KAPALUA, Hawaii, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Ernie Els and Jim Furyk combined to record three eagles and 14 birdies Thursday to open the 2003 PGA Tour by sharing the first-round lead at the Mercedes Championship.
Els and Furyk both shot 64 over the par-73 Plantation Course at the Kapalua Bay Resort to claim a one-shot lead over Jerry Kelly, Gene Sauers and Chris Riley.
The 36-man field in the season-opening event is made up of winners from the 2002 season. Missing, however, are the top two ranked players in the world -- Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Woods is recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery and Mickelson chose to skip the event.
Half of the players in the field are making their initial appearance in the tournament, having been part of a record surge of first-time winners last year.
Els suffered a double bogey on the eighth hole, but made two eagles and left a 20-foot putt for his third eagle of the day just short at the 18th hole. Furyk, who owns a home overlooking the 18th green, had an eagle and seven birdies.
The field overwhelmed the Plantation Course on an unusually calm day on the island of Maui.
"I don't think I have ever seen it this calm," Els said. "The ball is running more on the fairways, so if you get a day like this, you have to take advantage of it."
Tied for sixth at 7-under 66 were Shigeki Maruyama and Bob Estes while K.J. Choi shot 67. Those at 68 included Loren Roberts, Vijay Singh, Phil Tataurangi, Jonathan Byrd and Luke Donald. Defending champion Sergio Garcia had to settle for a 2-under 71.
