Elkington leads with opening 64

Australian Steve Elkington birdied the final three holes and carded an 8-under-par 64 on Thursday to take a one-shot lead over Phil Mickelson after the first round of the BellSouth Classic.

Elkington, who did not qualify for next week's Masters, led a birdie barrage at the TPC at Sugarloaf, overcoming a double-bogey on the third hole with a remarkable seven birdies on the front.

He started a string of four straight birdies on No. 4 and made the turn at 5-under 31 before adding three more on the back.

"I think if you were to prepare for The Masters, this would be a good place to prepare," Elkington said. "It's a real driver's course. You can really drive the ball here and there are plenty of holes out here where you have to hit very precise iron shots."

Mickelson, who captured this tournament two years ago and will be playing in The Masters, is one stroke ahead of a group of five players that includes Dudley Hart, Frank Nobilo and Ian Leggatt and Swedes Thomas Bjorn and Jesper Parnevik.

"When I am playing, I really haven't been looking ahead too much," said Mickelson, who has the unofficial tag of being the best current player never to win a major. "Even during the tournament, I have not been looking ahead, although that's (The Masters) the tournament that we're all trying to gear up for."

Some 25 players are within four shots of the lead, while 75 of 143 players in the field broke par.

Winless on the PGA Tour since capturing the 1999 Ryder Open, Elkington had been in a slump since finishing fifth at the Genuity Classic. He tied for 63rd at the Players Championship and missed the cut last week at the Houston Open.

"Vijah Singh missed the cut at TPC and shot 22-under last week, so I suppose that theory is out the window," Elkington said.

"Darren Clarke missed the cut at TPC and he finished second.

These days, I don't think that's relavant."

Sugarloaf is considered a good warmup for Augusta, but the leaders had no problems negotiating the 7,293-yard, par-72 layout.

Singh, who is coming his first victory in more than two years, arded a 3-under 69 and is tied for 26th. The native of Fiji captured the Houston Open last week for his first win since the 2000 Masters and climbed two spots to sixth in the world rankings.

Singh is the second-highest ranked player in the field behind Mickelson, the world No. 2 who won this event two years ago and has been in the top 10 at Augusta five times.

"I do feel that if I continue to put myself in position, it (winning a major) will eventually happen," Mickelson said. "My conscious thought this year is that when I have a shot at it on Sunday, I am going to do everything I can to win the tournament."

Mickelson had a bogey-free round Thursday with seven birdies, two of which came on 25-foot putts. Starting on the back, he made the turn at 4-under, then added three birdies on the front.

"I would think as the course firms up, it will play more difficult this weekend," Mickelson. "We played today without much wind and one of the more difficult aspects of this golf course is judging the swirling winds among the top of the trees, very much like Augusta."

Mickelson ranks 11th on the money list with $1,076,663 and won the Bob Hope Classic in January for his 20th career title. He also tied for third at the Bay Hill Invitational but tied for 28th at the Tour Championship in his last start.

David Toms, the reigning PGA Championship winner, is the other top player in the tournament. Toms, who has three top-five finishes this year, was one of 14 players to shoot 68.

Several of the best players on tour won't start this week as Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, David Duval and Sergio Garcia all are skipping the $3.8 million event.

Scott McCarron, who claimed his second BellSouth title last year, carded a 5-under 67 and is tied for eighth.

Garrett Willis withdrew after shooting a 77.

First prize is $684,000.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page