Golf: Waite fires opening 64 to lead Canadian Open by two shots

MARKHAM - Playing among the late starters, New Zealand's Grant Waite shot an eight-under-par 64 yesterday to lead the $US4 million ($NZ8.69 million) Canadian Open by two shots after the opening round.

Per-Ulrik Johansson, former Bell Canadian winner Billy Andrade, Neal Lancaster and Australia's Greg Chalmers each shot six-under 66s and are tied for second.

Fiji's Vijay Singh heads a quartet of players at five-under 67.

He is joined by Paraguay's Carlos Franco, another New Zealander Frank Nobilo and South African Rory Sabbatini.

The other New Zealander in the field, Michael Long, shot a one-over 73.

"Obviously I played very well," Waite said of his eight-birdie, no-bogey round over Angus Glen Golf Club.

"The course is playing very fast, a lot different than it did during the practice round or the pro-am. The ball is going a lot further off the tee."

Waite took advantage of his length and accuracy to hit 15 of 18 greens. He made five birdie putts from inside 4.5m on the back nine and had just 27 putts in all.

The 38-year-old former Canadian Tour player has a history of playing well in the two Canadian tournaments on the PGA Tour.

Two years ago Waite lost both the Air Canada Championship and the Canadian Open by one shot, with the loss in the latter coming to world No 1 Tiger Woods.

However, he said he had no explanation as to why he does well in Canada. .

"I think maybe I'm used to coming up here," he said. "I've always had good feelings when I've played here."

Waite was disqualified from this tournament last year when he overslept and missed his early morning tee time.

"I have three alarms now," said Waite, who had set his alarm for 6pm instead of 6am.

"I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I think I can get one of them to work."

* Michael Campbell shot a lacklustre even par 71 in the opening round of the European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland, yesterday.

Sweden's Robert Karlsson shot a nine-birdie, six-under 65 to lead by one shot from six-times major champion Nick Faldo, 1999 British Open winner Paul Lawrie and compatriot Mathias Gronberg.

Of the other New Zealand players, Stephen Scahill carded a two-over 73 while Greg Turner's disappointing season continued when he shot a 74.

- AGENCIES