Appleby (66) Gets Bonus on New Houston Course

Stuart Appleby shot a six-under-par 66 on the Tournament Course at Redstone Golf Club in Humble, Texas, on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Shell Houston Open.

Appleby teed off early and took advantage of calm conditions on the new course, the event’s third venue in four years. The Rees Jones-designed layout opened in August 2005 and most of the players are getting their first look at it this week.

Appleby said his round wasn’t “clean and perfect,” but a couple of “bonus” shots led to the good score.

He made a 25-foot birdie putt on the sixth and another one on No. 11.

He hit a bad approach to the par-five 13th for his only bogey, then chipped in on No. 17 and made a downhill 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th.

Jerry Smith and D.A. Points also benefited from early tee times and shot 67s.

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Maria Hjorth and Cristie Kerr shot seven-under 65s to share the lead after the first round of the Florida’s Natural Charity Championship at Stockbridge, Ga.

Annika Sorenstam was right in the thick of things with a 66 and was in position to duplicate last year’s performance at the course south of Atlanta.

Sorenstam won the 2005 event by 10 strokes, positioning herself one shot off the lead after the first day, then taking control with a second-round 64.

Candy Hannemann and Patricia Meunier-Lebouc were tied for second with Sorenstam.

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Tiger Woods will take time off from the PGA Tour while his father battles cancer, the world’s No. 1 player said in Wellington, New Zealand, where he will attend the wedding of his caddie, Steve Williams.

Woods said it was possible he would not make an appearance in a tournament before the U.S. Open in June at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, N.Y.

He did not give specific details of his planned break, except to say he would not start playing “for a while,” and the failing health of his father, Earl, would have a major influence on his future schedule.