Howell, Furyk Beat the Winds in Las Vegas

Charles Howell III got in with a seven-under-par 65 before the wind started to blow Thursday and tied three-time champion Jim Furyk for the second-round lead in the Invensys Classic at Las Vegas.

Howell and Furyk took advantage of early tee times before afternoon winds picked up to set the pace at 12 under after two rounds of the 90-hole tournament played at three courses.

Howell, coming off his first win last week at the Michelob Championship, got to 12 under with an eagle on No. 13, then parred the rest of the way as the wind began to pick up in the desert.

“Now that I’ve won a tournament I’m probably a little more relaxed,” Howell said. “That’s probably the No. 1 thing. I’m just more relaxed.”

Howell and Furyk were both at 12 under, though Furyk’s total of 131 was a stroke better because one of his rounds came on the par-71 TPC Canyons course, one of three in rotation in the pro-am event.

The leaderboard was crowded, though scores weren’t as low as they were the first round when U.S. Open winners Lee Janzen and Steve Jones were nine under.

Janzen followed his 63 with a 74 in the second round, but Jones was among a group of five players one shot off the lead after shooting a 70 at TPC Summerlin despite a double bogey on the par-three 14th.

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Sweden’s Carin Koch shot a 10-under 62 on rain-softened greens to take a three-stroke lead after the first round of the LPGA Tournament of Champions at Mobile, Ala.

Annika Sorenstam, planning to play the final five events of the season in a bid to break Mickey Wright’s LPGA Tour record of 13 victories in a season, had a 66, and Nancy Lopez shot a 68 in her final event as a tour regular.

Koch had the lowest round of her career, but it won’t count as a course or tournament record because players were allowed to use preferred lies through the fairway.

Defending champion Se Ri Pak opened with a 65 on the Magnolia Grove Golf Club’s Crossings Course. Sorenstam was at 66 along with Janice Moodie, Patricia Meunier-Lebouc and Emilee Klein.

Sorenstam won the Samsung World Championship last week for her career-high ninth tour victory of the year and 40th career title.

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The Greater Hartford Open is in danger of being dropped from next year’s PGA Tour schedule if organizers can’t secure at least $4 million from sponsors by next month. ... Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, N.Y., is being extended to at least 7,000 yards for the 2004 U.S. Open. Shinnecock played at 6,944 yards for the 1995 Open when Corey Pavin won with par 280 for the 72 holes.