Australia Takes 7-Shot Lead in World Cup Golf

MARBELLA, Spain — Australians Peter Fowler and Wayne Grady both eagled the 12th hole today to combine for a 10-under-par 134 total to give Australia a 7-shot lead after the opening round of the World Cup golf tournament.

Fowler shot a 6-under 66, Grady a 68. Both three-putted the 18th green for bogeys, costing Fowler a chance at matching the course record of 65 first set by American Johnny Miller in this tournament in 1973.

Spain, with Jose Maria Olazabal shooting a 70 and Jose Maria Canizares a 71, was in second place at 141.

Mats Lanner birdied four of the last five holes for a 69 to combine with Ove Sellbers (73) for a 142 and third place for Sweden.

The defending champion United States was fourth at 143 as Paul Azinger (70) four-putted from just off the 18th green for a double bogey and Mark McCumber shot a 73 in a round marred by slow play.

“We were concentrating well,” said Grady, who with Fowler had survived a 72-hour trip from Australia marred by bad weather conditions in London and Malaga. The trip ended with the two sleeping in a rental car Tuesday night on a back road from Seville to Marbella.

At Mizayaki, Japan,, Tom Watson used a chip-in birdie to finish one shot off the lead after the first round of the Dunlop Phoenix tournament.

Naomichi Ozaki fired a 6-under-66 today to take a one stroke lead over Watson.