ON A day when only six golfers broke par, Billy Mayfair, Paul Goydos and Japan's Hidemichi Tanaki shared the first round lead at the World Series of Golf after shooting four under par 66 yesterday.

Two strokes back at Firestone C.C. was Steve Stricker, a two time winner this year. Another stroke back after shooting one under 69 were PGA Champion Mark Brooks and Justin Leonard.

The World Series is a limited field event, with 43 golfers earning invitations by winning tournaments in America and on the world's other major tours over the past 12 months.

Mayfair, who lost this tournament in a playoff with Greg Norman last year and who qualified this time by winning the Tour Championship 10 months ago, had a bogey free round.

He picked up his four birdies on the back nine, three in the last four holes.

Goydos had six birdies and two bogeys, and was the last player to finish before a one hour lightning delay.

Tanaka (25), the rookie of the year in Japan last year, is playing in just his third American event though he played well at the recent British Open, shooting a first round 67 at Royal Lytham which put him in second place.