes (US); Stuart Appleby (Australia).—Reuters