Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke lies one stroke off the lead after the first round of the US PGA Tour's Mercedes Championships after an opening six under par 67 at Maui's Kapalua Plantation course in Hawaii.
Playing his first competitive round without nicotine in his body after his New Year’’s resolution to give up smoking, Clarke reeled off seven birdies to trail Australian Stuart Appleby by one. Vijay Singh is among the group of three players a further stroke back on five under par with Adam Scott lying on four under par, just three strokes off the lead.
"I gave myself a lot of opportunities," he said. "Six under par is a pretty good reflection of how I am playing."
Clarke, who won the World Golf Championships - NEC Invitational in August, is playing in the Mercedes Championships, the field limited to the previous season’’s tournament winners, for the first time.
Retief Goosen, who hit the opening tee shot of the 2004 season straight down the middle, carded an opening 70, three under par, but Open Champion Ben Curtis and the defending champion Ernie Els, who won the title last year with a record 31 under par score, shot level par 73s to lie down the field.
