Slow start by Martin Laird (72)

in Byron Nelson Championship

Aussie rookie James Nitties, 26, birdied his four last holes for a five-under-par 67 to share the lead at the end of the first round of the US PGA Tour's Byron Nelson Championship at the Four Seasons TPC, Las Colinas, Irving in Texas.
American Ken Duke also had a 67 for he and Nitties to sit at the top of the leaderboard, a shot above Canadian left-hander Mike Weir and Americans Charles Howell, Scott McCarron and Brad Adamonis.
Nitties, enjoying a solid season, is 70th in the current US Tour money list.
"Looking at the scores (of the other players), they weren't that good, so it didn't put any pressure on me to do anything crazy," he told reporters.
"It was not my best ball-striking round but it was a smart round and then I struck it really well the last five holes," said Nitties.
Duke, 151st on the money list after a career-high 29th last year, notched six birdies in a single-bogey round to shrug off a disappointing start to the year.
Defending champion Australian Adam Scott battled back to salvage a 71 following bogeys on his first two holes.
Glasgow's Martin Laird made a slow start to return a two-over-par 72 and shared 94th place.
FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 70
65 Ken Duke, James Nitties (Aus).
66 Brad Adamonis, Scott McCarron, Charles Howell, Mike Weir (Can).
67 John Malinger, Chris DiMarco, Kent Jones, Aaron Watkins, Colt Knost, Jesper Parnevik (Swe), Tommy Armour, Robert Allenby (Aus), Kenny Streelman, Matt Weibring, James Driscoll, Spencer Levin.
Selected scores:
68 Brian Davis (Eng), Greg Owen (Eng) (jt 19th).
69 Ian Poulter (Eng) (jt 38th).
72 Martin Laird (Sco) (jt 94th).