The gusty winds that raked English Turn all week were mild today. So was the course at the Compaq Classic, where five players shot 65s, four more were at 66 and another nine shot 67s.

"This golf course is all about the firmness of the greens and the wind," said Russ Cochran, whose 7-under-par 65 shared the lead with Frank Lickliter, Chris Perry, Doug Martin and Blain McCallister. "We had a lot of wind the first two days, so today it felt like nothing and the greens were pretty soft."

The wind raged across the 7,116-yard, par-72, course during Wednesday's pro-am and Tuesday's practice round, gusting above 35 mph, tossing the massive limbs of oak trees, ripping Spanish moss from them, snapping the flags and blowing high drives astray. But it fell to a gentle breeze Thursday morning.

"I drove it really solid and made a ton of putts today, a bunch in the 15-, 20-foot range," Lickliter said. "I shot 69 in the wind yesterday, which I think was a better round than this. This was just a continuation."

Steve Flesch, Carlos Franco, Omar Uresti and Craig Barlow finished one stroke off the pace.

The usually tough course turned generous, giving up 18 eagles, including seven on the 15th hole, where an island green can be tricky in the wind. On the day, 93 players broke par, while 109 of the 156 golfers played even or better.

The Jack Nicklaus-designed course was not without its pitfalls, however. The 18th, a 471-yard par-4 with a narrow driving area and bunkers on three sides of the green - it's ranked as one of the hardest holes on tour - took its toll. There were 32 bogeys, five double bogeys and a triple bogey on the hole. Two of the day's leaders, Cochran and Lickliter, bogeyed 18.

"It was a different course today," Perry said. "Even though there was a little wind out there you were able to drive for the pins."

Putters came up big for the leaders.

Perry sank two 15-foot putts for birdies and two-putted a 60-footer for another. Lickliter sank seven puts of 12 feet or more. Cochran used putts of 30, 15, 15, 10, two 8-footers and two-putts of 40 and 50 feet for birdies.

"The course was in great condition," Lickliter said. "I really had fun today. When the greens are this good and you are rolling it good, it is fun. It's been a long time since I've made a lot of putts this length."

McCallister, who struggled last year, but won the final Tour spot for a full exemption, was also smiling about his putter.

"I haven't made eight birdies in four weeks, including the pro-ams," McCallister said. "The greens were perfect. They were really tracking. But that was changing late, when the sun hit them. It'll be interesting to see how they are in the second round."

Defending champion Lee Westwood had a 2-under 70. Westwood skipped the pro-am on Wednesday with a sore right shoulder, opting to have treatment and rest it.

Joining Westwood at 70 was leading money winner David Duval.

Both Duval and Westwood, who have each won 11 of their last 35 starts, had two birdies and a bogey on the front nine and played even par on the back side.