Four tied for first day lead

Doug Barron, bothered by a neck injury, shot a 6-under-par 65 today for a share of the lead in the Air Canada Championship.

"A lot of times, when people get hurt, they seem to play well because it gets your mind off your game," Barron said. "I think I did it sneezing. I just couldn't turn my neck, so I went to my chiropractor and he screwed it up worse.''

Dave Stockton Jr., Jason Buha, and New Zealand's Grant Waite also opened with 65s on the Northview Golf Club course.

Barron had six birdies, including a 20-foot downhill putt on the 18th hole.

"I'm trying to get into position for Sunday and that's what we're all trying to do,'' Barron said.

Sweden's Jesper Parnevik, the leading money-winner in the field at No. 5, overcame an inflamed hip to top a six-player group at 66.

Defending champion Mike Weir, who last year became the first Canadian to win a PGA Tour event on home turf since 1954, was another stroke back at 67 along with 1997 winner Mark Calcavecchia.

Waite, who won the 1993 Kemper Open for his lone tour title, scrambled for birdies after hitting into the rough on the final two holes.

"To hit two poor drives on the last two holes and make birdies from them just shows you what kind of game we play,'' he said.

Stockton holed a 45-foot putt to key a five-birdie spree on the front nine.

"It died right in the middle of the hole. You don't expect to make putts like that and it got me pumped up,'' he said.

Buha had nine birdies and three bogeys.

Spanish star Sergio Garcia, coming off a victory over Tiger Woods on Monday in a made-for-TV match, shot a 68. He recovered from a double-bogey 6 on No. 10 with birdies on four of the last seven holes.

"You don't beat the No. 1 golfer every day,'' he said. "It gives you confidence.''

Parnevik used a putter given to him last week by Pierre Lacroix, general manager of the NHL's Colorado Avalanche. They played a round when Parnevik visited Montreal for a wedding.

"He'd had it ever since he started playing,'' Parnevik said. "He didn't pay more than 20 bucks for it, I would bet. I just put it in my bag and it's worked nice.''

Weir is 32nd on the money list, but hasn't had a top-10 finish since May.

"It was one shot better than my start last year so it was good to go out there and have a nice, solid round,'' he said.

"It seems like the last few tournaments I've played I've just been sporadic. I'll get going good for a few holes and then hit a shot that costs me a lot.''

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