Els & Curtis share first day honours

South African Ernie Els and British Open champion Ben Curtis were tied for the lead after the first round of the $5.25 million Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club on Thursday.

Curtis recorded a four-under-par 68 without a bogey on his card. World number three Els dropped three strokes but made amends with five birdies and an eagle.

In a logjam for third place on three-under 69 were Paul Azinger, Lee Janzen, Stephen Ames of Trinidad and Tobago, Zach Johnson, Todd Hamilton, 1998 champion Fred Couples, John Rollins and Arron Oberholser.

World number one Tiger Woods returned an even-par 72. World number two Vijay Singh of Fiji had a 73 and tournament host Jack Nicklaus shot a two-over 74 to tie for 64th place.

Els is making his 11th appearance in the Memorial where his best finish is a tie for second in 2000.

He raced to the turn on three-under 33 but his back nine of one-under 35 was inconsistent with four birdies and three bogeys.

"It was quite a ride there at the end," Els told reporters. "I still feel I drove the ball really well today.

"Where they're tucking the flags, you can really look silly...you've got to maybe play a little bit more safe at some holes and I think I'll remember that for tomorrow's round. But I've got to be happy with that start."

Els has not won in the U.S. since early January when he successfully defended the Sony Open. He did, though, triumph at the Heineken Classic in Australia in March.

"I've had some top-10s, so I've played well here, but it's a course that I feel I can keep playing well," Els said.

"It really sets up to my game. I love the par-fives, I love the way they've set it up, so I've just got to keep grinding. I feel I can hopefully win here by the end of my career."

Curtis was simply glad to be in the field here last year after receiving an invitation from the tournament organisers.

Twelve months on, the American arrived at the Memorial as a player trying to prove that last year's British Open victory at Royal St George's was no fluke.

"I'm here to win and that's what I want to do," Curtis said. "Last year I felt the same way but at the same time my game was struggling a little bit, I was just trying to make the weekend.

"Here I'm not worried about the cut, I just want to go out there and play good golf and try and get in contention."

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