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Estes leads after record 61

Bob Estes grabbed the lead in the first round of the St. Jude Classic Thursday, firing a course-record-tying 10-under-par 61 at the TPC at Southwind. Alone in second stands Tom Byrum, who made it to seven-under before play was suspended due to darkness.

Rain delayed the start of the first round for two hours and made the par-71 Southwind layout play longer than its 7,030 yards. But the conditions didn't stop Estes from collecting 10 birdies, including six on the front nine for a 30, and equalling the 18-hole mark set by Jay Delsing in 1993.

"Still kind of in recovery mode from the qualifier on Tuesday," said Estes, who earned a spot in next week's U.S. Open via the sectional qualifier at Memphis' Colonial Country Club earlier in the week. "Still haven't slept real well the last few nights...so I was really tired warming up, and I guess that slowed me down a little bit and made me play along with myself and to go along with that."

Estes, whose lone PGA Tour win came in the 1994 Texas Open, also matched his career-low score, a 61 in the second round of the 1991 Chattanooga Classic.

Byrum, the winner of the 1989 Kemper Open, teed off on the back nine first and surged to five-under with three birdies and an eagle through seven holes. After tacking on birdies at the second and third holes, Byrum parred the next five before his round was halted with one hole to play.

The first round is scheduled to resume Friday at 8:15 a.m. (et).

Two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange, who has recorded only two top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour in the last six years, posted a bogey-free, six-under 65 for a share of third place with John Riegger and Tommy Tolles.

Also at six-under were Brent Schwarzrock, who was through 16 holes, and Richie Coughlan, who completed 15.

Another recent stranger to low scores is Nick Faldo, who shot five-under 66 to finish the day alongside J.P. Hayes, Chris DiMarco, Paul Goydos, Sean Murphy, Cliff Kresge, Brad Elder and Scott McCarron. The three-time Masters winner had it to six-under until he dropped a shot at the par-three 14th.

Defending champion Notah Begay III lies seven shots off the pace after a five- birdie, two-bogey 68, while Phil Mickelson, the world's second-ranked player, knocked his tee shot into water en route to a triple-bogey at the par-three 11th. He finished round one tied for 67th with a one-under 70.

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