Barlow open narrow advantage

Craig Barlow's search for a solid swing ended abruptly Thursday with a nine-hole tournament-record 28 that gave him a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the MCI Heritage.

Fed up and desperate after he shot a 2-over-par 37 on his first nine at Harbour Town Golf Links, Barlow made a drastic, mid-round change - moving the ball two inches forward in his stance. The result was a stretch like none other on Pete Dye's famous layout, and left Barlow with a 6-under 65.

He had two eagles and four birdies coming in to break the course mark of 29 set by Brad Faxon in 1997 and tied four times since. Barlow also was a shot off the PGA Tour record of 27 for nine holes - shared by Mike Souchak (1955), Andy North (1975) and Billy Mayfair (2001).

"You know what, I was happy that I felt like a golfer again," said Barlow, never a winner in six PGA Tour seasons. "I mean, I haven't played well this year and it just felt good to feel like me."

Barlow was a shot ahead of Davis Love III, a four-time champion here, and John Senden, an Australian in his second tour season.

Another shot behind was a group of 10 led by Hal Sutton and 2000 Heritage winner Stewart Cink. Masters runner-up Len Mattiace and Nick Price, the champion here six years ago, were tied with 11 others at 68.

Masters winner Mike Weir and world No. 1 Tiger Woods were among those taking the week off.

Barlow, who worked at Pizza Hut for five years before joining the tour full time in 1998, has struggled since to keep his swing together and his playing card.

He's never been higher than 122nd on the money list. He has missed the cut in six of nine events this year. And the problems continued with two bogeys on his first four holes here as he continually pushed shots to the right. Barlow finally snapped after a sloppy drive on No. 18, the lighthouse hole.

"I said, 'You know what? Enough's enough,"' he said.

Barlow figured the ball was too far back in his stance. After his adjustment, he struck a solid 5-iron shot within 15 feet of the cup and knew he had something special.

The ball "made a different noise. It flew different," Barlow said. "I looked up and it was like, 'Wow, that's a change.' "

Barlow rolled in a 30-footer for eagle on the par-5 second hole. He landed a 4-wood about 8 feet away on the fifth, another par 5, and made the putt for another eagle.

He tied Love for the lead with a birdie on No. 8 and closed the record performance with a birdie on No. 9.

The last time anyone had two eagles in the same 18 holes here was Love during his first round in 1992. He went on to win his third Heritage that year.

"I definitely never would have guessed I would go from shooting 2-over to 8-under," Barlow said. "I've never done it before, and not many guys have ever done it before out there, either."

For Love, it was a typical low round at a course he, well, loves.

He had three birdies in a stretch of four holes on the way to a 66 - his 32nd round in the 60s out of the 60 he's played at Harbour Town.

"I'm real confident in my game and I'm hitting really good," Love said. "That's even better, coming to a place where you know the golf course and you know the tournament so well."

Senden had birdies on two of his last three holes, the seventh and the ninth, to tie Love.

DIVOTS: Love, a North Carolina alum who taught Michael Jordan to play golf, might have been as excited about the hiring of Roy Williams to coach the Tar Heels in basketball as his own stellar play. "Fresh start and exciting," Love said. "I wish we'd have him the last, whatever it's been, eight years, six years." ... Ernie Els opened with a 69. At No. 2 in world, Els was among three of the top 10 players competing here. No. 4 Love and No. 9 Jim Furyk were the others. ... Craig Stadler pulled out after nine holes with an injury to his right wrist. Brent Schwarzrock and Jim Carter also withdrew.

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