Els, Curtis Share Memorial Lead With 68s

Ernie Els and Ben Curtis made their share of birdies on a tough Muirfield Village course Thursday in Dublin, Ohio. What made them co-leaders in the first round of the Memorial was finishing with a par.

The last two British Open champions scrambled for par on the 18th hole -- Els from a bunker, Curtis with a delicate pitch up the hill -- and wound up with four-under-par 68s, the highest score to lead at the Memorial in 14 years.

It was the highest first-round lead since 1990, when Fred Couples led with a 69.

Not many were surprised.

“Where they’re tucking the flags, you can really look silly if you miss it,” Els said.

Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh made pars on No. 18, but it did them little good. Woods shot a 72. Singh, playing with Woods for the first time this year, shot a 73.

Jack Nicklaus, the 64-year-old tournament host, had a 74 and has a decent chance to make the cut.

Curtis hasn’t had a top-10 finish since his stunning victory at Royal St. George’s last year, but he had a bogey-free round while playing about 20 minutes from his hometown of Ostrander.

Couples was in a group at 69 that included Paul Azinger, Lee Janzen, Todd Hamilton, Stephen Ames and Zach Johnson.

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Roy Moon and Travis Johnson helped UCLA take a five-shot lead after three rounds of the NCAA Division I men’s tournament in Hot Springs, Va.

Moon shot a 65 and Johnson a 68, and the Bruins had a five-under 275. They are at seven-over 847.

Kentucky was second at 852, and second-round leader California dropped to third at 855.

Washington and Arizona (856) rounded out the top five. Pepperdine is seventh at 860.

Ryan Moore of Nevada Las Vegas shot a six-under 64 -- the best round of the tournament and two strokes off the course record -- to take the individual lead at nine-under 201.