EUROPEAN TOUR: Defending champion Adam Scott birdied his last three holes to shoot an eight-under-par 64 to grab a share of the lead in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth, Western Australia.

Defending champion Scott birdied his last three holes to finish eight under, but vowed not to think too far ahead.

"It was a great opening round and I certainly had a lot of opportunities and I made some putts," he said. "Obviously it's a long way to go.

"I'm not getting ahead of myself, it's a course where you can shoot a low score like I did today, but you can also shoot a high one pretty easily.

"The greens are tough, you have to be careful with your putts, you can't be too aggressive because they are quite fast."

Tied with Scott is world number 256 Kevin Stadler, son of American legend Craig Stadler.

"I'm having a good time so far and really enjoyed playing the golf course," the 26-year-old said.

"It's a great start to the tournament, I love playing courses like this."

Ireland's Gary Murphy and Peter Lawrie opened with one-over 73s, while Damien McGrane was a shot further back. All three will have to improve significantly to survive the cut.

KJ Choi enjoyed a purple patch midway through his round, the Korean shooting six birdies in seven holes on his way to a 65.

"My short irons were very good and putting was also good from inside 25 feet," he said. "I felt comfortable and could get some good birdies."

Colin Montgomerie remains in the hunt after a round of 70, but Retief Goosen and US Open champion Michael Campbell could only manage rounds of 72.

US TOUR: Luke Donald knocked two strokes off the lowest round of his tour career with a course record-equalling 62 in the opening round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am in California.

The 28-year-old English star, seeking his third professional victory on American soil, set a stiff early target for the rest of the 180-strong field playing over three courses.

Donald, competing at Spyglass Hill, grabbed an eagle and eight birdies to match the mark set by Phil Mickelson at the same stage of his win last year.

As he signed his card the High Wycombe golfer was three clear of last season's runner-up Mike Weir and Americans Bo Pelt, Michael Allen and Arron Oberholser.

Londoner Brian Davis was all set to tuck in just two behind Donald, but needing a closing par at Pebble Beach for a 64 that would have equalled his lowest score on the US Tour, he three-putted from inside eight feet for a double bogey six and a 66.

Dubliner Paul McGinley was on the leaderboard as well, with four birdies in his first six holes at Pebble Beach, but he double-bogeyed the eighth after going from rough left into a bunker the other side, then ran up another six on the long 14th to be back to one under and finished with four pars for 71.

Defending champion Mickelson, finished birdie, birdie, eagle at Poppy Hills for a 67.

Graeme McDowell was three under with three to play at Spyglass, but Mansfield's Greg Owen, third last year, stood one over after 16 on the same course.

LINKS PRO-AM: Padraig Harrington showed all the rustiness of his two-month break when shooting a two-over-par 74 in yesterday's Esso-sponsored Links Pro-Am at Seapoint GC.

The Ryder Cup star, who makes his return to the European Tour at next week's Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, shot halves of 35 and 39 to trail veteran Jimmy Clynch by five shot in the race for the top prize.

In an indifferent day, Harrington went to the turn in one-under-par 35 after a bogey at the first was cancelled out with birdies at the sixth and eighth.

However, Harrington had a real mixed bag on the second nine. A birdie at the 10th was followed by dropped shots at the 11th, 12th and 13th, before another birdie at the 14th.

A lost ball at the 16th cost him a double-bogey and he finished birdie, bogey for a homeward run of 39.

Clynch, meanwhile, birdied the third and sixth in an outward half of 37 and came home in level par 36 to edge Portmarnock's Noel Fox into second place after both finished on 70.

Clynch won the nett from Chris Keegan (Newlands) and Willie Leggett (The Island), while Fox took the gross from Steve Lowery (Esker Hills) and John Kelly (St Margaret's).

Fox also brought in the winning team when, in partnership with Leggett and Paul Lawlor (K Club), the trio returned an excellent 11-under-par 61.