Unsung Korean Charlie Wi leads the field after the opening round of the Zurich Open of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana on Thursday.
The 37-year-old from Seoul, carded a six-under-par 66 to hold a one-stroke advantage. Wi is still seeking his first victory on the USPGA Tour, although he has twice finished runner-up and finished fourth in last month’s Transitions Championship in Florida. He did not drop a stroke on Thursday, to push Australian Nathan Green and Americans Jay Williamson, John Merrick, Charles Warren, Eric Axley and Parker McLachlin into joint second place entering the second round. England’s Justin Rose and Scot Martin Laird are handily placed after 68s, but the two centers of attention on the opening day were Kenny Perry and Danny Lee. Perry, playing for the first time since he lost The Masters from two ahead with two to play, shot 69 — and bogeyed two of the last four for that. However, the 48-year-old, who knows he may never have a better chance to become the oldest major winner in history, still had far more to smile about than 18-year-old Lee. Two months after his win at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth made him the youngest winner in European Tour history, the New Zealander took 76 on his professional debut.
