Davis Goes Low at Valspar Championship


Brian Davis got off to a great start in the Valspar Championship. The 40-year-old Englishman fired a 6-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead in the $5.9 million PGA Tour event, which began Thursday on the usually difficult Copperhead course at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Fla.

Davis, a two-time winner on the European Tour in search of his first title in the States, where he's finished second five times, took advantage of the relatively calm conditions. He posted eight birdies and two bogeys for a one-shot edge over Americans Sean O'Hair and Ricky Barnes. Davis took the lead after chipping in for birdie on his final hole, the par-4 ninth.

After struggling the past two years, O'Hair, a four-time winner on Tour, is hoping his former form is returning this week at a tournament (then called the PODS Championship) that he won in 2008.

"I've always liked this golf course," O'Hair told reporters. "That's more where the confidence comes from. You know, results from the past. Coming in here I'm confident in knowing what I need to do. It's just a matter of getting there."

Trailing by two are Americans Justin Thomas, Derek Ernst and Nicholas Thompson, Sweden's Henrik Stenson, Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge and Czech-born German, Alex Cejka, who's coming off his first Tour victory at last week's Puerto Rico Open.

Stenson, the highest player in the field at No. 3 behind Rory McIlroy and Bubba Watson, had four birdies on the day for a clean card. Stenson is playing in his second tournament in the U.S. this year. Last week he tied for fourth at the WGC-Cadillac Championship, three strokes behind winner Dustin Johnson, who's not entered in the Valspar.

"I'm very pleased with the score," Stenson said. "Especially since my warm-up was a little bit all over the place. Then I got on the golf course, and gave myself five straight birdie chances. Kind of a great start.

"Normally, when I'm playing well, I'm a pretty strong long-iron player and middle-irons. Pleased with the day's work. Kept my patience and kept my game plan. All in all, a good day."

Opening with 3-under 68s were John Peterson, Kevin Streelman, Luke Guthrie, Shawn Stefani, Will Wilcox, Rod Pampling, Jason Kokrak, Ian Poulter, Andrew Svoboda and Adam Hadwin

Defending champion John Senden felt the fangs of the Copperhead course. The 43-year-old Australian opened with a 3-over 74.

Other scores included a 71 by No. 4-ranked Adam Scott, a 69 by No. 6 Jim Furyk, a 74 by No. 9 Justin Rose, and a 70 by 10th-ranked Jordan Spieth.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/content/pgatour/tournaments/valspar-championship/leaderboard.html.