PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - Vijay Singh wasn't in the lead Friday at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, but it sure seemed that way.
For one thing, Singh got the most difficult course out of the way with 4-under 68 at Spyglass Hill that left him one behind Luke Donald of England.
And no one knows what to make of some of the others atop the leaderboard.
Donald bogeyed the last hole at Pebble Beach but shot 65, putting him in contention for the first time since he won the Southern Farm Bureau Classic - the same week as the Tour Championship - at the end of the '02 season.
Among those one stroke behind were first-round co-leader J.J. Henry (70) and Ken Duke, a 35-year-old who has played tours in Canada, South America and Asia and is competing for the 10th time on the PGA Tour. Tom Pernice bogeyed his last two holes for 68, and was also in the group one shot behind.
Phil Mickelson had 68 and was two back.
"I obviously didn't finish the way I'd like to," said Donald, who was at 10-under 134.
Tommy Tolles, who opened with 66, was 5 over through four at Poppy Hills and shot 40 on his first nine. He had 77. Matt Kuchar, co-leader by one after Thursday, shot 65-74.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Tom Kite shot 4-under 68 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Royal Caribbean Classic in Key Biscayne. Gary Koch, Don Pooley, Bruce Fleisher, J.C. Snead and Bruce Summerhays were one back in the tour's first full-field event. All but Fleisher shot 34 on the par 37 back nine. Defending champion Dave Barr shot 77.
WIE EIGHT BACK: Playing in her second men's event of the year, 14-year-old Michelle Wie struggled with her putter but opened with 2-over 74 at the Hawaii Pearl Open in Aiea.
Wie was eight behind early leader Brett Wayment. The ninth-grader is the only girl in the field of 192, and the youngest overall for the third straight year in the 54-hole event, one of the premier tournaments in the state. The field has 92 men from Japan, including 70 of the top pros.
"I was just out of my rhythm," Wie said. "I didn't play as well as I wanted to, the putts just didn't fall."
Wie's group played in front of a couple hundred spectators. It was the largest - and only - gallery on the course. Dozens of reporters and photographers, from as far away as Japan also followed Wie's every move.
Last year, Wie shot 5-over 77 in the final round and tied for 43rd. In 2002, she failed to make the cut (74-80) in her first tournament playing against men.
