Spain's Sergio Garcia earned a share of the lead at the Dunlop Phoenix tournament on Kyushu Island with a first-round 66. The Ryder Cup star went round the Phoenix Country Club course in five-under-par after birdies at the fourth, sixth and seventh took him to the turn in 33.
A dropped shot at the 439-yard par-four 12th brought him back to two under. But he redeemed himself with a birdie at the next, the very short 332-yard par-four, and a further two birdies over the last three holes saw him move into joint first alongside 1998 US Amateur champion Hank Kuehne and Jun Kikuchi.
Open runner-up Thomas Bjorn, of Denmark, and Australia's Craig Parry are in a group one shot back on four-under. England's Lee Westwood shot two birdies in a round of 69 - and joining him at two-under is Africa's Trevor Immelman, fresh from the weekend's World Cup victory at Kiawah Island.
Defending champion Kaname Yokoo was three-over, following a run of five bogeys from the sixth after moving to two-under after just four.
The tournament, the richest in Japan, lost 2001 champion David Duval when he pulled out with a shoulder injury.
Filed by Shane Murray
