Justin Leonard

Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa began her season by shooting six birdies to take a one-stroke lead after Thursday’s first round of the inaugural US$2 million (?1.33 million) HSBC Women’s Champions tournament in Singapore.

Ochoa, of Mexico, conceded no bogeys to finish 6-under 66 at Asia’s richest women’s golf event at Tanah Merah Country Club.

“It was one of those days that I was getting the ball and making good contact especially, had a lot of birdie chances,” Ochoa said. “It was a great start.

Indian caddie-turned-pro Shamim Khan and Daniel Vancsik each shot 5-under-67 Thursday to share the first-round lead at the Johnnie Walker Classic.

Adam Scot of Australia was one stroke back.

Khan had a bogey-free round with five birdies. Vancsik had five birdies and an eagle - on the par-5 ninth - to make up for his two bogeys at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

“I played very well from tee to the greens, but wasn’t so good on the greens,” said Vancsik, an Argentine.

The just-completed West Coast swing continues to be a tough sell. Tom LaMarre has some ideas on how to fix it.

Fred Couples and Greg Norman are the new captains for the 2009 Presidents Cup in San Francisco. It’s the first time both captains have previously competed in the matches.

Couples has played on five Presidents Cup teams for the United States, and he hit the winning shot the first two years. Norman sat out the inaugural year in 1994 because of an illness, then played on the next three teams.

Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player had been captains the last three matches.

The PGA Tour amended its divisive cut policy, giving players on the cut line one more day of competition to separate themselves from the bottom of the pack.

Starting this week at the Honda Classic, the tour will return to a traditional 36-hole cut for the top 70 and ties. If more than 78 players make the cut, there will be another cut to the top 70 and ties after the third round.

“On the surface, that sounds like doing the same thing over again,” commissioner Tim Finchem said Tuesday.

After being challenged throughout the tournament, Tiger Woods ran away with the Match Play Championship title.

Brian Gay has won the Mayakoba Golf Classic, shooting a 1-under 69 in the final round for a 2-stroke victory and the first PGA Tour title in his career.

Gay, making his 293rd career start, came into the final round with a 5-stroke lead and was hardly threatened. Runner-up Steve Marino got within four strokes with four holes to play, but Gay made at least a 30-foot putt to save par on No. 16 to essentially seal the title, which was worth $630,000.

After two encouraging rounds to start her year, Michelle Wie shot a 6-over 78 on Saturday in the final round of Fields Open.

“Obviously I’m a little disappointed with today’s round,” said Wie, who opened with rounds of 69 and 73.

At 4-over 200, she was 18 strokes behind Jeong Jang, the leader at 14 under with four holes left to play.

“Felt like I was a little rusty out there,” Wie said. “I just got to keep on playing.”

The 18-year-old Wie, who started the round on No.

Dallas resident and PGA professional Justin Leonard was on hand Tuesday at The Tribute to formally announce commencement of construction on the “New Course.”