Thu Apr 24 20:33:03 2008

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Trio on top of Byron Nelson

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Irving, TX (Sports Network) - Mathew Goggin, Ryan Moore and Eric Axley all posted rounds of three-under 67 on Thursday to share the opening-round lead of the Byron Nelson Championship.

A large group is tied for fourth at minus-two, but one of those is not the newly minted Masters champion.

Trevor Immelman, two weeks removed from his first major title, struggled to an eight-over 78 on Thursday and is one shot out of last place in his first competitive round since donning the green jacket.

"I just think I've just run out of gas," admitted Immelman. "I've been trying to get as much sleep as I can, as well as obviously running around and doing things like this. I think what I've got to do is figure out a way to balance it all so that I can feel like I get to tournaments feeling fresh and ready to go."

The course conditions probably did not help Immelman, or the field. The TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas has been tweaked a bit this year and, with winds, made for a difficult track on Thursday.

"It's pretty brutal," said Goggin. "I think it's supposed to be a brand new golf course, and whenever the guys come to a new venue, I guess, there's always a bit of a feeling-out period."

Goggin began on the back nine Thursday and promptly rolled in a 15-footer for birdie at the 10th. Two holes later, the Aussie hit a seven-iron to six feet and cashed in the birdie try.

He bogeyed the 14th after an errant drive, then parred his last four on the opening nine. Goggin dropped back to even-par for the championship when he hit into the bunker at the par-three second and could not get up and down.

"The bunkers out here are a one-shot penalty," said Goggin. "The sand is horrible."

It was Goggin's play in the middle of his second nine that gave him a share of the lead. At the par-three fifth, Goggin drained a 15-footer for birdie. He made it back-to-back birdies at six and closed out three in a row with a two- putt birdie at the par-five seventh.

Moore also played No. 10 first and he dropped a shot quickly with a bogey at 11. He birdied three in a row from the 12th, but a bogey at the 15th knocked him down to one-under par.

The former U.S. Amateur champion got to minus-two with a birdie at 16, then reached three-under with a birdie at one. Moore bogeyed three and six, but a birdie at the par-five seventh stopped the slide.

At the ninth, his final hole, Moore found the fairway off the tee. He knocked his second to four feet and converted to grab his share of first place.

Moore was destined for stardom after an amazing 2004 that saw him capture the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, Western Amateur and NCAA Individual title. He has three runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour, but a wrist injury in 2006 slowed him down. It still bothers him some.

"It's just the little stuff that comes with it," said Moore, who has taken a lot of weeks off early as his shoulder has become irritated as well. "I'm just going to focus and dedicate my time to this right now and just make sure I can go play golf without something hurting, which has been a really long time since I could do that."

Axley bogeyed two, then used four birdies in a row from the fourth to vault into a tie for the lead. After the turn, he dropped a shot at the 12th to come back to two-under.

At the 14th, Axley ran home a 30-foot birdie putt to get to three-under. Two holes later, Axley kicked in a four-foot birdie putt to grab sole possession of first.

That would not last. Axley drove into the rough at 18 and found a greenside bunker with his second. He blasted out to 13 feet and missed the par save.

World No. 10 Adam Scott, Kevin Sutherland, Jesper Parnevik, Briny Baird, Ian Poulter, Dustin Johnson and Parker McLachlin share fourth place at two-under 68.

Defending champion Scott Verplank only managed a two-over 72 in round one.

EDS extended its commitment to remain the title sponsor of the Byron Nelson until 2014.