Pampling Leads Houston After First Round

HUMBLE, Texas (AP) _ Rod Pampling was first on the course Thursday and wound up first on the leaderboard. <br><br>He shot a 6-under 66 and held a one-stroke lead over Chris Riley after the opening round

Friday, April 23rd 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

HUMBLE, Texas (AP) _ Rod Pampling was first on the course Thursday and wound up first on the leaderboard.

He shot a 6-under 66 and held a one-stroke lead over Chris Riley after the opening round of a wind-swept Shell Houston Open.

The Australian-born Pampling was in the first threesome off the 10th tee just after daybreak at the Redstone Golf Club and took advantage of calm conditions. The winds kicked up to as much as a steady 17 mph with gusts even higher in the afternoon, making play more treacherous for later starters.

Riley had eight birdies and three bogeys for his 67, one shot better than Frank Lickliter II, Stephen Ames, Arjun Atwal, Deane Pappas and Lucas Glover.

Eight golfers, including Hal Sutton, a winner of this event three years ago, were at 3-under 69.

Pampling birdied his first three holes then added another on the par-5 15th and was 4 under at the turn. He birdied No. 2, his 11th hole, then reeled off six straight pars before closing out his bogey-free round with a two-putt birdie on the final hole.

``To get out early without a lot of wind, it was nice to capitalize and start well and just hang on _ well not hang on but consolidate from there and just build,'' he said.

Pampling, 34, who has a home just outside Dallas in Flower Mound, joined the PGA Tour full time in 2002 and is looking for his first victory. He's made the cut in nine of 10 events so far this year, including a tie for ninth at the Bob Hope Classic.

Riley was at even par at the midway point of his round. But he had five birdies in a 30 on the backside, including two to close out the round, for a scrambling 67.

``The front nine, which I started on 10, was pretty tough,'' he said. ``The wind was blowing a good 20 to 25 (mph). ... I shot even par on the windy side and then the backside didn't blow too bad and I shot 5 under.

``All in all, it was a pretty good day.''

Riley has four finishes in the top 25 this year and two in the top 10, including a playoff loss to John Daly at the Buick Invitational.

Steve Pate closed within one shot of Pampling after 13 holes, but fell back with bogeys at 14, where he three-putted after missing the fairway, and 17. In his 21st year as a pro, Pate has won six times, but not since 1998.

Defending champion Fred Couples got to 3 under before bogeys on 17 and 18 left him with a 71.

Mark Calcavecchia was two shots off the lead after 11 holes, then went bogey-bogey-double bogey. He finished at 72, even par. Vijay Singh, ranked No. 2 in the world and a winner of this event two years ago, struggled with a 2-over 74. Daly shot a 76.