Damron, Four Others Share 1st-Round Lead

Robert Damron, who withdrew in frustration after the third round of the Michelob Championship two years ago, shot a five-under-par 66 on Thursday to grab a share of the first-round lead at Williamsburg, Va.

“Traditionally I’ve had a lot of trouble reading putts here,” Damron said. “Today, every putt seemed to do what I thought it would do.”

Damron needed only 26 putts, the last a 12-footer for birdie on the 18th hole, but said he couldn’t explain why he putted so much better, or why he played so well after not even getting in a practice round.

“I just kind of saw it and went with it,” he said.

Sean Murphy also shot a 66, capped by a 25-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole, which gave up only 12 birdies against 49 bogeys or worse. Steve Pate, J.P. Hayes and Cameron Beckman also finished with 66s.

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Bob May became an undignified historical footnote of the World Match Play Championship after squandering a superb start and crashing to a 6 and 5 loss to Padraig Harrington at Virginia Water, England.

The defeat meant that for the first time in the 37-year history of the event there is no American in the second day of play.

May, who lost to Tiger Woods in a playoff for the PGA title in August, shot a five-under 30 on the front nine on the West Course at Wentworth to grab a three-stroke lead.

But May bogeyed twice on the back nine and Harrington hauled him in before the halfway point of the 36-hole match.