Stenson and Allenby share lead

Henrik Stenson continued his recent love affair with the World Golf Championships by claiming a share of the lead in the CA Championship in wet and windy Miami.

The 30-year-old Swede, winner last month of both the Dubai Desert Classic and Accenture world match play titles, shared the lead with Australian Robert Allenby with Denmark's Thomas Bjorn just a shot behind.

Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal was two shots behind Stenson after an opening 67.

Rising star Stenson, who had never played in America until two years ago, had seven birdies and two bogeys on his first competitive round at Doral's Blue Monster course.

"Europe has been producing a lot of good players," Stenson said.

"Maybe the conditions we were playing in today were more in our favour — I guess we might be a little bit more used to playing in windy and tough conditions.

"My game feels good and when I go out at the moment I seem to be able to bring it in around par or better. I feel like my low level is higher than it's been before."

With the Masters only two weeks away, Stenson is riding the crest of a wave at present and defending champion Tiger Woods, playing in the group behind, was among those left trailing in his wake.

Twice a winner on the course, Woods forgot his horror finish to last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational — a closing triple bogey and six dropped shots in the last three holes — to top the leaderboard himself after two opening birdies.

But he had to settle for a one-under 71 along with Sergio Garcia and was quickly off to the practice putting green to work on things.

Allenby, partnering Woods, has already had five top-10 finishes in the States this season and commented: "I could be disappointed I haven't won yet, but I know this year is going to be great.

"I'm getting better each week. My whole game feels great and I like the way I am thinking too."

Stenson teed off on the back nine and putts of 10 and 18 feet at the 14th and 15th took him to the turn in two under.

He also birdied the long first and then hit back from a bogey at the third with three more birdies in the next five holes.

"The swing was not 100%, but my short game and putting were on and I managed to take the chances when I got them," he said.

World number three Phil Mickelson slumped to a 77, while number four Adam Scott dumped three balls in the lake on the 10th for a quintuple bogey 10 en route to a 76.

Paul Casey and Colin Montgomerie — not a single birdie all day for him — could only match that, John Bickerton managed just a 77 and England's Anthony Wall slumped to next-to-last place with an 80.

Playing with Mickelson, Padraig Harrington was joint 10th with Woods and Garcia on one under until he drove into the water on the last and ran up a double-bogey six.

Last man out Paul Broadhurst, who sank a bunker shot for an eagle at the first, and Ian Poulter had 73s, like Harrington, and both Luke Donald and David Howell shot 74.