PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Chad Campbell fired an 8-under-par 64 Thursday to grab a two-stroke lead after the opening round of The Honda Classic.
Brett Wetterich stands alone in second place after a 6-under-par 66. Jesper Parnevik was one stroke further back at minus-5. Nick Watney, Woody Austin and Aaron Baddeley share fourth place at 4-under-par 68.
Vijay Singh could only manage two birdies in his opening 1-under 71.
Campbell stumbled out of the gates as he bogeyed the 10th, his first, on the Sunrise Course at the Country Club of Mirasol. He came back with birdies at the 13th and 15th to get to minus-1.
The 2004 Bay Hill Invitational winner tripped to another bogey at the par-4 16th. However, Campbell holed a 70-yard shot for eagle at the par-5 17th to jump to 2 under.
On the front side, Campbell caught fire. He rolled in a 6-foot birdie putt at the first and made it two straight as his birdie putt at two found the bottom of the cup.
The 30-year-old moved to 5 under with a 10-foot birdie putt at the fourth. Campbell kept moving with a birdie on No. 6 after he dropped his 9-iron within 6 feet.
The Texan climbed to 7 under when his 25-foot birdie putt at the eighth fell into the cup. Campbell closed his round with a birdie at the ninth from 15 feet out.
‘It was obviously a good day. It was a tough day out there though,’ said Campbell, whose round started with temperatures in the low 50s. ‘The wind was blowing, it was cold this morning, and you know I was just able to get through the first few holes when it was really, really tough. Then it let up a little bit. I definitely made my share of putts today.’
Wetterich got off to a quick start with a birdie at the first from 6 feet out. He came right back with a birdie on the third. The 31-year-old moved to 3 under when he got up and down from a greenside bunker for birdie at the par-5 sixth.
The two-time winner on the Nationwide Tour birdied the ninth from 5 feet and 10th from 12 feet around the turn to move to minus-5.
‘I hit a lot of greens and a lot of fairways,’ Wetterich said. ‘I was hitting a lot of shots close today and making a few putts.’
Wetterich, who lives 10 minutes from the course, parred seven straight holes before kicking in a 3-foot birdie putt at the last to get within two shots of Campbell.
‘I’m comfortable. I live ten minutes from here,’ said Wetterich. ‘I’m staying at home and I’ve got a bunch of family with me and it’s nice to come out and shoot a good round for them.’
Justin Rose and defending champion Todd Hamilton lead a group of 14 players at 3-under-par 69. Among those at minus-3 are Kevin Na, Sean O’Hair, Bob Estes, Brad Faxon and Lee Janzen.
Joey Sindelar, the 1988 champion of this event, heads a group of 20 players at 2-under-par 70.
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