Former champion Justin Leonard made the most of ideal conditions and a relaxed frame of mind to charge into a share of the lead at the Heritage Classic in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina on Thursday. Four days after battling gusting winds to tie for 20th at the US Masters, Leonard fired a sparkling five-under-par 66 to set the first-round pace with fellow Americans Lucas Glover and five-time winner Davis Love III. American Stewart Cink, the 2004 champion, was a further stroke adrift along with nine others, including compatriots Anthony Kim, John Rollins and Charles Howell III, plus Colombia's Camilo Villegas. “It was a nice day, and wonderful weather-wise,” Leonard, 35, told reporters after hitting a five-iron to two feet at the last to set up his sixth birdie of the day on the picturesque Harbour Town Golf Links. Among the other big names, American world number nine Jim Furyk opened with a 68 and third-ranked South African Ernie Els battled to a 72. American Boo Weekley, who won last year's title with spectacular chip-ins to save par on the final two holes, started with a four-birdie 69.Lu and Koch share lead In Florida, Taiwan's Teresa Lu and Sweden's Carin Koch posted first-round five-under 67s on Thursday to share the lead in the $2.6 million Ginn Open. Koch, a two-time winner on the US women's tour, notched seven birdies to counter her only misstep, a double-bogey at 15. The Swede continued her strong play after firing a season-low 66 in the final round for fifth place on Sunday in the Corona Championship. Lu, who has never finished better than ninth on the LPGA tour, had seven birdies with just two bogeys. World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa, seeking her fourth straight win and fifth in six starts, headed a group of seven players sharing third place at 68. Ochoa, who was runner-up here last year, had five birdies and her only error was a bogey at the eighth hole. The Mexican star has won four of five tournaments this year, with her worst effort a tie for eighth. Norway's Suzann Pettersen and Australia's former world No. 1 Karrie Webb also were at 68, along with Scotland's Mhairi McKay. England's Laura Davies birdied the last three holes to stay well within striking distance at two-under 70, the same mark as former world number one Annika Sorenstam of Sweden. __
