DiMarco takes early narrow advantage

A pattern developed early in the year for Chris DiMarco.

He was tied for the lead during the final round of the season-opening Mercedes Championships. Two weeks later in the Bob Hope Classic, he was tied for the lead in the final round before finishing sixth.

A week after that, he not only was tied for the lead in the Phoenix Open, he went on to win by one stroke for his third victory in his last three seasons.

So, no one was surprised that while the PGA Tour switched coasts from sunny California to chilly Florida, DiMarco was still the guy everyone was chasing after a 7-under 65 gave him a one-stroke lead in the Genuity Championship.

Coincidence?

``He's playing beautifully,'' said Tiger Woods, who was two strokes behind.

Confidence?

Never higher.

``Once you've won once, you kind of get the monkey off your back -- and twice, you kind of vindicate the first one,'' DiMarco said. ``It's not about finishing second or 10th or 12th anymore. It's about winning.''

No one has won more than once on tour this year, but through the first eight weeks of the season, no one has played better than DiMarco.

That's why he's leading the PGA Tour money list, although by only $14,000 after Kevin Sutherland picked up $1 million by winning the Match Play Championship last week.

DiMarco is not interested in leading the list in late February.

``I want to be there in November,'' DiMarco said. ``Someone is going to win $900,000 this week. Unless it's me, I'm going to get knocked off.''

As well as he is playing, that ``someone'' could be anyone.

Right behind were two guys who won a lot of money without any trophies last year, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh, joined by Steve Allan of Australia and Greg Kraft.

Kraft is still remembered at Doral for that 5-iron he dumped in the lake on No. 18 three years ago, costing him a chance at his first PGA Tour victory.

``I don't want to forget it,'' Kraft said. ``It makes me work harder to erase it. What a better, sweeter time to be able to do it.''

Ten players were another stroke back at 67, and one of them was Woods, playing on the Blue Monster at Doral for the first time since 1998.

He made only one bogey, missing the sixth green with a wedge and failing to save par from the back bunker. More importantly, Woods saw his putts roll instead of hop, a refreshing relief after not getting many bounces on the poa annua greens of California.

``I hit the ball well,'' he said. ``I made some putts and didn't put myself in a whole lot of trouble, which was nice.''

The first round has rarely been a problem for Woods, who has been under par after every first round this year. The trouble has been Friday -- he has yet to break par.

DiMarco and Woods were among those who caught a break by starting in the afternoon. The temperature was 42 degrees when the sun rose over Miami, but it was a little warmer and a lot calmer by the time the late starters were midway through their rounds.

DiMarco wasted no time. He chipped in for birdie on No. 1 and made birdie putts of 15 and 8 feet to get into the thick of things. His only mistake was missing the 17th fairway and failing to get up-and-down for par from the bunker.

DiMarco's previous best round at Doral was a 69. In fact, for a guy who went to the University of Florida and lives in Orlando, the Florida Swing has never been too memorable.

``I don't think I've had too many really good Florida tournaments,'' he said. ``You would think I'd play better. I've put a lot of pressure on myself in Florida, but I told myself going in this week that I'm going to try to be really relaxed, not let myself get in the way.''

Singh and Els can relate to that.

Both played well enough to win last year, and win often. Els was positioned to win the first three tournaments of the year until one swing, one hole or one round cost him. It was the first time since he won his first U.S. Open in 1994 that he failed to win on tour.

He played bogey-free at Doral, a course on which he has contended before.

``I can't push things,'' Els said. ``I did that last year a little bit, so I'm surely not going to do it this year. I'm playing good enough.''

Singh got into the hunt with a burst of birdies, finishing his morning round with four straight and not paying any attention to what he was doing.

``I knew I birdied the last two,'' he said. ``I didn't know I birdied the last four. I played quite decent. It does leave you in a good frame of mind finishing off with four in a row. I'll be a lot more positive, I guess.''

David Duval was at even-par 72 despite hitting into the water on No. 18 for a double bogey. He'll have to play hard Friday to make the cut, along with 17-year-old Ty Tryon. The high school junior had a 73, meaning he has yet to break par as a pro.

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