Lickliter takes opening day honours

Frank Lickliter II is back at Tucson National, where his game suits the course and it shows.

The defending Chrysler Classic of Tucson champion had four straight birdies late in the first round and finished with a 9-under 63 Thursday to begin his title defense with a two-shot lead.

"The course fits me," Lickliter said. "There are some tight driving holes and there are a couple of holes where you need to leave it under the pin and, you know, manage your ball. It's a fun golf course."

Lickliter, whose 63 in last year's second round gave him a lead he never relinquished, nearly had company at the top.

Per-Ulrik Johansson had an eagle, eight birdies and a bogey through 17 holes.

Then he pushed an ill-chosen 3-wood off the tee into a water hazard on the right of the last hole. After a drop and his approach, the Swede three-putted from 36 feet for a double bogey 6.

I felt I wanted to be aggressive and try and make birdie," Johansson said. "I wanted to shoot 10 under, you know? I've never shot 27 on nine holes before, and it cost me two shots. It's disappointing when you're in that situation to make a double."

Carlos Franco and Australians Steve Allan and Mark Hensby also had 65s. Olin Browne, Harrison Frazar, Bill Glasson, Angel Cabrera, Brian Henninger, Mike Heinen, Tim Clark and Vaughn Taylor were at 66.

John Daly, the only 2004 winner in the 144-man field, and Mark Calcavecchia, a three-time champion in nearby Phoenix, headed a group of 11 at 67.

The 34-year-old Lickliter, seeking to become the sixth repeat winner in Tucson's 58 years, hit woods and irons with uncanny accuracy on his way to nine birdies.

Some of his approach shots stopped within inches, leading to birdies on Nos. 3, 6 and 10.

He also birdied Nos. 1, 8 and 13 through 16 from 12 feet or less, then saved par by making a 3-foot putt on the tricky finishing hole.

The 465-yard 18th was also a key hole for Franco and Hensby.

Franco's 30-foot birdie putt on the green which slopes toward the fairway was his second spectacular shot of the round. He also lofted a 6-iron 180 yards on No. 8 to set a 6-foot eagle putt.

He attributed his eagle and six birdies to last week's switch to a new belly putter.

"The long putt, I see more of the line, and nothing gives me more confidence," Franco said.

Hensby made a shorter birdie at 18, his ninth hole, after his 9-iron stopped 8 feet from the hole. It got him to 3 under, and he added four birdies after the turn.

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