Wagner leads in Texas despite firing 2 bogeys

FORT WORTH, Texas - Johnson Wagner bogeyed two of three holes midway through the first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club yesterday.

But that was only a small hiccup on his way to matching his best score on the PGA Tour.

After his approach at No. 10 missed the green for a bogey, Wagner responded with three consecutive birdies, including a nifty up-and-down on the 611-yard 11th hole. He then added two before the round was over to increase his birdie total to nine for a 7-under-par 63 and a 2-stroke lead over No. 2-ranked Phil Mickelson and Brett Wetterich.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Jay Haas withstood wet, bone-chilling and windy conditions and shot the only sub-par round to take the lead in the Senior PGA Championship at Oak Hill.

Wearing a heavy jacket buttoned to his neck, Haas finished the first round with a 1-under 69 to hold a 1-shot lead over local favorite Jeff Sluman and New Jersey golf pro Bill Britton.

A group of nine, including Bernhard Langer, Scott Hoch and Ian Woosnam, was 2 shots off the lead at 71.

Pete Oakley, director of golf at the Rookery in Lincoln, Del., shot a 76. George Forster, director of golf at Radnor Valley Country Club in Villanova, and Bill Sautter, teaching pro at Philadelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown, carded 79s. Ed Dougherty, the Champions Tour pro out of Edgmont Country Club, had an 85.

CORNING, N.Y. - Nothing slowed Erica Blasberg, not even all the layers she was wearing at the start of the LPGA Corning Classic.

Blasberg shot a 7-under 65 on a raw day more like early March than late May to take a 2-shot lead over Na On Min of South Korea and Karine Icher of France after the first round at Corning Country Club.

Sherri Turner, the 1988 Corning champion, shot a 4-under 68, only her second round in the 60s in six events this year, and was tied for fourth with Na Yeon Choi, Sandra Gal, and 2005 Corning champ Jimin Kang.

VIRGINIA WATER, England - Paul McGinley boosted his chances of a fourth consecutive Ryder Cup appearance with a 7-under 65 in the first round of the BMW PGA Championship at the Wentworth Club.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Arizona State's Azahara Munoz shot a 1-over 73 to take the lead after three rounds of the NCAA women's golf tournament. With a three-day total of 2-under 214, Munoz leapfrogged her friend Belen Mozo of Southern California. After a 3-over 75, Mozo is tied for second with Tiffany Joh of UCLA.