Weekley & DeJonge Lead Zurich Classic


Boo Weekley and Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge fired 8-under 64s to take the opening-round lead in the Zurich Classic. The $6.9 million PGA Tour event teed off Thursday at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, near New Orleans.

Weekley played in the morning group and got his round in before rain came through and halted play at about 2:10 CDT; play resumed at around 3:30. De Jonge finished in the late afternoon, and enjoyed a spotless scorecard that listed eight birdies.

Weekley, a 41-year-old from Milton, Fla., with three Tour wins, posted seven birdies, an eagle on the par-5 second and a lone bogey. "I felt I played well," Weekley told reporters. "You can't win a tournament today, though. I mean, it's just another round of golf. I'm grateful that I shot 8-under but if it had been 4-under, I'd still be just as grateful."

Canada's David Hearn and Texan Sean O'Hair had 65s, while Americans Daniel Berger, Erik Compton and Mark Hubbard, along with England's Brian Davis, opened with 66s.

The rain came at an inopportune time for O'Hair. The 32-year-old from Lubbock started his round with a hole-out from 123 yards for an eagle at the par-4 first and was 5-under through his first six holes before the weather suspension. The four-time Tour winner added another birdie to make the turn in 6-under 36, and came home with two more birdies and a bogey for a 35.

Among those shooting 67s was Jason Day, the highest-ranking player in the field at No. 6 in the world. Beginning play on the 10th tee, the 27-year-old began posted four birdies on his opening nine. After another birdie on the second hole (his 11th), Day stumbled with a double-bogey on the par-3 third and another bogey. But the Aussie rebounded with three birdies the rest of the way for his 5-under outing.

"That was not what I had in my plans but it was good to bounce back,'' Day said of his missteps. "Sometimes I get in my own way but it worked out OK today. I'm in good position going into the next three days."

Others carding 67s included South Korea's K.J. Choi, Mexico's Carlos Ortiz and Americans Dustin Johnson, Ben Crane, Derek Ernst, Chris Stroud, Blayne Barber, Chesson Hadley and Chad Campbell.

Playing in only his second tournament of the year after undergoing back surgery in December, Steve Stricker shot a 69.

Defending champion Seung-Yul Noh was in the afternoon wave. The 23-year-old South Korean began with a 1-over 73.

For updated scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.