Woods, Mickelson Lead Pack at World Series at Three Under

Tiger Woods bogeyed the final hole and defending champion Phil Mickelson birdied it to share the lead at three-under-par 67 Thursday after the opening round of the NEC World Series of Golf in Akron, Ohio.

At 68 was a star-studded group of U.S. Open champion Ernie Els, PGA champion Davis Love III, Greg Norman, Nick Price, Mark O’Meara and John Cook.

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Tom Byrum, who set the course record in last year’s final round, lowered it to eight-under-par 63 to take a one-stroke lead over Payne Stewart and Len Mattiace in the opening round of the Greater Vancouver Open.

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Ryuji Imada of Tampa, Fla., defeated Robert Floyd of Miami Beach, 3 and 1, to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur in Lemont, Ill. Imada’s victory on the Dubsdread course at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club knocked the most famous father-caddie on the grounds, Raymond Floyd, out of the championship and back to the Senior PGA Tour.

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Nancy Lopez, playing for the first time in Sweden since 1982, shot a six-under 66 and took a one-stroke lead over native-daughter Annika Sorenstam after the first round of the Compaq Open in Stockholm.

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Colin Montgomerie shot a course-record eight-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the European Open in Dublin, Ireland.