Briton Donald takes one-shot lead at Waialae

HONOLULU, Jan 12 (Reuters) Britain's Luke Donald, with his driving and approach play in sparkling order, has grabbed a one-shot lead in the Sony Open first round.

The world number 10 reeled off nine birdies and two bogeys on his way to a seven-under-par 63 at a breezy Waialae Country Club yesterday.

South Korea's K.J. Choi, helped by a 44-foot eagle putt at the ninth, shot a 64 to sit second with world number two Jim Furyk and fellow American Will MacKenzie a further stroke back in a tie for third.

PGA Tour veteran Jeff Sluman, the 1999 champion, was among a group of eight bunched on 66 while Michelle Wie's bid to make the cut was left in tatters after she opened with a 78.

Despite blustery conditions on the south-eastern end of the island of Oahu, Donald was in prime form and signed off with birdies on his last two holes.

Furyk, champion at Waialae in 1996, was in upbeat mood after rattling up five birdies in a blemish-free display on a tight layout with smallish greens.

SOLID ROUND Of the other big names playing in the first full-field tournament of the season, U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy of Australia carded a 67 and Fijian world number five Vijay Singh, winner at Kapalua last week, a 71.

Teenage prodigy Wie, playing alongside the men for the 13th time in a professional event, effectively scuppered her chances of making the cut after an erratic display of driving.

The 17-year-old Hawaiian missed every fairway on the front nine before ending the day second-last in the 144-strong field after a haul of six bogeys, two double-bogeys and two birdies.

''It was very frustrating because I knew, if I got the ball on the fairway, I could have shot really low today,'' said Wie, who is bidding to become the first woman to survive the cut in a PGA Tour event since Babe Zaharias at the 1945 Tucson Open.

''My irons felt great, my short game felt great and my putting felt great, and putting is usually the one that lets me down.'' She shrugged aside suggestions she might withdrew from today's second round because of a long-term wrist injury.

''It is what it is and I'm having acupuncture and physiotherapy on it every day,'' she said, referring to her tightly-wrapped right wrist.

''I'm determined to play through this week.'' Wie became the first woman to make the cut on a major men's tour in more than 60 years at the Asian Tour's SK Telecom Open in South Korea last year.

In her other 11 men's tournaments, including three Sony Opens, she has failed to qualify for the weekend.

Reuters AY DB1259