HARRISON, New York, 12 June 2004 — Fiji’s Vijay Singh made nine birdies in firing an eight-under par 63 here Thursday to grab a one-stroke lead over Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson after the first round of the PGA Buick Classic.

Singh fired the second-best round at Westchester Country Club since the layout shifted from par-70 to par-71 in 1976. Only American Jim Wright’s 62 from 28 years ago has been lower than Singh’s sizzling first round.

“I attacked the golf course from the get-go with a drive off 10 and just never looked back,” Singh said. “I just played beautifully, hit a lot of shots close which took away a lot of pressure from my putter. South Africa’s David Frost was third at 66, with American Fred Couples among nine at 67. Fifteen others, including two-time US Open champion Ernie Els of South Africa and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, were on 68.

Coming off his first US PGA season money title in 2003, Singh has a tour-best three titles in 2004 but dropped from second to third in the world rankings when South Africa’s Ernie Els won last week’s Memorial tournament.

Woods has taken the week off while Mickelson shares 28th on 69. Mickelson will be one of the favorites heading into the second major of the year. But it is Jacobson who is in better position to claim his first US PGA triumph this week.

Jacobson, with an early tee time, played his first six holes in 5-under, one-putting each, highlighted by a 60-footer for eagle at the fifth.

Jacobson is ranked 23rd in the world thanks to three top-10 finishes this season.

McDowell Breezes Into Lead at Gleneagles

In Gleneagles, Scotland, Briton Graeme McDowell battled strong gusts in the Diageo Championship second round to set the early clubhouse lead at four under par (140). Northern Irishman McDowell, recent winner of the Italian Open, justified his decision to pull out of qualifying for the US Open with a one-under 71 in 25mph winds. It left the former No. 1 US collegiate golfer a stroke ahead of in-form Englishman David Howell, who had stood five-over-par after five holes of his opening level 72 but bounced right back into contention with a 68 yesterday.

Scot Raymond Russell, who carded a 67 to move up to third place in the clubhouse on 142. Nick O’Hern of Australia and Britain’s Miles Tunnicliff still had the strong winds to combat, starting their second rounds on five-under and both dropped early shots to slip back to four-under.

McDowell, whose collegiate record during his days at the University of Alabama, outdid even Tiger Woods, won the Italian Open over only three rounds and five days because of bad weather in Milan. So the clubhouse leader was not fazed by the thunderstorm that caused a near three-hour suspension on Thursday before he finished two strokes off the first round lead.

McDowell played alongside tournament favorite Colin Montgomerie who three-putted the last from 10 feet in the gusts to slip four strokes off the lead with a 73 on 144.

Rosales Stakes Early Lead at LPGA Championship

In Wilmington, Delaware, Jennifer Rosales shot a bogey-free five-under-par 66 to take a one shot lead after the first round of the LPGA Championship, the second women’s major of the season, on Thursday.

The 25-year-old from the Philippines holds a slim advantage over South Korea’s Gloria Park, Japan’s Chiharu Yamaguchi and Britain’s Karen Stupples, while defending champion and world No. 1 Annika Sorenstam was in another group of three on 68.

Rosales won her first LPGA tournament in Atlanta in April, a breakthrough that has turned her into a national heroine back home in Manila. Sorenstam, who started at the tenth, birdied the final two holes.

She hit a five iron to four feet at the 192-yard eighth and was on the green in two at the long ninth.