SKorea's Wi off to flying start at New Orleans golf

Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 9:20 PM Posted by Beijing News


South Korea's Charlie Wi made the most of an early start time firing a six-under 66 to top a crowded leaderboard after the opening round of the PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Wi has a one shot lead and is three strokes ahead of American Kenny Perry, who was runner-up at the Masters, shot a 69.

"To get off to a good start definitely puts you in a better position than coming from behind," Wi said.

Wi had a bogey free round and was two strokes short of matching the course record.

Perry had five birdies over a half dozen holes, but stumbled down the stretch with bogeys on 15 and 17 to finish with 11 others at 69.

"I really felt good out there today," Perry said.

Jay Williamson, Nathan Green, Parker McLachlin, Charles Warren, John Merrick and Eric Axley opened with 67s. Eleven players were at 68.

Perry, who led the Masters by two strokes with two holes remaining only to lose in a playoff, said he had considered skipping this event, but has always played well in New Orleans and wanted to get back in action to put the Masters loss behind him.

The 48-year-old Perry is the highest PGA Tour money winner without a major championship. At TPC Louisiana, Perry has previously finished T-23 and T-66.

Danny Lee had a triple bogey on No. 4 and shot a 76 in his pro debut. The 18-year-old South Korean-born New Zealander missed the cut in the Masters as an amateur.

He broke Tiger Woods' mark as the youngest US Amateur champion last year and became the European tour's youngest winner in February at the Johnnie Walker Classic.





Edmonds

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