ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- Three months after leading the first round
in golf's first major championship of 2000, Dennis Paulson of Santa Ana
Country Club and formerly of Costa Mesa High shot lights-out golf once
again in the opening round Thursday of the British Open on the Old
Course.
Paulson, a former national long-drive champion whose game is perfectly
suited for St. Andrews' historic links, shot 4-under-par 68 and is tied
with others for fourth place, trailing leader Ernie Els, who managed to
upstage Tiger Woods (Big Canyon Country Club) in the first round of the
British Open with a 6-under 66.
Woods and Steve Flesch are tied for second place at 5-under 67 and
were in the clubhouse when Els passed them in the afternoon.
Paulson, who continues to enjoy his finest year on the PGA Tour, won
the Buick Classic earlier this year at Harrison, N.Y., in a playoff.
Six players, including Paulson and Tom Lehman, were two shots back on
a day when the winds were light and the scoring conditions perfect.
