Dubliner Padraig Harrington shot a two-under-par 70, six strokes off the lead, at the Memorial tournament in Columbus, Ohio. Harrington enjoyed a run of four birdies in six holes between the second and seventh to complete the front nine in 32. However, dropped shots in successive holes at the par-three 12th and par-four 13th saw him slip back into the chasing pack with a first round score of 70.
Charles Howell III shot a spectacular eight-under-par 64 to claim the first round lead. Howell took advantage of benign morning conditions to post seven birdies and an eagle on the Jack Nicklaus-designed Muirfield Village course. He has a one-shot advantage over Kenny Perry and two strokes over John Huston while world number one Tiger Woods and South African Retief Goosen are in a group on five-under after shooting 67s.
Woods, who took four weeks off after the Masters earlier this year before returning with a disappointing 29th place in Germany two weeks ago, had birdies at the second and seventh on the front nine but was let down by a bogey at the par-four sixth. Three birdies in four holes immediately after the turn provided a much-needed boost, although a dropped shot at the 166-yard 12th spoiled that run. But Woods was not finished and a birdie at the 15th was followed by a three on the 444-yard 18th.
Goosen carded 33 for the front nine after birdies at three, five and nine, while 13, 14 and 17 all provided further birdies, although he dropped back to five-under after bogeying the last. Tournament host Nicklaus struggled to a four-over 76.
Former European number one Lee Westwood had a mixed round. Birdies on the first and fifth had put him two under playing the ninth but a dropped shot on that par four was immediately recovered on the next hole, with a three on the 441-yard 10th. However, a double-bogey five at the 12th spoiled all his previous good work and he finished with a level-par 72.
Swede Jesper Parnevik carded a round of 70, while Spanish duo Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia both shot one-over-par 73s. Two-time US Masters winners Bernhard Langer had a day to forget with a seven-over-par 79 which included three double-bogeys in his first nine holes, four other dropped shots, and three birdies to leave him 103rd in a field of 104.
Filed by Brendan Cole
