Ireland's Padraig Harrington set a course record with a career-low 10-under-par 61 to grab a three-shot lead after the first round of the Transitions Championship Thursday, sending a signal that his slump could be behind him. Harrington enjoyed a bogey-free day at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor, Florida, where he birdied his final three holes to move clear of American Will Claxton, who mixed five birdies with an eagle for a seven-under 64. The Dubliner, who has not won on the PGA Tour or European Tour since 2008, has struggled to find his form of late but hit 14 greens and took 11 one-putts, including one on the 18th from 17 feet to finish in style. “For a long time now, I play better on the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday than I do on the Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday,” Harrington told reporters. World number two Luke Donald and fellow Englishman Justin Rose, who won the WGC-Cadillac Championship on Sunday, both shot four-under 67s. Australian John Senden (66) extended his recent good form and is among a group of seven players, including American veteran Kenny Perry and Jim Furyk, who were five shots back in what were comfortable scoring conditions. Tseng, Park share lead World No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan played a seven-hole stretch in seven-under Thursday, her seven-under 65 giving her a share of the LPGA Founders Cup first-round lead with South Korean Hee Young Park. Tseng powered to the top of the leaderboard with birdies at the 11th, 13th and 14th holes, followed by an eagle at the par-five 15th and two more birdies at 16 and 17. Park closed with a bogey on the par-four ninth for her 65. Former world No. 1 Jiyai Shin of South Korea opened with a 66. A group on 67 included South Koreans Na Yeon Choi and Hee Kyung Seo along with England's Karen Stupples and Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg. Defending champion Karrie Webb of Australia was in a group of a 13 players on 68 that included Kraft Nabisco winner Stacy Lewis and US Women's Open champion So Yeon Ryu.
