Coakley one shot off lead in Melbourne

GOLF:IRELAND'S REBECCA Coakley is just one shot off the lead held by world number one Jiyai Shin and America's Jennifer Song after the first round of the Handa Ladies Australian Open in Melbourne.

Coakley shot a bogey free round of 67 as she hit five birdies — including one at the par-three 18th — to finish a shot clear of a clutch of players on four under.

The lead duo both compiled rounds of 67 at the Commonwealth Golf Club. South Korean Shin enjoyed a bogey-free round featuring three birdies on both the front and back nine, including five in seven holes between eight and 14.

Americans Bill Haas, Tom Gillis, Jason Bohn and veteran Tom Lehman were tied for the lead when the frost-delayed first round of the Phoenix Open was suspended in fading light on Thursday.

Haas, Gillis, Bohn and Champions Tour player Lehman opened with matching six-under-par 65s on an unseasonably chilly day at TPC Scottsdale, one stroke better than compatriots Chris Couch, Ben Crane and Lucas Glover.

World number four Phil Mickelson, who discarded his windbreaker after the turn, bogeyed his first and last holes for a six-birdie 67 to end the day level with fellow Americans Chris Riley, Jeff Overton, Joe Ogilvie and Matt Bettencourt.

The start of the tournament was delayed by four hours due to heavy morning frost and none of the afternoon field had completed the opening round when play was halted for the day. Sixty-six players were still out on the course and will have to finish their rounds yesterday when another frost delay is expected. Officials expect that most of the second round will spill over into today.

Mickelson, Phoenix Open champion in 1996 and 2005, was surprised how good the playing conditions proved to be at Scottsdale after the frost-delayed start.

“I expected the golf course to be frozen and balls to be bouncing on the greens quite a ways,” he said. “It played terrific. The greens were receptive and I thought the course and set-up was in great shape.”

Lehman, who won the most recent of his five PGA Tour titles at the 2000 Phoenix Open, was delighted with his round and his burst of three birdies in the last four holes to finish. “It was a good day,” said the 51-year-old, who plays mainly on the over-50 circuit. “I got off to a mediocre start, just a bunch of pars and then a chip-in on five. I started hitting the ball better and better and better as the day went on.”

PHOENIX OPEN, first round (completed scores) 65 Bill Haas, Tom Lehman, Tom Gillis, Jason Bohn 66 Ben Crane, Lucas Glover, Chris Couch 67 Phil Mickelson, Chris Riley, Jeff Overton, Joe Ogilvie, Matt Bettencourt 68 DA Points, Nathan Green (Aus), Robert Allenby (Aus), Brett Wetterich, Angel Cabrera (Arg), Jonathan Byrd, Chez Reavie.