Golf-Australia's Coles sets BellSouth pace with opening 64

DULUTH, Georgia, Mar 30 (Reuters) Australia's Gavin Coles holed out from 189 yards to eagle the par-four 17th before taking an early lead in the BellSouth Classic first round today.

The 37-year-old from New South Wales fired an eight-under-par 64 in near-perfect scoring conditions at the TPC at Sugarloaf to move three strokes clear.

Playing the 2006 PGA Tour on a medical exemption after suffering a rib injury at last year's John Deere Classic, Coles also rattled up four birdies to reach the turn in six-under 30 after teeing off at the par-five 10th.

He picked up further shots on one, five and eight, along with a bogey at the par-four seventh, to finish three ahead of the chasing pack.

American journeyman Brett Wetterich shot a six-birdie 67 to lie second while Irishman Padraig Harrington and Britain's Luke Donald were among a group on 68.

World number three Retief Goosen, the highest-ranked player in the final PGA Tour event before next week's U.S. Masters, opened with a 69.

Harrington, boosted by a 50-foot eagle putt at the par-five 18th after teeing off on 10, expressed delight and surprise after ending the first round in touch with the lead.

''It was a very nice day for golf, not far off perfect conditions,'' the 34-year-old told reporters after also collecting three birdies and a solitary bogey at the par-three second.

''But I'm surprised four under is close to the lead. I thought there would be a lot of low scores out there.'' STRONG PERFORMANCE Although next week's U.S. Masters is at the back of his mind, Harrington has set his sights on a strong performance at the BellSouth.

''With next week in mind, you're purely looking at performance,'' said the Irishman, who missed the cut in last week's Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida.

''But I would never tee it up in a tournament without thinking about the result.

''The best preparation for next week is to play well here.

There's no point thinking about the Masters now, especially when I've made a pretty decent start here.'' Harrington conceded he had been fortunate to eagle the 18th after a series of missed putts from around 15 feet over his first seven holes.

''I wasn't even thinking that putt might drop until it caught the left side and dropped in,'' he said, having set up the eagle with a second shot from 260 yards.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson, who teed off in the afternoon, made a rousing start with four birdies in the first five holes.

The world number four picked up shots at the first, second, fourth and fifth to close to within three strokes of the pacesetting Coles.

REUTERS SK RN0118