After saving tour card, Stadler on top with 64

Kevin Stadler has come a long way after a few days to share first-round lead.

SHANGHAI, China (AP) — Kevin Stadler is feeling better these days. For proof, look at his 8-under 64 that gave him a share of the lead after Thursday’s first round of the HSBC Champions tournament.

A few days ago and half a world away, Stadler salvaged his tour card for next season. He needed to finish in the top 125 on the money list. He did, scraping by at No. 124 with a strong finish Sunday in the Children’s Miracle Network Classic in Orlando — the last event of the U.S. tour season.

“Sunday was a long day, a stressful day,” said Stadler, who shared the lead with Niclas Fasth of Sweden. They both matched the course record at the Sheshan Golf Club, an American-style layout on the edge of Shanghai, graced by a clubhouse and surrounding estate built to resemble an Italian villa.

“I pretty much just went straight from the golf course to the airport to come over here,” Stadler said. “It’s just been a long few days. It was a long flight to begin with, and it would have been longer if I hadn’t kept my card.”

Stadler and Fasth were three shots ahead of Vijay Singh, and four clear of eight players at 68, including Phil Mickelson, British Open champion Padraig Harrington and Paul Casey.

The tournament purse of $5 million is the largest in Asia. Although this and other inducements were not enough to draw Tiger Woods — he played a year ago, failing to win — it has attracted 10 of the world’s top 20 players.

Stadler thrived without the stress.

“It was great to come here and play a worry-free tournament,” Stadler said. “I haven’t had many of them in the last month or two. I was right on the bubble pretty much for the last six weeks.”

“I was trying not to let it bother me,” he added. “But it was pretty apparent I was a little on edge because I felt great today being through with all of that.”

The son of former Masters champion Craig Stadler — known as “The Walrus” — the younger Stadler is large like his dad and has a neat mustache and goatee. But he’s never picked up a nickname like, perhaps, “Baby Walrus.”

“No, that doesn’t work very well, thankfully,” Stadler said. “I’ve avoided that for most of my life. I’d love to keep it that way.”

Stadler had six birdies on the front nine — three straight to open the round.

“Absolutely, it was a great start,” he said.

He dropped one shot on the back nine, a bogey on No. 11 that came after his drive landed in a bunker. A bad lie forced him to chip out sideways, settling for “an easy five.”