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Verplank enjoys desert conditions

Scott Verplank hobbled his way through some miserable weather last week at the American Express Championship. In the desert, where conditions were perfect, he not only walked better but played better, too.

Verplank, who wasn't even planning to play in the Michelin Championship at Las Vegas, opened with an 8-under 64 Thursday, a score that in most tournaments would have given him the outright lead. In an event that traditionally gives up some of the lowest scores of the year, he had to share it with six others after the first round.

Verplank has been bothered by a severe foot problem this year, but was feeling so good Thursday that it never entered his mind. He made nine birdies against one bogey on his way to the top of the leaderboard.

"It was kind of like playing in a vacuum," Verplank said. "If you execute good, you're going to get good results."

Joining Verplank at 8 under was Harrison Frazar, who held a piece of the first-round lead for the second week in a row. Kent Jones, Steve Lowery and Billy Mayfair also shot 64s.

Danny Ellis and Jason Bohn shot 63s, but their scores were on the par-71 TPC Canyons course while the others played the par-72 TPC Summerlin and Bear's Best layouts.

The tournament got a new course in the rotation and was shortened to 72 holes this year, but that didn't stop players from making their usual assault on par.

Of the 144 players in the field, 120 broke par, and 42 were within three shots of the lead.

Verplank had such an easy time he didn't miss a fairway all day and had two kick-in putts for birdie.

Frazar has won US$1.1 million this year, but most of it came by the end of February and he has struggled since with his game. He felt tired and struggled, and tried taking every other week off during the summer to solve his woes to no avail.

Finally, Frazar took nearly a month off before returning last week and shooting a 65 to open the Southern Farm Bureau Classic. He didn't play well on the weekend, but his game was back on in the desert.

Graeme McDowell matched the record 10-under-par 62 over the famed Old Course at St. Andrews on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Dunhill Links Championship.

The Northern Irishman held a three-stroke lead over four players.

US Open champion Retief Goosen, English Ryder Cup star David Howell and Peter Lonard of Australia all shot 7-under 65s at Kingsbarns, one of the three courses being used for this annual pro-amateur event. James Kingston of South Africa matched that score at Carnoustie.

World No. 1 Vijay Singh and No. 2 Ernie Els both shot 68 at Kingsbarns, as did Ryder Cup hero Colin Montgomerie.

"This was a 62 for a guy who doesn't know how to play the course properly," said McDowell, who missed a 10-footer for birdie and a 61 on the final hole.

McDowell also had a 62 in the final round of the BMW Open in August in Munich, where it came too late to put him in contention.

Els was content with his 68, except for "a big mistake" at the long 16th, which he bogeyed.

"Other than that I can't complain," he said. "I played nicely today."
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