VERIZON HERITAGE RELATED STORIES Verizon Heritage Home Page Verizon Heritage Preview Round 1: Kelly takes honours with opening 63 Round 2: Els shows return to form leading by three Round 3: Jerry Kelly aces way into lead Round 4: Bad weather forces Monday finish Round 4: Boo Weekley chips his way to victory Course Guide: Harbor Town Verizon Heritage Scores 2007 PGA Tour Schedule GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Fisher coasts to seven shot win Kim claims the title with closing 65 Lee secures narrow victory Romero holds on to claim second senior title International players dominating the LPGA Drugs testing begins this week GREAT GIFTS FOR GOLFERS Golf Breaks to Portugal & Ireland Half Price Golf Vouchers InstructaCard - your portable pro! The Father & Son Golf Ch'ship Golf Insurance

Jerry Kelly takes honours with opening 63

Jerry Kelly is building on his performance from the year's first major.

Kelly shot a blistering 8-under-par 63 and holds the lead during Thursday's first round of the Heritage.

After missing five cuts in his first seven events this year, Kelly finished in a tie for fifth at The Masters over the weekend.

Kelly enjoyed his best round of the year at Harbor Town Golf Links on Thursday, carding 10 birdies against just two bogeys. He played both the front and back nine at 4-under, missing the course record by one shot.

"It was a solid ball-striking day and a solid putting day," Kelly said. "I had a lot of kick-ins, but I made some 20-footers, which was a good combination."

South African Ernie Els, who has six top-10 finishes in eight previous trips here, opened the round going birdie-eagle and is second at 65.

"I birdied the first and then I eagled the second," Els said. "So that was really the perfect start I could ask for. I got in a good frame of mind, and felt like I hit the ball solidly. My game was in good shape."

Jose Coceres of Argentina and Stephen Leaney of Australia both are three shots back following 66s.

Fresh off his shocking win at The Masters, Zach Johnson signed for a 1-under 70.

No Masters champions since Vijay Singh in 2000 had even bothered to show up here, a major reason why no Masters winner has added the Heritage's tartan coat and a green jacket to their collection since Bernhard Langer in 1985.

Kelly, who finished three shots behind Johnson at Augusta, knows it's just the beginning of a long weekend.

"It's a great start, that's all it is, is a start," Kelly said. "I mean there's no sense in talking about winning or anything like that. It's Thursday. Who knows who wins? Who cares?"

Defending champion Aaron Baddeley of Australia also signed for a 70.