Mercedes mystery

Little-known Watney and Chopra sit atop the leaderboard

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KAPALUA, Maui » The leaderboard after the first round of the $5.5 million Mercedes-Benz Championship is more who's that than who's who.

Fresno State alum Nick Watney fired a 5-under 68 in less-than-ideal conditions to seize the lead by one shot over Daniel Chopra. The third-year PGA Tour player is three shots clear of 2007 U.S. Open winner Angel Cabrera, Jonathan Byrd and Aaron Baddeley, as only 10 golfers managed to break par.

Watney and Chopra were making their first tours of the challenging Plantation Course as wind and rain whipped through the par-73 layout, leaving Boo Weekley and defending Sony Open in Hawaii champion Paul Goydos in the 80s.

But it didn't seem to bother the 26-year-old Watney.

"I think it's cool," Watney said of playing here for the first time. "I think in the offseason more, I kind of reflect back, and think I've come a decent ways (since hacking it around in the Western Athletic Conference). But at the same time, this is where I want to be. I'm excited about the future."

The future of this event could be in jeopardy if the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott and Padraig Harrington -- all winners last year -- continue to sit it out.

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KAPALUA, Maui » The weather at Kapalua isn't showcased by the good folks at the Hawaii Tourism Authority -- and for good reason.

If the wind wasn't whipping up a little sunshine at the hilly Plantation Course, it caused a good deal of blowing rain that held the world's best golfers in check yesterday at the $5.5 million Mercedes-Benz Championship.

Only Fresno State alumnus Nick Watney and Europe's Daniel Chopra managed rounds in the 60s at this winners-only gathering. Watney opened with a 5-under 68 and Chopra was a shot back at 69 as they handled the ever-changing conditions best. Jonathan Byrd, Aaron Baddeley and U.S. Open winner Angel Cabrera shot 3-under 70s at the PGA Tour's debut tournament to tie for third.

The suspect weather and lack of star power -- Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott and Padraig Harrington opted to sit this one out -- hindered the popularity of this event. It didn't help when regular Maui visitors Jim Furyk and defending champion Vijay Singh kicked it around for most of the day.

Both opened their 2008 seasons at 1-over 74 as only 10 golfers landed in red figures. Tournament director Gary Planos said the weather was so frightful the last month, it was remarkable the course was in as good a shape as it was for the 31 players here this week.

"We got socked when the Kona winds blew and the trades as well," Planos said. "Hopefully, it will clear up for the last three days."

Watney made a case to keep it exactly as it is as he rode three consecutive birdies on the front nine and six for the day straight to the top of the leaderboard. The only blemish was a bogey-5 at the seventh, but he erased it with a birdie at the ninth for a front-side 33.

He is making his first trip to Maui after winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2007. And while success here is usually reserved for those who have played this hilly course filled with wide fairways and large greens before, four of the top seven finishers after the first round are playing this par-73 course for the first time.

"I would have to say the greens, just learning the grain and knowing the grain, it's very strong," Watney said of the challenges he faced during his first tour of duty. "Some putts down wind, down grain are extremely fast, where into the green it feels like you're putting on like Velcro almost. I think that's probably the biggest challenge for a first-timer."

Watney was the No. 1-ranked player in the country his last year at Fresno State. He joined the tour in 2005, but failed to keep his card after finishing two spots out of the top 125 money winners. He has steadily climbed the ladder since, finishing 75th in 2006 and climbing to 43rd last year with earnings of $1.84 million.

So what's the biggest difference playing golf in the Western Athletic Conference and competing out here?

"To be honest with you, it's just the amount of money I'm playing for," Watney said, then smiled. "Not playing for anything in college and playing for purses like this is a big change. But it's where I want to be. I love to play golf competitively. I think that's got to be the biggest difference."

Like Watney, Chopra was a first-time winner on tour last season. Turning pro in 2004, the Orlando, Fla., resident of Swedish and Indian decent managed the weather quite nicely. Changing in and out of rain gear didn't bother him as he carded five birdies and a single bogey at the par-4 14th.

"I played very well and I managed to make a few putts," Chopra said. "I hit it in the hay once, lost that ball, made bogey. But other than that, I hit some pretty decent drives and managed to shape the ball nicely into the wind and onto the greens.

"This is one of the tournaments that I love watching on TV, and I see guys, how they play the hole," he said, when asked about competing here for the first time. "Obviously, you don't get the full scope of the lines that they're taking, but you still get a very good idea of what's going on. I've played it on PlayStation a bunch, too."

The scores ranged from Watney's 5-under 68 to defending Sony Open in Hawaii champion Paul Goydos' 8-over 81. The winner earns $1.1 million with the last-place finisher still pocketing $65,000.