Sindelar grabs lead before the rain

Joey Sindelar grabbed the first-round lead at the 100th Canadian Open on Thursday while new world number one Vijay Singh spent most of a rainy day signing autographs in the clubhouse.

The start of play was delayed by more than five hours as the remnants of Hurricane Frances whipped heavy rain across the par-71, Jack Nicklaus-designed Glen Abbey course.

But the bad weather could not shake Sindelar, who fired a five-under 66 to surge two strokes clear with half the field, including Singh, unable to complete their rounds.

Pat Perez was in second place on three-under 68. Danny Briggs, Brett Quigley, David Sutherland, Cliff Kresge and Sweden's Jesper Parnevik all finished on 69 while Jay Delsing was two-under-par through six holes when play ended for the day.

Sindelar, who achieved his only top 10-finish this season when he won the Wachovia Championship in May, had seven birdies and two bogeys in his round.

"Glen Abbey can be a stressful golf course but we just decided to play low key, the swing was there and it was a fun day," Sindelar told reporters.

"When you drive the ball on the fairway life gets easier."

Golfers who failed to finish face a long, gruelling day on Friday on a course that has undergone major changes since it last hosted the event in 2000, when it was won by Tiger Woods.

Since then 15 holes have been altered, making the course longer and tighter.

"Our goal is to get all 36 holes in by tomorrow evening," said tournament director Bill Paul. "We'll get things started early tomorrow and play until 7:30."

Phil Mickelson, playing in this event for the first time since 1994, may have regretted his decision to return to Canada after he struggled to a four-over 75.

The U.S. Masters champion, playing with new balls and clubs this week, started and finished with a birdie but inbetween had five bogeys and a double bogey, leaving himself plenty of work to do to make the cut.

Mickelson's U.S. Ryder Cup team mates fared better, Kenny Perry opening with a level-par 71 while Davis Love III carded a 72.

Singh, who took over the world number one ranking from Woods on Tuesday, made a poor start to his campaign with a triple bogey on his second hole.

The tall Fijian was three-over-par through five holes when play ended for the day.

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