Golf: Lee fires in Tennessee

New Zealand No 1 Danny Lee has fired a one-under par 69 at the FedEx St Jude Classic on the PGA Tour to be in a share of 18th place after round one overnight. Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand No 1 Danny Lee has fired a one-under par 69 at the FedEx St Jude Classic on the PGA Tour to be in a share of 18th place after round one overnight.

The former US amateur champion, who is playing in his first tournament since his best finish for 2012, a tie for 19th at the Byron Nelson Championship, is three shots back from the leaders, Americans John Merrick and Jeff Maggert.

Lee began on the 10th hole and got off to a fast start with three birdies and a bogey in the opening six holes.

He made another birdie at the second to get to a share of third before dropping two shots coming home.

Still, it is a good start for the 21-year-old New Zealand No 1, who needs to win this week if he is to make the field for the US Open next week.

Lee is 143rd on the Fed Ex Cup rankings. He has finished inside the top 25 twice this season, making the cut seven times from 13 events.

On the Nationwide Tour, Steven Alker has begun solidly at the Mexico Open with a two-under par 70 at the El Bosque Golf Club to be in a share of 24th place.

The former New Zealand PGA Champion, who is 50th on the Nationwide Order of Merit, had an eagle, two birdies and two bogeys to be six shots back from American Ryan Armour.

Manwatu professional Tim Wilkinson carded a one-over par 73 to be in a share of 57th place and Tauranga pro Josh Geary's poor run continues with a six-over par 78 to be off the pace in a share of 125th place.

Meanwhile, Wellington professional Gareth Paddison has enjoyed a top-six finish on the Challenge Tour of Japan at the ISPS Charity Challenge.

Paddison, who has earned conditional status for the main Japan Golf Tour in 2012, shot a three-under par 69 in the final round to finish on a four under par total.

Paddison had rounds of 67, 76 and 69 to finish 13 shots back from Japan's Yosuke Asaji.