 | FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD -7 V Singh (Fij)
-6 C Parry (Aus)
-5 J Kaye (US), S Cink (US), S Garcia (Sp), T Woods (US) |
Vijay Singh started 2005 in the same vein as he finished 2004, carding a 66 in the first round to lead the Mercedes Championships in Hawaii by a stroke. The Fijian won nine times last year and displaced American rival Tiger Woods as world number one.
Woods showed signs he is coming back to his best form as he carded a 68 along with Sergio Garcia.
Singh said: "I was surprised nobody went lower than me, because the wind wasn't as strong as normal."
Australian Craig Parry is in second place, one stroke behind Singh, with Stewart Cink and Jonathan Kaye a shot further back alongside Woods.
Singh had a quiet front nine, making the turn at two under, but he picked up the pace on the back nine, notching five birdies to seize the lead.
Woods also went to the turn at two under but, unlike Singh, he never came to terms with the slow, grainy greens and frittered away a bunch of golden birdie chances.
World number three Ernie Els was another to struggle with the pace of the putting surfaces, but birdied the last to card a 69, three shots off Singh's lead.
MMIX
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