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Herron's record score seen by few

PINE MOUNTAIN, Ga. -- Tim Herron saw this kind of round coming.

Too bad hardly anyone was around to see it.

On the quiet and nearly vacant grounds of Callaway Gardens, Herron posted his best score in three years, 9-under-par 63, to take a two-stroke lead over Phil Mickelson and six others after Thursday's first round of the PGA Tour's Buick Challenge.

Not many of the fans who braved the soggy conditions were with Herron when he tied the Mountain View course record with 29 on the front nine. He hit a 6-iron into 4 feet on the 508-yard second hole for eagle, then started aiming for the pins.

He needed 23 putts in his round.

"It was a great stretch, and I knew the cylinders were starting to run," Herron said. "To play like that is why we play golf. I wasn't even thinking 29. I just tried to birdie as many as holes as I could."

Mickelson, playing the event for the first time in 10 years, also had a good day on the greens, but most of the focus was on the club in his hands -- a new putter that looked like a branding iron.

It was designed to get the ball rolling immediately, and it helped him shoot 65. He was tied with Rocco Mediate, Bob May, David Gossett, Ben Crane and Michael Long, an alternate who didn't know he was playing until 20 minutes before he teed off.

David Toms was among those at 66.

SENIOR TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP: Rain, temperatures in the low 40s and winds of 10-15 mph led to the first round of the season-ending event in Oklahoma City to be suspended.

Players had been on the course about three hours when play was stopped. All but four of the 46 in the field had teed off.

Rodger Davis was 2 under through seven holes at Gaillardia Golf & Country Club. Walter Hall was 2 under through six.

Play was scheduled to resume this morning and tournament officials hoped to complete the first two rounds. Players will have about an hour between the completion of their first round and the start of the second.

BUY.COM TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP: Todd Barranger shot 7-under 65 and held a two-shot lead after the first round in Prattville, Ala., a 20-shot improvement for him from last year's season-ending tournament.

The top 15 players on the tour's money list after this tournament earn exemptions to the PGA Tour next year.

MADRID OPEN: Lee Westwood shot 7-under 64 for a one-stroke lead after one round of the European PGA event in Spain.

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