Justin Leonard takes opening honours with 62

Former Open champion Justin Leonard took advantage of perfect conditions to fire a flawless eight-under 62 and grab the first-round lead at the St Jude Classic on Thursday.

Leonard, who won the Bob Hope Classic this season, finished two shots clear of fellow American Kirk Triplett after blitzing the front nine in Memphis, Tennessee with six birdies and adding two more to complete an error-free round.

The 32-year-old made a bright start with birdies on his opening three holes of the redesigned Southwind layout as he posted with his best round since the 2003 Colonial.

Although Leonard has one win this season, his play has been erratic with just one other top-20 finish and four missed cuts.

After taking time off for the birth of his daughter, Leonard is playing just his third event since the Masters and has posted steadily improving results.

"It is always nice to take advantage of an early tee time," Leonard told reporters. "I don't have a real history of doing that in the past. It is nice.

"Now I kind of got a long break until tomorrow afternoon. I can kind of enjoy what I did today and let it soak in a little bit and get ready for tomorrow.

"I feel like I played my way into this round. Certainly shooting 62 is a surprise."

Triplett also had an error-free start, carding a six-under 64 to sit alone in second place one stroke ahead of Jason Bohn and Davis Love III, who completed bogey-free rounds of 65.

Americans Matt Gogel and Tom Pernice Jr. are at four-under 66 and 2001 champion Bob Estes leads a group of 11 golfers at three-under 67.

Two-time defending champion David Toms, attempting to become the first man to win the tournament three years in a row, is one shot further adrift on two-under 68.

"I am playing well," Toms said. "I get in contention and people are behind me.

"I get excited to play here. I think all that factors in to having successes."

Kenny Perry, who romped to a seven-shot victory at the Colonial last week, showed none of the form he displayed at Hogan's Alley as he mixed five bogeys with two birdies for a three-over 73.

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