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Harrington's six birdies lead Wachovia

Padraig Harrington fired six birdies in a flawless round of six-under-par 66 during the opening day of the US$6.4 million PGA Wachovia Championship on Thursday.

Ireland's Harrington had his short game in order at the Quail Hollow course as he leads Jason Bohn and Fijian Vijay Singh by one stroke. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson each carded 70 and Masters champion Zach Johnson 71.

"I didn't really hit the ball that well or have that much control, so it was definitely a round of good putting," Harrington said.

"I just wasn't as good and as sharp as I was maybe three weeks ago, before I took the break, but obviously you need to take breaks," he said.

It wasn't until Harrington described his birdies that he realized that perhaps he hit more good shots than he initially thought.

"The first five birdies, they were all stone dead," he said.

But the key to his round was his putter, which he used to save par on several occasions after errant approach shots.

"I ended up using a new putter shaft this week, something that's quite revolutionary and it worked wonders," he said.

Harrington is making just his second appearance at Quail Hollow, playing to warm up for next week's Players Championship, but also because he loves this course.

"I can see how it attracts the field it attracts," he said.

Bohn played with Harrington and made the better start, three-under after five holes, although his highlight came at the par-five 16th hole, where he drained a 7m putt.

"It was one of my best rounds of the year," said Bohn, who has not had a top-10 in 11 starts.

Singh, who played in the tougher afternoon conditions, was bogey free.

"I was really happy with my round," he said. "It was pretty tough at the end, with the wind swirling around. I was just playing each hole at a time and trying to do the best I can."
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