HOUSTON OPEN Pampling surges to early lead

He held a one-stroke advantage over Chris Riley.
HUMBLE, Texas (AP) -- By the time the wind really started blowing, Australian Rod Pampling was safely in the lead at the Shell Houston Open.
Pampling was in the first group at the Redstone Golf Club in suburban Houston, but his 6-under 66 held up as the winds picked up, leaving him with a one-stroke advantage over Chris Riley heading into the second round.
"To get out early without a lot of wind, it was nice to capitalize and start well and just hang on -- well not hang on, but consolidate from there and just build," Pampling said after his bogey-free round Thursday.
"It was a lot easier the first four or five holes with not that much wind out there."
Pampling birdied his first three holes -- Nos. 10, 11 and 12 -- then added another on the par-5 15th hole to go to 4-under at the turn. He birdied No. 2, his 11th hole in the round, then had six straight pars before closing out with a two-putt birdie on the final hole.
"I wasn't out there trying to continually birdie every hole, just still play smart," he said. "If a birdie comes along, great, you take it."
Looking for first win
Pampling, 34, who has a home just outside Dallas in Flower Mound, joined the PGA Tour full-time in 2002 and is looking for his first victory. He's made the cut in nine of the 10 events he's entered so far this year, including a tie for ninth at the Bob Hope Classic.
Riley had eight birdies but mixed in three bogeys for his 67, one shot better than Frank Lickliter II, Stephen Ames, Arjun Atwal, Lucas Glover and Deane Pappas. Eight golfers, including Hal Sutton, a winner at this event three years ago, were at 3-under 69.
Riley, 30, from Las Vegas, was at even par at the midway point of his round -- with three birdies and three bogeys.
Defending champion Fred Couples got to 3-under before back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 17 and 18 left him with a 71.
Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.