Golf:Five players were tied for the lead as the first round of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas came to a close last night.
The American quartet of Robert Garrigus, Will MacKenzie, Michael Letzig and Cameron Tringale were joined by Australia’s John Senden at the top of the leaderboard as each shot a seven-under-par 64.
Senden’s ascent was aided by some excellent driving, hitting 18 of 18 greens in regulation, while Letzig left it late to join the leading group with a birdie-eagle finish.
A further group of five are on six under, while two-time major winner John Daly and 1997 US PGA champion Davis Love III were part of a group a shot further back.
Hunter Mahan, who lost out to Graeme McDowell in the decisive Ryder Cup singles match at Celtic Manor earlier this month, was four under while US team-mate Rickie Fowler, a Las Vegas resident, was three under.
England’s Brian Davis was the highest-placed European player at four under, while Scotland’s Martin Laird shot a two-under 69. It was a bad day for Englishman Greg Owen who was on six-over 77, a round which included nine shots on the par-four third over the TPC Summerlin course.