PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida, 26 March 2005 — American Steve Jones stole the spotlight from golf’s biggest names on Thursday, firing a flawless eight-under 64 to grab the first-round lead at The Players’ Championship.

With the ‘Fab Four’ of world No. 1 Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els failing to get into the top seven on the leaderboard, the day belonged to several of the PGA Tour’s lesser lights. Jones turned back the clock with an eight-birdie display that earned him a one-stroke advantage over Britain’s Lee Westwood and Americans Fred Funk and Zach Johnson.

Lurking one shot further adrift on six-under 66 at golf’s unofficial fifth major were Britain’s Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia of Spain and American JL Lewis.

Of the so-called ‘Fab Four’, only Singh came close to challenging for the lead, carding a 67 to join Americans Bob Tway, Brett Quigley, Bob Estes and Irishman Padraig Harrington, runner-up here the last two years, in a tie for eighth place. Woods and Singh made bright starts, Woods carding birdies on two of his first three holes and Mickelson getting to four-under through six. Woods stalled on his back nine while Mickelson had a more adventurous day as his rollercoaster round contained seven birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey.

Wiratchant Eagles Final Hole

to Snatch Jakarta Lead

In Jakarta, Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant eagled the final hole to overtake Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts and snatch the second-round lead in the rain-hit Indonesia Open at Cengkareng Golf Club, Jakarta, yesterday.

Wiratchant reduced the par-five 524-yard 18th hole to three strokes and posted a second successive 63 for 14 under par (126), one clear of Colsaerts who had a second-round 62.

Overnight leaders India’s Arjun Atwal and Michael Hoey of Ireland were still to complete their second rounds having completed 13 and nine holes respectively. They were both on 10 under par. Briton Colin Montgomerie was 11 shots off the pace at three under with five holes to play when the action was halted.

Veteran Jones in Three-Way Tie for Lead at Women’s Major

In Mission Hills, California, Rosie Jones proved she could still mix it with the best by tying for the lead with Britain’s Karen Stupples and South Korean Kim Mi-Hyun after the first round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship on Thursday.

American Jones, 45, hit three birdies in a faultless three-under-par 69 as the first women’s major of the season got underway at Rancho Mirage.

One stroke behind the leaders were Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam and Carin Koch, Juli Inkster of the U.S. and two American amateurs, 15-year-old Michelle Wie and 16-year-old Morgan Pressel. Jones made a birdie from tap-in range at the long 18th and then confirmed that this would be her last full season as a player.

World No. 1 Sorenstam is the title favorite, especially having won on her last four outings on the LPGA Tour.

The Swede would have made it a four-way tie for the lead but for a bogey at the short 17th.