Garcia shares lead
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.
