Golf: Quigley, Tanaka hit front with 64s

Brett Quigley and Hidemichi Tanaka have taken the first-round lead at the Greater Hartford Open at the par-70 course in Cromwell, Connecticut, yesterday.

Quigley and Japan's Tanaka both shot six-under-pars 64.

Tim Herron, Briny Baird, this year's Ryder Cup member Scott Verplank, Skip Kendall, Jonathan Kaye and Japan's Kaname Yokoo are one stroke behind the two leaders after shooting five-under-par 65s.

Six players are tied for ninth, two shots behind the leaders on four-under-par 66.

Quigley, 32, had his best finish on the PGA Tour last year at the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic when he finished second to Scott Hoch.

Tanaka, who has won 15 tournaments, mostly in Asia, has a PGA Tour best finish of tied for 11th in 2000 at the WGC American Express Championships.

World No 2 and defending champion Phil Mickelson and world No 4 Sergio Garcia finished their first rounds with one-under-par 69s.

Two New Zealanders made steady starts. Grant Waite and Frank Nobilo both shot one-under 69s to be among a large group in 33rd equal place.

* Former world No 1 Karrie Webb may finally be recapturing her old form on the LPGA Tour, shooting an eight-under-par 64 in the first round of the $US1.2 million ($2.6 million) Rochester LPGA at Pittsford, New York.

Winless in 17 starts over the past year, Australian Webb had nine birdies and one bogey for the early clubhouse lead at the rain-soaked Locust Hill Country Club.

The two-time LPGA player of year finished a stroke off the course record before a handful of players had even teed off.

She was four strokes better than Kristal Parker-Manzo when she parred her final hole.

"I definitely took advantage of the morning tee time," said Webb, who started on the back nine and was 6-under after 10 holes. "Things have been up and down lately, but it feels good to start good."

Webb hasn't felt great lately. Her last win came nearly a year ago at the LPGA Championship and she hasn't finished better than fourth in eight starts on tour this year.

Although not lately, Webb is used to rounds like this. She has 26 wins on the LPGA Tour, including five majors. Last year she became the youngest-ever player to capture all four major titles.

One tour victory short of an automatic Hall of Fame berth, defending champion Laura Davies of Britain shot a 71. Swedish star and current No 1 Annika Sorenstam is skipping the event after claiming her fifth LPGA Tour win of the year last week at the Evian Masters.

* Diego Borrego of Spain made a strong start to the Great North Open at Hexham, England yesterday, shooting a 6-under-par 66 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round.

The 30-year-old birdied his first three holes after starting at the 10th. Bradley Dredge of Wales caught Borrego at 6-under with a hole to go but double-bogeyed the last for a 68.

- AGENCIES