Ireland's Darren Clarke shared the lead with Jay Haas and Jerry Kelly after yesterday's wet first round of the $6 million season-ending Tour Championship.
The three, all non-winners so far in 2004, each shot a three-under-par 67 at the East Lake Golf Club to take a one-shot lead over David Toms and rookie Zach Johnson, both at two-under-par 68. A group of eight players were one shot back at 69.
The group includes Padraig Harrington, John Daly, Mark Hensby of Australia, left-handers Steve Flesch and Mike Weir of Canada, Australian Stuart Appleby, Stephen Ames of Canada and world number one Vijay Singh of Fiji.
With over an inch of rain pelting the home of Bobby Jones early yesterday, the players had to deal with wet and muddy conditions as the ball was played down for the round.
But that did not stop the field which had 13 rounds under-par and 15 players within three shots of the lead.
Clarke had three birdies in his first seven holes but a bogey on the fourth saw him reach the turn in two under par.
Further birdies followed at the 12th and 14th before a bogey on the 16th prevented the Ulsterman from claiming the outright lead.
Harrington, who dropped a shot at the second, birdied the eighth to be out in level par 35.
Another shot went at the 10th but a birdie at the 12 and an eagle at the par-five 15th took him home in one under par for his 69.
Vijay Singh, chasing a 10th win of the season made a late charge to get to one under par.
"When I drove up this morning the last thing I thought was that we'd be teeing off on time," Clarke said.
"The course was a little bit wet out there as you would expect. I had a few mud balls but everybody was going to have those today. Mine didn't go too far astray."
With five birdies and only two bogeys Clarke found himself a leader for the third time in 2004 after the first round on the PGA Tour. Clarke led the Bay Hill Invitational after shooting an opening round six-under-par 66 only to have a poor weekend and finish tied for sixth.
He also led the PGA Championship after the first round with a seven-under-par 65, but again had a poor final two rounds and finished tied for 13th.
"I haven't won anywhere, so that's been very, very frustrating," Clarke said of his winless streak that extends to the 2003 NEC Invitational.
Clarke has played in 26 events between the European and PGA Tours in 2004 and his best finish has been third, three times. Davis Love III withdrew with a neck-shoulder injury.
First Round Scores
67 - Darren Clarke (NIrl), Jay Haas, Jerry Kelly,
68 - David Toms, - Zach Johnson,
69 - Padraig Harrington (Irl), John Daly, Mark Hensby (Aus), Steve Flesch, Mike Weir (Can), Stuart Appleby (Aus), Stephen Ames (Can), Vijay Singh (Fiji),
70 - Retief Goosen (RSA), Stewart Cink,
71 - Rory Sabbatini (RSA), Sergio Garcia (Spa), Phil Mickelson,
72 - Carlos Franco (Par), Chris DiMarco, Todd Hamilton, Ernie Els (RSA), Tiger Woods,
73 - KJ Choi (S Kor), Fred Funk , Shigeki Maruyama (Jpn), Chad Campbell,
74 - Scott Verplank,
75 - Adam Scott (Aus),
76 - Kenny Perry,
Withdrew: Davis Love III.
