Green comfort helps Calcavecchia to 66 in New Orleans

HOUSTON, Apr 20 (Reuters) Mark Calcavecchia, relieved to be putting on greens he can once again trust, surged into contention for his 14th PGA Tour title at the New Orleans Classic in Avondale, Louisiana.

The former British Open champion needed only 24 putts on his way to a six-under-par 66 in the opening round at the Tournament Players Club of Louisiana.

''The greens are nice and I can read them fairly well,'' the 46-year-old American told reporters after moving into second place, two strokes behind the pacesetting Kyle Reifers.

''When you're standing over a 10-footer and you feel like you've got the right read, then you feel like you can make it.'' Calcavecchia, who ended a PGA Tour victory drought of almost two years by winning last month's Tampa Bay Championship at Palm Harbor in Florida, has struggled on the greens for the last two weeks.

''I am doing the same things but the last couple weeks, at the Masters and Hilton Head, those conditions were tough,'' he said.

''I still felt like I was hitting it good and driving it good, it's just hard to putt at Augusta for anybody,'' he added, referring to Augusta National, the permanent home of the Masters.

TREACHEROUS GREENS ''And I mean anybody. Those greens are treacherous. And Hilton Head's are just tough to read, and I really did not make anything.'' Despite his putting battles, Calcavecchia tied for 20th at the Masters and shared 23rd place when the weather-delayed Heritage Classic eventually finished at Hilton Head on Monday.

''Today, I just stuck with what I was doing and I got some putts to go in,'' he said. ''I had a chip-in on (the par-three third) and several other putts from six or eight inches off the green.

''But I putted nicely, and that's the whole difference between a 66 and a 70 or 71.'' Calcavecchia, whose only major victory came via a playoff in the 1989 British Open at Royal Troon, is delighted to be back in New Orleans for the second year in a row.

''The casino is here, which has a personal impact on my decision,'' he said with a broad grin.

''But honestly, the food is amazing and we had a great time here last year. I wanted to come back and play again just to support the tournament.

''We love New Orleans and I like the course to boot, so it's a total bonus.'' REUTERS SAM PM0942