US TOUR: Four players were tied on six under par after the earlier starters had completed their first rounds at the Atlanta Classic yesterday.
Americans Jonathan Kaye, Ryan Palmer, Jonathan Byrd and Parker McLachlin all fired rounds of 66 in cloudy conditions at the TPC Sugarloaf.
With few non-Americans in this tournament, the best of the early finishing foreign players was Colombian Camilo Villegas who was two off the lead with a four under 68.
Last year American Zach Johnson beat Japan's Ryuji Imada in a sudden-death play-off to win the title. Both players were late starters.
Kaye, playing on a Major Medical Extension this year after undergoing surgery on his right big toe, has made five starts this season, making two cuts. Palmer has started just four events, making one cut; hes also tried to stay sharp by playing a handful of Nationwide Tour events.
"Relief. Exciting. Fun," was how Palmer described his round. He could've added another word to discuss what he and Kaye did: Unexpected.
Kaye said his right foot was sore enough that it would require treatment after his round, but he should be able to give it plenty of rest before the second round. LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES: 66 - Jonathan Kaye, Ryan Palmer, Jonathan Byrd, Parker McLachlin, 67 - Charles Howell III, David Toms, Ted Purdy, Guy Boros, 68 - Camilo Villegas, Patrick Sheehan, Steve Flesch, Stewart Cink, John Mallinger, Jason Gore, Bob May ,Bob Heintz, Craig Kanada, 69 - Tom Scherrer, Jeff Gove, Chris Kirk,
CHALLENGE TOUR: Switzerland's Raphal De Sousa shot a flawless five-under-par round of 67 to take a share of the lead with four other players on seven-under-par 137 at the halfway mark of the European Challenge Tour's Piemonte Open in Torino.
De Sousa, who has been working with a sports psychologist to help improve his putting, shot five birdies a day after he celebrated his 25th birthday.
Having been back in 20th place overnight, De Sousa is tied for the lead with countryman Julien Clément, English pair Seve Benson and Andrew Marshall and Swede Björn Pettersson.
Marshall, who had been in second place overnight, shot four birdies and two bogeys for a one under par 71, while his playing partner on the tougher Circolo Golf Torino course, Benson, shot two birdies and an eagle in a two-under-par round of 70 that also contained two bogeys.
Swede Pettersson, meanwhile, admitted it was safety first on the challenging Circolo Golf Torino, but like Benson fared better than most in shooting a two under par 70.
Ireland's Gareth Maybin and Stephen Browne are on 145 with Maybin shooting 74 and Browne adding a 72 to his opening 73. Michael McGeady shot a second 74 for 148.
LEADING SECOND ROUND SCORES: 137 - R De Sousa (Swi) 66 71, A Marshall (Eng) 66 71, S Benson (Eng) 67 70, J Clement (Swi) 64 73, B Pettersson (Swe) 67 70 138 - D Ulrich (Swi) 73 65, G Lockerbie (Eng) 69 69, J Morrison (Eng) 64 74 139 A Mellor (Eng) 70 69, A Da Corte (Ita) 70 69, R Cabrera Bello 140 - M Zions (Nzl) 72 68, S Juul (Den) 69 71, A Bernadet (Fra) 70 70, M Tullo (Chi) 67 73, A Tampion (Nzl) 68 72, R Eyraud (Fra) 71 69, A Napoleoni (Ita) 69 71 141 - J Little (Eng) 72 69, M Ruiz (Par) 71 70, R Kakko (Fin) 72 69, M Korhonen (Fin) 72 69, I Van Weerelt (Ned) 67 74, G Clark (Eng) 70 71.
LPGA TOUR: Sweden's Annika Sorenstam who won her third title of the season at the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill last week, set the early target in the Sybase Classic in Clifton, New Jersey.
Sorenstam opened with a five-under-par 67 to take the early lead by one shot from defending champion Lorena Ochoa, Carolina Llano and Brittany Lang.
EARLY FIRST ROUND SCORES: 67 - Annika Sorenstam (Swe). 68 - Carolina Llano (Col), Brittany Lang (US), Lorena Ochoa (Mex), 69 - Anna Rawson (Aus), Cindy Rarick (Kor), Shi Hyun Ahn (Kor), Sophie Gustafson (Swe) , Christina Kim (US, Cristie Kerr (US), Catriona Matthew (Sco), 70 - Tracy Hanson, Soo-Yun Kang (Kor), Eunjung Yi, Mikaela Parmlid, Morgan Pressel (US), Seon Hwa Lee (Kor).
