Castle Rock, Aug 08: Many of the world's top golfers are in Colorado sharpening their game for next week's PGA Championship. Thomas Howell III collected seven birdies on his way to taking the opening round lead in this week's PGA tour stop at the International in Castle Rock, Colorado. The International uses a modified Stableford format that awards points for under-par scores and deducts points for scores over par. An eagle is worth five points and a birdie two points. A bogey subtracts one point and double-bogey three points. Pars are worth no points. The 24-year-old Howell, who won his maiden PGA Tour event last year, had seven birdies and 11 pars to lead Bob Tway and Jonathan Kaye by two points. Tway recorded six birdies, while Kaye had one eagle, four birdies and one bogey. John Rollins is in fourth place with 11 points, with Chris Riley fifth with 10.
Defending champion Rich Beem had an erratic round, carding five birdies, three bogeys and one double-bogey to accumulate four points. World number two Ernie Els, one of the late starters, has played two holes and birdied both for four points, as has world number six Davis Love III. Darren Clarke,who finished the day at even par, had an interesting trip to par on the 4th hole. Clarke's third shot came to rest near the waist of a woman spectator who was sitting greenside. After discussion with officials, Clake hepled the woman up and watched to ball trickle into a more favorable lie. He then proceeded to chip the ball into the green and biirdie his putt.


Bureau Report