Rose, Harrington among Travelers leaders

Golf Betting Lines

06/24/2010 - Cromwell, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Justin Rose birdied five holes in a row on the back nine Thursday to post a six-under 64 and join Padraig Harrington and two other players in the lead after the first round of the Travelers Championship.

Charlie Wi and Mathew Goggin also had 64s Thursday to join the Europeans in first at the TPC River Highlands.

American Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin, Vijay Singh, Bubba Watson, Kevin Sutherland, Matt Jones, Aron Price and former British Open champion Ben Curtis share fifth place at minus-five.

Rose earned his first PGA Tour victory three weeks ago at the Memorial, but it wasn't enough to get him a spot in the U.S. Open. The Englishman tried to qualify for a spot at Pebble Beach, but didn't get it done.

"The challenge from the last two weeks was to mentally recharge and recover," Rose said. "I wasn't forcing it, wasn't chasing it and that allowed me to get hot."

Rose wasn't hot to start round one. He birdied the second hole, but didn't notch his next birdie until the par-four ninth. Rose bogeyed the 12th hole and was only one-under par.

Then Rose caught fire.

He birdied 13, 14 and 15 to become a factor on the leaderboard. Rose hit his tee ball to eight feet at the par-three 16th and converted the birdie putt to get to minus-five.

At the par-four 17th, Rose sank a 35-foot birdie putt to join the lead group. He had a chance for sole possession of first place, but missed his 12-footer at the last.

Harrington began on the 10th tee Thursday and knocked a six-iron to 15 feet. He made the birdie putt and that started a good run for the Irishman. He ran home a long birdie putt at the 11th and made it three in a row with a nine- iron approach to three feet at the 12th.

After a par at the par-five 13th, Harrington drove through the fairway at 14. He then missed the green, chipped to 15 feet and couldn't convert the par attempt.

Harrington atoned for the error at 14 with another long birdie putt, this time from 25 feet at 16. The three-time major champion wedged his approach to three feet at 18 to make the turn at four-under par.

Harrington played a much calmer second nine. He parred his first three holes then hit a spectacular seven-iron to a foot for an easy birdie at four. Harrington made it back-to-back birdies with a 45-footer at No. 5.

He parred his last four for his share of the lead.

"I'd say I holed some good putts, so I'm happy about that and I can't complain about the score," said Harrington, who tied for 22nd at the U.S. Open last week.

Wi started well with a birdie at the first. Four holes later, Wi recorded another birdie, but it wasn't until the back nine where he moved up the leaderboard.

On the 10th, Wie hit an eight-iron to four feet for the easy birdie. At the 12th, he sank a 15-footer for birdie and made it two in a row thanks to a 20- footer at No. 13.

Wi's last birdie came at the 14th. He knocked a seven-iron to 15 feet to set up his third birdie in a row and parred out for his piece of first place.

Goggin got off to a great start with a 50-foot birdie putt at the first and an eight-foot birdie putt at No. 2. He hit a four-iron to six feet to set up birdie at the par-three fifth, then waited until the back nine to get back into red figures.

After seven straight pars, Goggin chipped to three feet for a short birdie putt at 13. He drove the par-four 15th green and two-putted for his fifth birdie of the round.

Goggin hit a nine-iron to four feet at the 17th. He holed the birdie putt, parred the last and earned a share of the top spot on the leaderboard.

NOTES: There was a 90-minute weather delay on Thursday, but the first round was completed...Defending champion Kenny Perry shot a one-under 69...Chad Campbell aced the 16th hole and shot a 67.

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Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

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