Frenchman Thomas Levet shot a 66, six under par, to lie two shots off the pace in joint third place after the opening round of the Ford Championship at Doral.
Levet, who qualified for the 2003 US PGA Tour following his runners-up finish in the Open Championship at Muirfield last July, trails Australian Rod Pampling.
Levet fired six birdies, three on each half, to move into contention on the course known as the Blue Monster. A chip to ten inches at the par five first hole set up an early birdie and added a second after hitting an eight iron to ten feet on the fifth. Levet birdied the next par five, the eighth hole, to reach the turn in 33. Birdies at the tenth, where he used his three wood to chip to four feet, the 15th and 17th completed an excellent opening round.
“I played well all day,” said Levet. “I made one or two saves which were crucial for the game.”
Pampling leads after the first round for the first time since leading the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie. On that occasion he fired a second round 86 to become the only player in the history of the Open Championship to lead after round one and then miss the cut.
