US TOUR:Holder Adam Scott of Australia fired a nine-under-par 63 yesterday to surge into an early three-stroke lead in the first round of the Houston Open.
Scott birdied six holes on his front nine after starting his round at the 10th hole and added three more birdies in a bogey-free round at Redstone Golf Club's Tournament Course.
American Steve Stricker, who birdied four holes on his second nine to post a 66, was second.
Grouped at five-under-par 67 were 2006 US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia and Americans Briny Baird and Dean Wilson, who dropped from a tie for second with a bogey at the 18th.
Americans Justin Leonard and Brett Quigley were a further stroke back. Among other notables, Sweden's Jesper Parnevik posted a three-under 69, twice Houston winner Stuart Appleby of Australia registered 70, and British Open champion Padráig Harrington shot a one-under-par 71.
Starting at the 10th, Harrington dropped a shot at the 11th, but three birdies at the 11th, 13th and 17th saw him turn in 32. However, in an indifferenent back nine he mixed two birdies with three bogeys for his 71.
John Daly failed to take advantage of good scoring conditions, posting a 78 on a layout set up to mimic features of Augusta National, site of next week's tournament, the US Masters.
WOMEN'S GOLF:England's Trish Johnson combined with Rebecca Hudson to give England a one stroke lead in the VCI European Ladies Golf Cup at La Sella Golf Resort near Alicante yesterday.
The pair produced an excellent eight-under-par 64 in the fourball to lead by one over Belgium, with Denmark and Germany tied for third on six-under-par and Ireland next on five-under-par 67.
Johnson, who has won 18 times as a professional, carded six of the English team's eight birdies with Hudson adding birdies at the sixth and 18th holes.
The Irish pair of Rebecca Coakley and Martina Gillen had just one birdie at the par-four fifth hole on the first nine but stormed home in four-under-par 32 after back-to-back birdies at the 11th and 12th and again at the 17th and 18th.
AMATEUR:Recently crowned West of Ireland champion Shane Lowry continued his good form when leading Ireland to a share of seventh place after the first round of the Nations Cup in Sotogrande yesterday.
Lowry shot a one-over-par 73 while Niall Kearney added a 74 and Cian Curley a 77 for a first round total of 224 - 13 shots off the pace set by Sweden.
In the individual scoring Lowry is six-shots back on Benjamin Hebert of France who opened with a 67. Scotland's Callum Macauley is on 69, with the Swedish pair of Jens Dantrrop and Marcus Larsson on 70.
