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CHICAGO : Matt Kuchar let his game do the talking on Thursday, shrugging off a case of laryngitis to grab the clubhouse lead with a seven-under 64 in the first round of the BMW Open.
Kuchar, who won the opening event of the US PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs, continued his strong form with a round that included an eagle at the 15th and a 20-foot birdie putt at his closing hole, the par-five ninth, at Cog Hill.
Kuchar was one shot in front of Ryan Moore, who also played in calm morning conditions and posted a 65.
South African Retief Goosen was in the clubhouse on 67, and Dustin Johnson, Brian Gay and England's Justin Rose and Luke Donald all shot 68.
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson both teed off in the afternoon.
Defending champion Woods, 51st in the FedEx Cup standings, needs a good finish to advance to the final playoff event, the Tour Championship, as one of the top 30 in the playoff standings.
He got off to an inauspicious start, however, with a double-bogey at the first and a bogey at the par-three sixth.
Kuchar tops the playoff standings thanks to a solid season and his victory a fortnight ago at The Barclays.
Last week he faded over the final two rounds to finish equal 11th.
"Just keep playing," said Kuchar, who opened with a round in the 60s for his sixth straight tournament.
"I was driving it well. I was actually doing everything well. It felt very good. Last week was a little bit suspect, and this week I kind of figured some stuff out."
Moore, who came into the event 58th in the playoff standings, said he had expected this to be his last tournament for some time.
However, his plans could change to include the Tour Championship after a first round that included a a seven-birdie binge on the back nine.
That included holing out from a bunker on 11 and five straight birdies to end his round.
"I certainly wasn't expecting to do that," Moore said. "I hit a horrible tee shot on 11 with an even worse lay-up, and then I hit a terrible shot from there into a bunker and then holed out.
"Just got a little positive momentum going from there."
- AFP /ls
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