Brooks Beats Texas Wind to Shoot a 64

Like most golfers from Texas, Mark Brooks has learned to hit low, wind-cheating shots, and the knowledge came in handy Thursday when he fashioned a six-under-par 64 and a one-shot lead over two players in the Byron Nelson Classic in Irving.

Brooks, who won the wind-blown Houston Open in a playoff last week, fought through gusts of up to 30 mph in shooting a five-under 30 on the front side of the TPC Course at the Four Seasons Resort and Club.

The Cottonwood Golf Club is also being used.

“I grew up playing in the wind and I shaped my shot with the wind being a factor,” said Brooks, of Fort Worth. “When you grow up in this part of Texas, you don’t have a very high shot trajectory.”

Brooks, who also won the Bob Hope Classic earlier this year, proved how well he could play in the wind when he finished third in the British Open at St. Andrews last July.

“I love the kind of golf you have to play in Scotland,” Brooks said. “You don’t get to play that many kind of shots over here. I love it when the wind blows. I have some friends who won’t play if the wind isn’t blowing.”

Brooks had only 25 putts Thursday, seven of them for birdies, the longest from 18 feet.

Scott McCarron and John Cook were tied for second at 65 and Guy Boros and Mike Brisky were together at 66.

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The first round of the McDonald’s LPGA Championship in Wilmington, Del., was canceled because of rain and the tournament was cut to 54 holes, the first time an LPGA major championship has been shortened to three rounds.

Officials said there was no consideration for playing four rounds because they want a Sunday finish on national television.

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England’s Iain Pyman fired a six-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Australia’s Peter O’Malley and Welshman Marcus Willis after the opening round of the Spanish Open in Madrid.