Leonard leads in Memphis
Justin Leonard shot an eight-under-par 62 to take a two-stroke lead from Kirk Triplett after the first round of the St Jude Classic in Memphis, Tennessee.
The 33-year-old, who won his ninth PGA Tour event at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in January, posted six birdies in the first nine holes in his best round of the season.
“It is hard to feel a 29 coming,” Leonard said. “By the end of the day I was hitting the ball pretty well.
“I feel like I played my way into this round. Certainly shooting 62 is a surprise. I felt like that coming into this week I was in a pretty decent place. After the last two days working, everything felt pretty good.”
David Toms, who has won this tournament for the last two years, signed for a two-under 68 to end the day six strokes back.
Toms is looking to become the first player to win the title in three consecutive years and the first to capture a PGA Tour event three years in a row since Tiger Woods won four in a row at Bay Hill from 2000-2003.
Triplett, who has played much better golf of late after missing his first four cuts, shot bogey-free golf in his best 18 holes of the year.
Davis Love III, who has four top-10 finishes this year but has missed his last two cuts, is three shots back along with Jason Bohn.
Tom Pernice Jr and Matt Gogel are another stroke behind, while Kenny Perry, who won the Colonial last week and was the 2003 winner here, carded a three-over 73.
Woods, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson are not entered while Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Padraig Harrington are playing in the BMW Championship on the European Tour.
