Thunderstorms in Akron, Ohio halted round one of the $5 million NEC Invitational with five players sharing the lead and no one completing 18 holes. Australia's Steve Elkington, New Zealand's Greg Turner and Americans Phil Mickelson, Tom Lehman and John Huston shared the lead at two-under par when play was suspended at the par 70 Firestone Country Club.
Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke, Ireland's two representatives in the select field, were both over par when play was suspended. Harrington lost one shot to the course after five holes while Clarke was three over after his opening eight holes. Clarke, playing with South African Ernie Els, bogeyed the first two holes and the long 469-yard par four sixth.
Four of 41 players in the elite field of 1999 Ryder Cup and 1998 Presidents Cup participants had yet to tee off in the new event which pays $1 million to the winner and $27,000 for last place. Players will finish round one this morning and start round two this afternoon, playing in threesomes off the first and 10th tees. The surprise among the leaders was Huston, who failed in his bid for a US berth in next month's Ryder Cup. He is here after being a captain's choice for last year's Presidents Cup, where he went 0-4 in a US defeat.
"It certainly feels like a bonus," Huston said. "I haven't played well at all. I didn't play great today. I made some good pars. If I can finish the round well, I will be in good condition."
Elkington birdied the 11th to match the leaders just before play was stopped. Turner birdied the second and third, parring the fourth.
Mickelson birdied the second, third and sixth holes to lead but blew a five-foot par putt on the par-three seventh and followed with three pars while Lehman completed nine holes before play was halted. One stroke off the pace at one-under par were Tiger Woods after three holes, Spain's Sergio Garcia after seven, Aussies Greg Norman after six and Craig Parry through two, plus Jim Furyk, Hal Sutton and Davis Love.
Love sank a 40-foot birdie putt on the opening hole. Woods hit a tap-in birdie on the par-five second after missing a 12-foot eagle bid. Garcia had a tap-in birdie at the second after missing from 15 feet. Norman and Furyk also birdied the 495-yard second hole.
Zimbabwe's Nick Price had just opened with a bogey while playing partner Colin Montgomerie of Scotland parred the first hole. France's Jean Van de Velde and Scotland's Andrew Coltart were one-over through 10 holes, David Duval was one-over after seven and England's Lee Westwood was four-over par through eight holes.
US Open champion Payne Stewart and British Open champion Paul Lawrie were in the first fairway when play was halted. Also facing 72 holes in three days were Australia's Stuart Appleby, New Zealand's Frank Nobilo and Americans Scott Hoch and Justin Leonard.
