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Garcia among four sharing lead at 5 under par

Defending champion Kirk Triplett fired a five-under-par 66 to join Sergio Garcia, Brent Schwarzrock and Tom Scherrer at the top the leaderboard after Thursday's first round of the Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club.

Tiger Woods, a runner-up in this event in 1998 and '99, is tied for 59th after opening with a round of even-par 71. The world's number-one ranked player is searching for his first win of the 2001 season.

A total of 36 players finished within three shots of the lead, including Rocco Mediate at four-under, and Nick Price and Pebble Beach Pro-Am champ Davis Love III at minus-three.

Steve Elkington, who captured the 1995 PGA Championship title at Riviera, shot 69 and is tied with Stewart Cink, Mike Weir, Frank Lickliter, John Daly and 10 others at two-under par.

Triplett carded five birdies, two bogeys and an eagle on Thursday to pick right up where he left off here last year when he claimed his first victory in 266 starts on the PGA Tour.

"I got some good feelings from the course yesterday and I was pretty excited to play today," said Triplett, who sank a 30-foot putt for his eagle at the par-five first hole. "I haven't been playing all that well, but Riviera was very kind to me today."

Triplett's later tee time forced him to contend with the afternoon wind off the Pacific Ocean. Garcia, another late starter, felt his fine day could have been a special one with an early tee time.

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