British Invasion: Luke Donald, Brian Davis are atop leaderboard in Honda Classic

From WorldGolf.com News Services

The first day of the Florida Swing belonged to the British.

England's Luke Donald shot a bogey-free round of 6-under-par 64 Thursday in first-round play of the Honda Classic at PGA National's Champions Course in Palm Beach Gardens, taking a one-stroke lead over fellow countryman Brian Davis in the PGA Tour's first Florida event of the year.

Donald was able to take the lead in chilly, breezy conditions despite hitting just half of his fairways and missing five greens. However, he led the field in scrambling to take the third 18-hole lead of his PGA Tour career.

"It was a very good round today for me. I really played pretty consistently throughout the day," Donald said in his post-round press conference. "I already did a lot of good things around the greens and when I had my chances I took them. I didn't drive it particularly well. I need to improve that."

Donald recorded the lowest round in the event since Padraig Harrington's final-round 63 to win in 2005. However, Harrington's 63 came when the Honda was played at Mirasol, regarded as a less difficult course.

Donald, who lives nearby and won the 2006 Honda Classic at Mirasol, said that having the ability to sleep in his own bed certainly doesn't hurt his performance in the event.

"It's nice to have a tournament close to home — you always feel a bit more relaxed and at ease, I suppose, and that sometimes can translate to good golf," Donald said. "Obviously I've won not at this venue before, but just down the road at Mirasol before. Sometimes staying at home can be an advantage."

Donald got his round started with back-to-back birdies at Nos. 3 and 4. He added four birdies on the back nine, going 1 under on holes 10, 13, 15 and 18.

Donald, who was third at the Northern Trust Open before making a second-round exit in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship last week in Arizona, said he felt like he came into the tournament in good form.

"(I) really have been working hard in the offseason on my swing and trying to get a little bit more consistency in my swing and get in better positions," said Donald, who shot an opening-round 77 last year in the Honda to begin his title defense. "I really do feel like I have a bit more control over the ball. Obviously, coming into this week, I have high expectations."

Davis joined Donald as one of four players to post bogey-free rounds Thursday. He started his day with a birdie at No. 1 and added birdies at holes 8, 10, 13 and 16.

"Any time you can make no bogeys on this golf course you've done really well," Davis told reporters. "Today was one of those days — things were going my way and made the putts at the right time, chipped it close and hit some good shots.

"Around here, you hit one bad shot and you can make a double in a heartbeat."

PGA Tour rookie Matt Jones continued to impress, carding a 4-under 66 to stand alone in third place. Jones has made the cut this year in all five of his PGA Tour events and posted four top-30 finishes, including a 17th-place at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

Ernie Els leads a group of five players tied for fourth at 3-under 67. The South African is tied with Kevin Sutherland, Tim Wilkinson, Brett Quigley and Jimmy Walker.

Els, playing in the Honda for the first time since 1999, came to the event looking to build some confidence. So far, so good, he said.

"It's a pretty tough course - par 70 - pretty tough conditions, so I guess my tee-to-green game really stood up today," Els told reporters. "My putting wasn't too bad. I read the greens pretty well.

"I'm playing four weeks here in Florida, so this is at least a good step in the right direction."

February 29, 2008