Casey in early contention

Paul Casey was one shot off the lead at the Shell Houston Open today as the delayed first round drew to a close in Texas.

The Englishman was unable to get his opening round under way until this morning after his late tee time yesterday was postponed due to high winds at Redstone Golf Club.

Casey more than made up for lost time in the more benign conditions by shooting a 66 on the par-72, 7,457-yard course. That left him one shot back on co-clubhouse leaders Briny Baird and Nicholas Thompson, both of the United States, as he prepared to go straight back out and begin his second round.

Casey joined Australia’s Jason Nitties in the clubhouse on six under par with Americans Colt Knost and Tommy Armour III on five under but still to complete their opening rounds.

Ireland’s Padraig Harrington resumed at level par after seven holes having started at the 10th tee, and bogeyed his ninth hole, the 18th, before starting the front nine with consecutive birdies.

The Open and US PGA champion double bogeyed the fifth and then bogeyed the sixth, both par fours, before birdies at the seventh and eighth sent him into the clubhouse with a level 72.

Americans Fred Couples, Dudley Hart and Justin Leonard formed part of a large group on four under alongside Justin Rose of England with Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland at the same mark having played 13 holes of his first round.

The calmer conditions did Lee Westwood no favours when he resumed first-round this morning, however.

Westwood had held a two-stroke lead over the field at four under par after nine holes today when play was halted with the Englishman about to putt for birdie from 17 feet at the par-four 10th.

The winds that reached 45 miles per hour yesterday dropped dramatically overnight to between 5-10mph, yet Westwood missed out on his birdie opportunity at the 10th and went on to bogey the par-four 11th after finding a greenside bunker with his second shot before coming undone again at the par-five 13th.

The Ryder Cup star missed the fairway then overshot the green before chipping back across the putting area and into a frontside bunker. He could have still salvaged par after splashing out of the sand to six feet but two-putted for bogey.

Westwood rallied with a birdie at the 17th to finish with a three-under 69 but wishing he had been able to play on in the wind.

“I didn’t really come out where I left off yesterday,” Westwood said. “You know, no good for me to stop, really, to tell you the truth.

“The course is playing tough and I was hitting it well. When I came out this morning a bit cold and felt a bit out of sync in my swing but I got it back over the last few holes.”

Westwood will begin his second round tomorrow morning while Rose turned right around as PGA Tour officials tried to get as much play in as possible with the available light.

Sergio Garcia of Spain was also at three under after 16 holes of his first round with Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke on the same mark after 12 holes.

Greg Norman, 54, was holding his own with his younger rivals as he tuned up for his return to the Masters next week for the first time since 2002.

The Australian two-time Open champion carded a one under 71.

Sweden’s Daniel Chopra also carded a 72 but his compatriot Fredrik Jacobson finished with a 77, as did two-time winner this year Phil Mickelson, following a double bogey at the par-three seventh, his 16th.

England’s Greg Owen and Luke Donald were among the first players to make it back to the clubhouse, each having carded a one-over-par 73 while Alvaro Quiros was facing a long day having completed his opening round with an 11-over-par 83.

All three will return tomorrow knowing the projected cut mark is at level par.