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Ogilvy leads season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship

Fri 9th, January 2009

Kapalua, HI (Sports Network) - Former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy fired a six-under 67 on Thursday to take the first-round lead of the 2009 PGA Tour season-opener, the Mercedes-Benz Championship.

Ernie Els, Kenny Perry and Johnson Wagner are knotted in second place at five- under 68 at the par-73 Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort.

Davis Love III, Steve Lowery, Ryuji Imada and Sean O'Hair share fifth at minus-four.

The first round of the year featured mostly beautiful weather conditions with an occasional shower. Winds were up on Thursday, but 20 of this exclusive, 33- player field broke par.

This championship is reserved for winners from the 2008 PGA Tour season, although there are noticeable absences.

Tiger Woods is still recovering from knee surgery and is not in attendance.

Phil Mickelson and last year's British Open and PGA Championship winner Padraig Harrington both skipped the event, but at least one former major winner found his way to the top of the leaderboard.

Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open winner, broke into red figures early when he hit a five-iron to 28 feet and cashed in on the birdie putt at the second. He reached the green in two at the par-five fifth and two-putted from 30 feet for another birdie.

At the next par-five hole, the ninth, Ogilvy pulled his second shot left, but got a free drop from the scoreboard. His drop left him near the green and he got up and down for birdie.

One hole later, Ogilvy rolled in a 10-footer for birdie and reached four-under par for the championship. The Australian knocked his approach to eight feet at the 12th and converted the birdie putt.

At the 14th, Ogilvy smashed a drive near the putting surface, but hit an average chip to eight feet. He ran home that birdie putt to get to six-under and into a share of the lead.

Els made a late bogey on 15, so Ogilvy was alone atop the leaderboard. He almost didn't stay there.

On the par-five closing hole, Ogilvy badly pulled his three-iron second shot out of bounds. He took a penalty drop and pitched his fourth to three feet. Ogilvy made that par save to stay in front.

"I was pretty much on the fairways, hit most of the greens and made a few putts. It was just nice," said Ogilvy. "I didn't do anything amazing, but I didn't do anything badly. I just played nice, and when I had to get something up-and-down, luckily most of the up-and-downs were for birdies, and I got them up-and-down."

Els played brilliantly early in his round. He birdied the third hole, then sank a 12-foot eagle putt at No. 5 to get to three-under. The three-time major winner followed with a seven-foot birdie putt at six.

He made a five-foot birdie putt at nine and drained a 13-footer for birdie at 11. Els cruised until an errant tee shot at the 15th. The South African pulled his drive behind a boulder at 15 and had to take a drop. He holed a clutch eight-footer just to save bogey.

Els missed a 10-footer at the last hole, but is right near the top after round one.

"I had a perfect start. I was six-under through 11, and I had a birdie putt on 12 to go seven-under," said Els. "So to be five-under, I would have taken it before I teed off. I feel a little hot still under the collar yet."

Wagner closed beautifully with two birdies and an eagle in his last three holes, while Perry mixed an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys in his opening round.

Boo Weekley and D.J. Trahan are tied for ninth at three-under 70.

Vijay Singh, the reigning FedEx Cup champion, shot an even-par 73 on Thursday. He will be having his knee operated on following this championship.

Camilo Villegas, who won two FedEx Cup Playoff events, only managed a one-over 74 on Thursday and is part of a group tied for 23rd place.

Defending champion Daniel Chopra is in last place after a seven-over 80.