Hensby leads after record start

The No. 1 man on the Buy.com money list continues to amaze his competitors after firing a 9-under-par 63 during the first round of the $400,000 Utah Classic on Thursday.

Hensby recorded 10 birdies and only one bogey to break the tournament course record (64 -- Edward Fryatt and winner Carl Paulson) set last year at Willow Creek CC.

Andrew Morse, looking to continue his tour-leading consecutive cuts streak to nine tournaments, sits alone in second after an 8-under-par 64. Last week's winner of the Buy.com Permian Basin Open, Kevin Johnson, and John Riegger are tied for third two strokes back, while eight golfers finished in a tie for fifth at 6 under.

For the second year in a row, play was suspended during first-round action due to lightning and rain in the area. The delay lasted one hour and 18 minutes.

"It's been just a dream year so far," said Hensby, a two-time winner on this tour including the 2000 Buy.com Carolina Classic. "Hopefully, I can just finish strong and carry that on to the next year."

"I didn't hit the ball that crisp, I didn't hit it real close to the holes but I putted extremely well. I think I had 21 putts," said the No. 2 man in birdie average (4.17). "Anytime you have 21 putts, you know you are going to shoot a low number, doesn't matter how you feel you played."

Johnson was off to a tremendous start -- seven birdies in his first 10 holes -- before having to stop for the weather delay. He continued his roll with two more birdies after the delay but added two bogeys and a terrific par save on his last hole to finish at 7 under.

"That helped because after that rain delay I kind of lost it a little bit. I played solid all day but that one was huge," Johnson said about the 15-footer for par on No. 9.

Morse, who took last week off, fired an opening-round 64 for the second consecutive event (6 under, Ft. Smith Classic).

"I knew if I could get to seven it would give me the lead but it was a bonus to get the eagle," he said after knocking in a 34-foot putt on No. 17 to move to 8 under.

The only mistake was a bogey on the 15th hole when his 7 iron tee shot sailed over the green into heavy rough. His chip out of the rough was unsuccessful but he knocked his second attempt close enough to make the bogey putt on the par-3 hole.

"Made a good up and down for bogey and that kind of kept my round going," said Morse, who is 59th on the money list.

Morse did not get into an event until the Steamtown Classic in June when the field was expanded from 144 to 156 players and has only played in 10 events this season. He missed the first two cuts but has been on a roll since.

"I thought about calling a sports psychologist, my wife (and caddie) Sue suggested that, and I told her to tell me just to do what was successful so we went and looked at what I did in 1996 (won four Hooters Tour events) and I did some more physical exercise, some stretching and I put in a little more practice on my short game which helps you make more cuts because you're making less bogeys," Morse said. "That's basically what I did and I'm back to that."

Muehr and Kanada teed off first in opposite groups just as daylight was breaking on Thursday morning. Each birdied their first hole on the way to becoming the early clubhouse leaders at 6 under.

"Warming up in the dark you really can't see your shots, so I didn't have a good feel. "I was loose but I didn't have a good feel for my swing. It showed all day because I struggled with my swing today. By the end of the round, I didn't hit any drivers I was just trying to get the ball to stay in play," said Kanada, who hit seven of 13 fairways but recovered by needing only 23 putts.

"I putted really well. I switched putters at Ft. Smith (two weeks ago) and gave myself a chance on just about every hole with a makeable putt. I made a couple early on," said Muehr. "I could have made the last five holes, I had it inside 15 feet on every one and didn't make any. One of those days it could have been very low."

After making six consecutive cuts early on in the year, Muehr has missed seven of his last 14 cuts.

"I took a week off last week. I hadn't taken a week off in 12 weeks. It's so hard to do it where I am on the money list but I just had to convince myself that I would be better off in the long run to do it," said the No. 41 player on the money list. "I had been a little worn down and I think I was just fresh today."

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