Couples and Lehman share lead in Vegas

Fred Couples and Tom Lehman share the lead after the opening round of the 90-hole Invensys Classic in Las Vegas.

Fred Couples and Tom Lehman share the lead after the opening round of the 90-hole Invensys Classic in Las Vegas.

Couples and Lehman fired bogey-free nine-under-par 63s to share a one-stroke advantage after day one of the five-day marathon in the desert.

Craig Parry of Australia, Rory Sabbatini of South Africa, Tom Pernice Jr. and Joe Ogilvie are tied for second after carding eight-under 64s.

Bob Estes, Steve Flesch and Jim Carter are another shot back after opening with 65s.

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Couples has not won a PGA Tour event since the 1998 Memorial and has not made the top 10 in any of 17 tournaments this season.

Lehman has fared a little better this year with a runner-up finish at the Sony Open and a third-place tie at the St Jude Classic to rank 36th on the money list.

But both players collected nine birdies at one of two 90-hole events on the PGA schedule.

-PA