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HOUSTON, April 23: Australia's Rod Pampling shot a six-under-par 66 to take the first-round lead in the Houston Open on Thursday. Pampling, in his second season on the PGA Tour, leads American Chris Riley by one stroke.
Defending champion Fred Couples opened with a one-under 71 while Fiji's Vijay Singh, the world number two, had a two-over 74. Pampling, one of the back-nine starters, birdied his first three holes and went out in four-under 33.
He birdied two more holes coming in for the bogey-free 66. Riley, who has one victory in six years on the PGA Tour, had a much more erratic round. Also a back-nine starter, Riley bogeyed the 11th hole, then racked up three straight birdies beginning at the 13th. He made two bogeys to close his opening nine on even par.
On his inward nine, however, Riley carded five birdies against no bogeys. India's Arjun Atwal, South Africa's Deane Pappas, Frank Lickliter II and Stephen Ames of Trinidad and Tobago share third place on 68.
U.S. Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton heads a group of eight players another stroke back. Joining Sutton on 69 are Steve Pate, John Riegger, Tim Petrovic, Dudley Hart, Joey Sindelar, Patrick Sheehan and Steve Stricker.
Sutton has made the cut in only two of eight tournaments this season. His best finish is a tie for 44th in the Nissan Open.
First round scores
66 Rod Pampling (Australia)
67 Chris Riley
68 Frank Lickliter II, Stephen Ames (Trinidad and Tobago), Arjun Atwal (India), Deane Pappas (South Africa), Lucas Glover
69 Steve Pate, Hal Sutton, John Riegger, Tim Petrovic, Dudley Hart, Joey Sindelar, Patrick Sheehan, Steve Stricker
70 Steve Lowery, David Peoples, Neal Lancaster, Russ Cochran, Tom Pernice Jr.
Park sets pace
FUERTEVENTURA: David Park continued his rich vein of form with a six-under-par 64 in the Canaries Spanish Open first round to earn a one-stroke lead over fellow Briton Jamie Donaldson on Thursday.
Park, who closed with a 65 in last week's Seville Open, collected six birdies, one with a 30-yard chip-in, on a faultless card, making light of strong winds on the volcanic Canary island.
The 29-year-old leader is trying to make a comeback after a fast start to his professional career, when he equalled Greg Norman's record by winning his second tournament before enduring a slump.
He lost a playoff for the 1999 Moroccan Open to Miguel Angel Martin on his debut then won the European Grand Prix the following week. Park feels success possibly came too early but after his best season for four years in 2003 he is hoping for an improvement in fortunes. -Agencies
