McDowell makes flying start

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell shot an eight-under-par 64 to grab the lead after the first round of the Zurich Classic in New Orleans.

Australian Stuart Appleby, who went wire-to-wire to win last week at the Houston Open, is in second place after a 65.

Ten golfers, including Retief Goosen and Jeff Sluman, are two strokes behind and eight more, including Englishman Ian Poulter, are three strokes off the pace.

McDowell, playing late in the afternoon, leaped to the top of the leaderboard when he holed out from 118 yards with a gap wedge on his final hole, the ninth, for an eagle.

English Turn Golf and Country Club, which is hosting the event because the TPC Louisiana course is still unplayable after the hurricane, yielded under-par scores to 101 of the 155 golfers in the field.

Among them were England’s Justin Rose with a 69. Ireland’s Padraig Harrington shot a 70, while Lee Westwood had to settle for a 71 after a last-hole double bogey.

Phil Mickelson, who is trying to win his third consecutive event, shot a four-under par 68.