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Honda Classic cools hot golfers

Ernie Els of South drives during at the Qatar Masters in Doha, Qatar, Friday. PHOTO: AP

Taking practice swings on the driving range shortly after sunrise, Chad Campbell shivered in the windy, chilly weather and braced himself for a tough round.

"It was freezing," he said. "It got better, though."

So did Campbell after a slow start. The burly Texan warmed up as the weather did, shooting an 8-under-par 64 for a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the Honda Classic.

Half of the 144-player field at the Country Club at Mirasol finished before noon. Among those early starters, only Campbell shot better than 69, a reflection of the conditions.

"We were joking that maybe they let him on the member course," said Davis Love III, happy to shoot 71.

Alone in second place at 66 was Brett Wetterich, playing 10 minutes from his home in Jupiter. Jesper Parnevik, another Jupiter resident and the 2001 champion, shot 67 three days after turning 40. Both players benefited from mild afternoon weather.

Skies were clear all day, but winds exceeded 24kph at the start, and with the grass still spongy from daylong rain Wednesday, the 6,826m course played long.

Campbell began on the back nine shortly after 7 a.m. local time, when temperatures were still in the 50s, and bogeyed Nos. 10 and 16. He then holed a 63m wedge on the par-5 No. 17, and on the front side he birdied six holes, including the last two with putts of 9m and 4m.

"I managed my game pretty well in the wind,'' Campbell said. ``I grew up in it, being from Texas. ...

"The first six or seven holes I was trying to be patient. Then I holed that shot at 17, which was my eighth hole, and kind of got things going."

Campbell played the final 11 holes in 8 under.

"That has to be one of the best rounds this year, because I was pleased with my 67," Parnevik said.

Australian Aaron Baddeley, who finished in the top 10 in his past two starts, continued his recent tear by shooting 68. He was joined by Woody Austin and Nick Watney.

A group of 14 players at 69 included defending champion Todd Hamilton and Kevin Na, at 21 the youngest player on the tour.

Vijay Singh, playing his first round since he fell to No. 2 in the world rankings, shot 71. His six-month reign at No. 1 ended Sunday when Tiger Woods overtook him by winning the Ford Championship at Doral.

Singh, the only player among the top six entered at the Honda, cannot regain the No. 1 ranking this week.

The 30-year-old Campbell made the Ryder Cup team for the first time last year and owns two tour titles. Touted as a future major champion, he won the season-ending Tour Championship in 2003 and will be the defending champion next week at the Bay Hill Invitational.

"He is very, very talented and probably very underrated," Love said. "When he gets on a roll he's very tough. He can make more birdies than anybody when he's playing well."

Three weeks ago, Campbell overcame bad weather for his best showing this year. He lost on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to Adam Scott at the rain-soaked Nissan Open, the first 36-hole event on the PGA Tour in nine years.

Pierre Fulke of Sweden shot a 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round.

Australian golfer Richard Green, Henrik Stenson of Sweden and Garry Houston of Wales shot 67 at the 7,311-yard Doha Desert Golf Club.

Tournament favorite Ernie Els, who won the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday with an eagle on the final hole, opened with a 73 and is in danger of missing the cut on Friday.
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