Mixed day for Irish

US Tour: Davis Love mastered the conditions best to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Target World Challenge at Sherwood Golf Club, Thousand Oaks, California yesterday.

Love leads from Tiger Woods, Kenny Perry, and Justin Leonard, who all finished on one-under par 71.

It was a mixed day for the Irish pair Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke. Harrington shot a two-over par 74, which included a three-put bogey at the last, while Clarke is way off the pace after an opening round of nine-over par 81.

Clarke was well in touch with the 16-strong field, when he reached the tenth at one over par, but it was all down hill from there as he dropped another eight shots on the run home.

Target World Challenge Leading Scores

70 (2 Under) Davis Love III 71 (One Under)

Mike Weir, Justin Leonard, Kenny Perry 72 (Level par) Robert Allenby, KJ CHoi 73 (One over) Vijay Singh, Fred Couples 74 (two over)

Padraig Harrington, Nick Price, Chris Di Marco.

Selected other: 81: Darren Clarke

Ernie Els has been named Asprey Golfer of the Year for the second-successive season.

Els, 34, ranked third in the world, won five individual titles on the schedule and finished leading money winner with $3.47 million despite playing in only 17 tournaments on the circuit including the World Matchplay at Wentworth. It was his first European order of merit.

In addition, Els won back-to-back on the U.S. PGA Tour at the start of the year with victory in the Mercedes Championships and the Hawaii Open.

He also won the award last year after clinching the British Open for the first time with success in a play-off at Muirfield.

A panel of golf media representatives and European Tour officials meet annually to decide the prize.

"It is a wonderful honour," said the South African. "Although I didn't emulate my Major championship success of 2002 (when he won the Open), I was delighted to win seven times on three different continents and to follow my good friend, Retief Goosen, as the Volvo Order of Merit winner. It is a great thrill to be European number one for the first time."