NEW YORK, Jan 27: Robert Damron eagled his final hole for an eight-under-par 64 to grab the first round clubhouse lead at the $4.7 million Bob Hope Classic on Wednesday.

Damron, a Tour veteran with just one win on his resume, holds a one shot edge over Fred Couples and Franklin Langham. Defending champion Phil Mickelson sits one shot further adrift after carding a solid six-under 66.

A five-day, 90-hole golf marathon played out over four par-72 courses in the California desert near Palm Springs, most of the opening round's top scores, including Damron's and Mickelson's, were coming at the 7,003 yard Tamarisk Country Club.

U.S Masters champion Mickelson, who won here for a second time last year, made a disappointing season debut last week at the Buick Invitational. The left-hander got his round off to sizzling start with birdies on three of his first six holes, the only blemish a bogey on his 11th.

Canada's Mike Weir, a winner here in 2003, had a difficult start, finishing at one-under. David Duval, who produced one of the greatest rounds in golf history shooting a final round 59 to lift the title in 1999, could not recapture any of that old magic as his game continued a spectacular decline, stumbling to an opening round 10-over 82.

FIRST-ROUND SCORES