| Davis
Love III leads with 62 A
week after fading at muscled-up Augusta National, Davis Love III shot a 9-under-par
62 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the WorldCom Classic. Love,
seeking his fifth victory in the event, chipped in twice and made six birdie putts
of 15 feet or more at Harbour Town Golf Links, finishing a stroke off the tournament
record set by David Frost in 1994. And
Love did it with a grace few showed last week in the Masters. ``It
was like a chip-and-putt course after hitting 4-, 5-, 6-iron into every hole last
week,'' Love said. ``It does seem easier.'' The
way Love performed, any course would. ``I
thought I played pretty well until I looked up and saw that Davis was 9 under,''
said Phil Mickelson, three shots back after a 65. Billy
Andrade opened with a 64, his best round in 13 trips to Hilton Head. Mickelson
joined Frost, Lee Janzen and Billy Mayfair at 64, and Greg Norman and Angel Cabrera
shot 65s. Mayfair
and Norman were the only afternoon starters to make the top eight. It
was Love's best score in 56 career rounds at Harbour Town, where he's always in
contention. He
says it's because he gears his game for the Masters. Although it hasn't yet paid
off with a green jacket, Love's success kicks in a week later. He's the WorldCom's
career money winner at more than $1.1 million in 16 appearances. Love
held the early lead a week ago, too, with a 67 before sliding to eighth behind
Masters champ Tiger Woods. But Love is much more confident at Harbour Town, with
its narrow fairways and small greens. ``He
definitely likes playing here,'' said Ernie Els, well back at 71. Love
had an inkling he was ready to break through at Harbour Town. He shot a 64 in
the pro-am Wednesday and told his caddie, brother Mark, to take the clubs to the
car instead of the practice range. ``There
was nothing else I could do,'' Love said. Love
opened with birdies on his first two holes, Nos. 10 and 11. His 15-foot putt on
the 11th hole broke about a foot and signaled to Love that this could be a special
round. He holed
a 50-foot chip in on the par-3 fourth. Two holes later, he chipped in from the
front of the green to reach 9 under and begin whispers of a course record. The
putts stopped falling, though. He had three birdie tries inside 12 feet on his
last three holes and missed them all. ``It's
one of those days that you go, 'It was a great round,''' Love said. ``You're not
feeling like you left a bunch out there.'' Andrade
also struggled at Augusta National, missing the cut with consecutive 75s. His
round took off with four consecutive birdies on Nos. 12-15.
``It's just such a breath of fresh air to come off of last week and get back
at it,'' Andrade said. Jose
Coceres, trying to become the first to successfully defend a WorldCom title since
Love won in 1991-92, played a group ahead of Love and matched his 5-under 30 through
nine holes. But
Coceres muffed two chips on the par-5 second hole, taking double bogey and falling
off the pace. He was seven shots back at 69. Love's
attitude seems just as strong as his game. He said it's difficult to follow such
a low round with another good score -- Love put up a 75 in the second round of
the Masters last week -- ``but when you're playing that good,you ought to be able
to come back with another good day.'' Divots Coceres
said he had no problems with his left arm, which he broke in December playing
pickup soccer. ... Sergio Garcia said Spanish mentor Seve Ballesteros was indeed
angry the young star chose the WorldCom over the Seve Trophy team matches in Ireland
this week. ``He's got to understand,'' said Garcia, who shot a 70 in the first
round. ``I can't be in two places at one time. I agreed with Hilton Head to be
here.'' ... Jeff Julian, playing with a severe form of Lou Gehrig's disease, tied
his lowest PGA Tour round this year with a 74. Email
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