Nick O'Hern shoots 63 for lead in Scottsdale

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Brandishing a hot putter on a warm afternoon, Australian Nick O'Hern cruised to a career-low 63 and the first-round lead in the Frys.com Open on Thursday.

O'Hern, who finished at 7 under, putted only nine times while posting a 28 on the par-35 back nine at Grayhawk Golf Club. Eight of O'Hern's nine birdies came in that stretch.

"Pretty scary," O'Hern said. "I've never done that before. I was pretty happy."

Bob Heintz and Heath Slocum were a stroke back at 64, and D.A. Points, Rory Sabbatini, Greg Owen and Rickie Fowler shot 65s.

Ryan Moore of Puyallup led a group of 15 at 66.

Seattle native Fred Couples, who captained the United States to victory in the Presidents Cup earlier this month, shot a 67 in his first tour round in seven weeks.

With little wind on an 82-degree day in the desert, scores fell as players attacked Grayhawk's Raptor Course.

Scores may keep dropping for the rest of the week. Temperatures are expected to reach the high 80s in each of the final three rounds.

"It's like playing indoors," said Paul Goydos, who also shot a 66. "The weather is too good. I would expect you're going to see a pretty bunched leaderboard all week."

Indeed, O'Hern had to shoot the round of his life to eke out a one-stroke lead.

O'Hern may best be known as the first player to beat Tiger Woods twice in match play as a professional. The short-hitting lefty from Australia beat the world's No. 1 in the Accenture Match Play Championship in 2005 and in 2007, and fans haven't forgotten.

"A lot of people don't know my name," O'Hern said. "Hey, that's the guy that beat Tiger twice."

O'Hern probably could have taken Woods down again Thursday — at least on the back nine, where he had eight birdies.

Couples said he decided to play in the tournament partly because his girlfriend, Julie, lives in the area, and also because it wasn't far from his home in Palm Springs.

"My whole thought process was just, I live four hours from here in Palm Springs, I might as well drive over here and play," Couples said.

Thursday's round was Couples' first tour appearance since he missed the cut in the Deutsche Bank Championship in September.

Couples wasn't sure how he'd shoot after the long layoff, but he birdied five holes in a six-hole stretch to play his way into contention.

"I'm absolutely thrilled with my round today," Couples said. "I have a shot at playing better than I thought going into Friday."

Other tournaments

• Michael Sim had eight straight birdies and finished with a course-record 8-under 64 to take a three-stroke lead in the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C.

• Defending champion Sergio Garcia shot an 8-under 63 on his home course in Castellon, Spain, to take the lead in the suspended first round of the Castello Masters.