GOLF: Harrington's 64 puts him in lead at Barclays

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - Padraig Harrington found a way to take some of the attention away from Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy on Thursday. He made six birdies on the tough back nine of Bethpage Black and opened the FedEx Cup playoffs with a 7-under 64 for a one-shot lead at The Barclays.

And that surely got the attention of Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal.

Harrington has to rely on a captain's pick to make his seventh straight European team, and that looks to be unlikely. Not only has the three-time major champion gone four years without winning against a strong field, he and Olazabal are not the best of friends after a dispute at the Seve Trophy from nine years ago.

The Irishman had the toughest time Thursday after he got off the difficult Black course. There were so many questions about the Ryder Cup, his chances of making the team and what he has to do to impress Olazabal, that at one point Harrington adopted the American way.

"The only answer I can give at this stage is I'm pleading the Fifth Amendment on that one," Harrington said. "I honestly don't know what to say. I don't want to go in there and try too desperately to beg for a pick, or I don't want to go in there and give excuses for anything. I'll just leave it be what it is. I'm just going to play golf."

Sergio Garcia was part of the group at 66, while defending champion Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler, both trying to make their own impression as potential picks by

U.S. captain Davis Love III, were in the group at 67.

Thousands of fans chased after Woods and McIlroy, in the marquee group based on their standing in the FedEx Cup - Woods at No. 1, McIlroy at No. 3.

Woods scrambled nicely to recover from a few errant shots and scratched out a 68. McIlroy smashed one driver after another to set up short irons into the greens, and while he had three birdies through six holes, he let the good start get away from him and settled for a 69.

If this is a rivalry, it figures to be a friendly one. Woods genuinely likes this 23-year-old from Northern Ireland, who already has two eight-shot wins in the majors. He chatted more than usual, even for a Thursday, and during one wait on the par-3 14th, McIlroy listened intently with a smile on his face as Woods told a story, then broke into a big laugh upon hearing the punch line.

"He's a nice kid, he really is," Woods said. "As I said yesterday, I played with him in Abu Dhabi. We struck up a friendship back then, and it's continued. And I think it's only going to get better."

LPGA Tour

COQUITLAM, British Columbia - Top-ranked Yani Tseng shot a 6-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Canadian Women's Open.

Tseng had eight birdies and a double bogey at The Vancouver Golf Club. The Taiwanese star opened the season with victories in three of her first five events, then had a series of missed cuts and poor finishes before tying for 11th last week in the Safeway Classic.

European Tour

GLENEAGLES, Scotland - Nicolas Colsaerts shot a 3-under 69 in the Johnnie Walker Championship, leaving the Ryder Cup hopeful two shots behind the first-round leaders in the final event in the points races for the 10 automatic spots on the European team.

The Belgian must finish first or second to be assured of an automatic position in the matches next month at Medinah in Illinois.

Australia's Brett Rumford and Norwegian playing partner Knut Borsheim shot 67 for the early lead on Gleneagles Hotel's PGA Centenary Course.

Source: http://www.sbsun.com/sports/ci_21389790/golf-harringtons-64-puts-him-lead-at-barclays?source=rss

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