GOLF ROUNDUP : Magee Can’t Fault Greens After His 65

Andrew Magee could have been among those complaining about the greens in Thursday’s first round of the Houston Open at The Woodlands. He didn’t because he was too busy making seven birdie putts in a round of seven-under 65 that gave him a one-shot lead over Bob Gilder and Dave Barr.

Dick Mast, Steve Elkington and Mike Heinen each finished strong to share fourth at 67.

There were complaints about some of the greens, damaged weeks ago when a non-golf course herbicide got into the irrigation reservoir used to water them.

But Magee couldn’t knock the greens at The Woodlands’ TPC course.

“They’re putting good,” said Magee, who won the Northern Telcom Open in January for the fourth victory of his career.

Gilder made the first run of the day with his 66, and he could have been the leader if he had not bogeyed his final two holes.

*

Alicia Dibos, a Peruvian who has won only $2,311 on the LPGA tour this season, birdied her final three holes to shoot a six-under 66 and take the first-round lead in the $1.2-million Sprint Championship on the Indigo Lakes Golf Resort at Daytona Beach, Fla.

Dibos recorded seven birdies with only one bogey to take a one-stroke lead over England’s Trish Johnson.

Dibos, 34, has never won a professional event with her best finish a second place at the 1992 French Open.

Johnson’s 67 stood up most of the day before Dibos finished in the windy afternoon.

Amaia Arruti, a former Spanish amateur champion and tour rookie, was in a pack at 68. Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez, winless this year, was at 70.