NAPLES, United States (AFP) - Steve Flesch and Justin Leonard combined for a 63 in a modified alternate shot format Friday to take a one-stroke lead over defending champions Hanke Kuehne and Jeff Sluman in the Franklin Templeton Shootout post-season golf event.
They were two in front of Australian Greg Norman and his US teammate Scott McCarron as well as John Daly and his South African teammate Rory Sabbatini.
Under the format for the first round, each player in two-man team hits a drive on every hole and one drive is selected. The player whose drive isn't selected hits the second shot, and they alternate shots until the ball is holed.
"We got off to a great start, and we both drove it in play all day, which you have to do in this format," Flesch said. "And the greens are rolling perfect. We both made some early putts and it just seemed to carry on from there."
Kuehne and Sluman fired a 30 on the front nine, then picked up two tap-in birdies coming home.
Saturday's second round is better ball, and Sunday's final round is a scramble.
11/13/2004 - 18:02 GMT - AFP