GOLF ROUNDUP : Henke Alters His Swing, Leads World Series by 2

Nolan Henke, using a remodeled swing for the first time, took a two-shot lead Thursday in the first round of the World Series of Golf at Akron, Ohio.

Henke acknowledged that he was not confident before playing, then shot a four-under-par 66.

“I’m just really surprised I played well today,” Henke said. “Maybe it was just beginner’s luck.”

Jodie Mudd had no such luck. On his backswing at the 16th tee, Mudd was interrupted by a marshal, who said: “Don’t hit it, there’s someone out there.”

Mudd, three under par at that point and leading the tournament, backed off the shot but obviously was shaken.

He then hooked his drive into a creek deep in the woods and made double-bogey seven.

“I was bizarred out,” Mudd said after finishing with a 69.

“I’ve never before been stopped on my swing when I was leading a tournament. I’m bitter about it. I’m sick of putting up with it,” he said, declining further comment and walking away.

John Daly, the long-hitting rookie who won the PGA Championship, also made a quick exit.

“That’s the worst I’ve hit my driver this year,” he said after a 10-over-par 80 at the Firestone Country Club course.

Larry Mize and Bruce Fleisher shared second at 68.

Mudd was tied at 69 with Bob Tway and South African Open winner Wayne Westner.

Jose Maria Olazabal, record-setting winner of this title a year ago and the winner of last week’s International tournament, matched par 70.

British Open winner Ian Baker-Finch of Australia had a 72 and U.S. Open champion Payne Stewart shot 73.

Two-time champion Jay Sigel survived an early morning playoff with 18 other golfers for 10 remaining spots in the field, then won his first match in the U.S. Amateur Championships at Chattanooga, Tenn.

Sigel, an insurance broker from Berwyn, Pa., who won the tournament in 1982 and 1983, defeated co-medalist John Harris, 4 and 3.

Clemson University sophomore Mark Swygert pulled the upset of the day when he eliminated Jack Nicklaus’ son, Gary, 2 and 1, to advance to a second-round match against defending champion Phil Mickelson.

Mickelson defeated Casey Martin on the 19th hole.

Allen Doyle of LaGrange, Ga., co-medalist with Harris, was eliminated by Steve Mahtson, the final playoff survivor, 2 up.

David Berganio Jr. of Sylmar, the national public links champion, was eliminated by Hans Albertson in 20 holes.

Laurel Kean shot a course-record 66 to take the lead after one round of the LPGA Chicago Sun-Times Shootout at Oak Park, Ill.

Kean had six birdies to break the previous women’s mark of 68 at the par-72, 6,231-yard Oak Brook Golf Club, a municipal course.

She was a stroke ahead of Jody Anschutz. Mitzi Edge, Sherri Steinhauer, Dale Eggling and Martha Nause were next at 68.