Sullivan Takes 4-Stroke Lead in Florida

Mike Sullivan took advantage of his early starting time to shoot a seven-under-par 65 for a four-stroke lead Thursday in the first round of the $600,000 Honda golf tournament.

Sullivan was the first man off the tee at 7:15 a.m. EST on the Tournament Players Club course at Eagle Trace and got in about half his round before a series of squalls swept across south Florida.

“For the first nine holes the greens were perfect--not a footprint on them,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan, winner of one tournament in a decade of PGA Tour activity, made the most of it. He reached the turn in 32 before the wind--accompanied by occasional showers--kicked up to more than 40 m.p.h. in gusts. When the weather turned bad, Sullivan turned to his putter. He one-putted seven of the last nine holes.

Brad Faxon and Mark Calcavecchia shared second place at 69.

Defending champion Kenny Knox shot a 70 but took an unusual route to achieve it, playing the 10th through 15th holes eagle-par-double bogey-triple bogey-birdie-birdie. Mark McCumber, Charles Bolling, Bob Murphy and West German Bernhard Langer were tied with Knox.

Jack Nicklaus had a 74.