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SHANGHAI - Graeme McDowell typically looks at the leaderboard more often at the start of a tournament. It gives him a sense of how the course is playing and what score he might need to contend at the finish.There was no need to look Thursday in the HSBC Champions.McDowell noticed ankle-deep rough at Sheshan International and fairways not as wide as usual. He felt firm greens and saw trees jostling in stiff wind. More than anything, he kept looking at all the birdies that filled his scorecard.McDowell already had seven birdies when he finished his 12th hole, and a couple of loose mistakes at the end of the opening round didnt diminish his satisfaction. He opened with a 5-under 67 on a tough day in Shanghai to build a two-shot lead.No, I didnt need a leaderboard to let me know that 7 under through 12 is fairly strong, McDowell said. Gauging whats a good score can be a good thing maybe when youre not going well. But it might not be a great thing if youre taking it deep and the rest of them are 3-under par and youre thinking, Whoa, this is a very good score.Thats not what slowed him. Trouble was lurking everywhere, and not even McDowell was immune.Rickie Fowler also started quickly with three birdies in his opening five holes, only to spend the rest of the round trading birdies with bogeys. He wound up with a 69, along with U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer, Brandt Snedeker, Chris Kirk, Tim Clark and Tommy Fleetwood.Strong wind added to the demanding conditions.Jordan Spieth began his new PGA Tour season with two straight bogeys and had to save par with a long bunker shot on his third hole. He scratched his way back and wound up in a large group at 70 that featured Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Adam Scott and Henrik Stenson, who made bogey from the bunker on his final hole.It didnt take much for players to stumble. FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel made two double bogeys, only one birdie and shot an 80.This is a top event — some of the best players in the world, probably the best field youre going to get in Asia, and you dont want it to be a pushover, Fowler said. You want a good, solid test. And its showing that.Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask. had to withdraw after shooting 45 through his first nine holes because of a neck injury. It’s his third withdrawl in the last four months. He also withdrew from Malaysia last week with a sore neck.Only 27 players in the 78-man field broke par, compared with 37 players under par on the first day last year when the winning score was 24-under 264. McDowell said he wouldnt be surprised to see something around 10 or 12 under win, even if the wind lets up.McDowell is the only player this year to finish in the top 10 at all the World Golf Championships, and while he hasnt captured a WGC title, Sheshan International would seem to favour him more than the others. Thursday was his 10th consecutive round in the 60s on this course.A big key to this golf course is driving the ball well. I drove it very well today, McDowell said.The exception was on the 603-yard eighth hole, playing with the wind. McDowell hit a 3-wood to avoid the bunker on the right side of the fairway, and he put it in the deep grass for the first time all day. He could only manage an 8-iron out of the rough and still had 215 yards over the creek fronting the green. McDowell pulled that left of the green and failed to get up and down.No complaints. He did not forget the 20-foot birdie putt he made on No. 14, or the 45-foot putt he holed across the green at the 17th, or the 25-foot birdie on No. 3. And then there was his drive on the 288-yard 16th, a perfect yardage to go with a perfect swing that gave him a two-putt from 15 feet for birdie.There were some tricky holes on the front nine, McDowell said. I made a couple of putts I should have in the first 12 holes, and then I made a couple of bogeys that I shouldnt have coming in. All in all, I think 5 under was a fair representation of my round.DIVOTS: Kevin Stadler withdrew after two holes with a wrist injury. ... Jason Dufner had one moment when his body was in China and his head was still in Malaysia. Players were allowed to lift, clean and place their balls last week in soggy Malaysia. Dufner instinctively picked up his ball in the 18th fairway, a one-shot penalty. He had a 72. Just one of those things, Dufner said with a shrug. Jorge Bonifacio Jersey . Erik Logan, president of the network, said Friday that the postponement was made after meetings with the St. Louis Rams. Scott Blewett Jersey . -- Josh Smith made a 3-pointer as time expired and finished with 20 points to lift the Detroit Pistons to a 99-98 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night in both teams exhibition finale. https://www.cheaproyals.com/1357a-meibry...sey-royals.html. -- Jacksonvilles offensive makeover is just getting starting. Kyle Zimmer Jersey .cas NHL Play of the Year showdown continues today with a man whos spent most of his career on highlight reels and a goalie actually "reaching back" for a save. Cheslor Cuthbert Jersey . - Mike Zimmer has brought a demanding style to the Minnesota Vikings.The Seattle Seahawks put an exclamation point on last weeks No. 1 ranking, with a blowout win against New Orleans, so the Seahawks remain in top spot in the TSN.ca NFL Power Rankings, ahead of the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers. Moving up to fourth, from sixth, the San Francisco 49ers have had some improvement in their passing game, which should only get better as wide receiver Michael Crabtree gets up to speed. Last seasons champs, the Baltimore Ravens, climbed four spots, from 23 to 19, after their Thanksgiving night win over Pittsburgh. Tough times in the NFC North.dddddddddddd The Chicago Bears fell, from 15 to 18, after an OT loss to Minnesota and the Green Bay Packers were hapless against Detroit on Thanksgiving, earning them a drop from 20 to 23. The big drop of the week goes to the plummeting New York Jets, who land at 24 from 19, as their offence continues to sputter under the guidance of rookie quarterback Geno Smith. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '