TORONTO - Joe Ogilvie held a one-stroke lead on Briny Baird and Briton Graeme McDowell on completion of the first round of the rain-hit Bay Hill Invitational on Friday.
World number one Tiger Woods and South Africa's Ernie Els were lurking three shots back.
Ogilvie, who lost in a three-way
playoff with Vijay Singh and Padraig Harrington at the Honda Classic last weekend, fired a first round four-under 68 on a hectic day at the Bay Hill Club in Orlando with golfers going off the first and 10th tees in both first and second rounds in a bid to get back on schedule.
Baird was among a large group who did not even start their opening round until Friday after torrential rains wiped out most of play on Thursday.
Woods, a four-time champion here, and Els, winner of back-to-back titles at the Dubai Desert Classic and Qatar Masters this month, both finished the round at one-under 71.
World number two Singh, meanwhile, got off to another sluggish start, completing his first round at even par.
Woods, Els or Singh could leave Orlando on Sunday with the number one ranking.
* Leading scores after the first round of the Bay Hill Invitational played at the par-72 Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida on Friday (US unless stated):
68 Joe Ogilvie
69 Briny Baird, Graeme McDowell (Britain)
70 Peter Lonard (Australia), Mark Calcavecchia, Geoff Ogilvy (Australia), Sergio Garcia (Spain), Kenny Perry, K.J. Choi (South Korea), Aaron Baddeley, Bernhard Langer (Germany), Greg Owen (Britain)
71 Patrick Sheehan, Richard Green, Woody Austin, Mike Weir (Canada), Tiger Woods, Ernie Els (South Africa) J.L. Lewis, Brian Gay, Alex Cejka (Germany), Charles Howell III, Charles Warren, Stephen Ames (Canada), Fred Couples, Ian Poulter (Britain), Brian Davis (Britain).
- REUTERS
