Three share lead at Turkish Airlines Open

ANTALYA, Turkey, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Paul Casey, Darren Fichardt and Steve Webster share the lead at the European Tour's Turkish Airlines Open after Thursday's play was cut short due to darkness.

The opening for the tournament event at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal golf course in southeastern Turkey was delayed 3 hours because of storms. That pushed play back to the point that only 15 players in the field of 78 finished their first rounds.

Casey and Fichardt both completed 14 holes of the first round and Webster's share of the lead came after 12 holes.

Ricardo Gonzalez and Thorbjorn Olesen were able to finish their rounds, shooting 66, Thursday and are among are among eight players tied at 6-under. Another six players are at 5-under.

World No. 1-ranked Tiger Woods had two birdies and a bogey through 10 holes before play was called. His 1-under score is tied for 50th.

Casey opened play with an eagle and was 4-under through four holes. He had a bogey at the fifth hole but birdied three straight over Nos. 9-11 and added another birdie at 13 in getting to 7-under.

Fichardt, playing the second nine first in the first round, had five birdies in a six-hole span and then back-to-back at 3 and 4.

Webster, also opening on the back nine, was 2-under through four and closed his first nine with four consecutive birdies. A birdie at the par-3 second left him even with Casey and Fichardt.

The formal name of the tournament is the Turkish Airlines Open by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This is the first year for the event.