Defending champion Padraig Harrington's erratic season continued today in the Barclays Classic at Westchester after a first round 74 left him in danfer of missing the cut.
Harrington, who lost a play-off to Garcia two years ago and then last June pipped Jim Furyk to the title with a dramatic 66-foot eagle putt on the final green, had double bogeys at both the fifth and short 14th to lie three over for the tournament.
England's David Howell birdied the last three holes to grab the first-round lead on five under. Just four days after completing a nightmare round of 83 to fall out of contention for the Memorial tournament in Ohio, the European Tour number one returned a 66 that contained no fewer than eight birdies.
The last of them came when he two-putted from over 90 feet at the 505-yard ninth and that gave Howell a one-stroke advantage over Swede Fredrik Jacobson in the final warm-up event for next week's US Open.
It could have been even better for world number 10 Howell. He had a 25-foot birdie chance on the long fifth - his 14th - but three-putted for a bogey six.
American Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman had earlier threatened to be the story of the day, but after reaching six under he bogeyed the same three closing holes which Howell then birdied.
By winning on Sunday, Lehman could move up from 19th to sixth in the race for places in his own team - he has not ruled out playing at the K Club in September if he qualifies - but he had to settle for a 68.
Co Antrim's Graeme McDowell, who in Surrey on Monday came through a qualifying tournament for next week's major, finished with birdies at the 17th and 18th for a one under 70.
Meanwhile, Howell's playing partner Justin Rose posted a 71 with twice winner Sergio Garcia shooting 73.
Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, last week's winner Carl Pettersson and Masters champion Phil Mickelson were all among the later starters.
After five successive missed cuts and failing to earn a place in the second major of the year, Westwood boosted his confidence with birdies at two of his first three holes and at that point was in a tie for ninth place.
