Fast start by Atwal

PEBBLE BEACH, CALIFORNIA: Arjun Atwal is under pressure to make the most of every opportunity on the 2007 PGA Tour.

The Indian got off to a fast start at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Thursday. The 33-year-old reeled off five birdies in a row from the par-four third on the hosting Pebble Beach Golf Links before completing a five-under-par 67 in windy conditions.

That leaves him two strokes behind joint leaders Phil Mickelson, John Mallinger and Nick Watney in his first Tour appearance of the year.

“I like this place,” Atwal said after mixing six birdies with a lone bogey. “Even though people complain about the greens and the conditions, I feel comfortable here. I got the putter working today and that’s the way to make birdies. It was fun. I missed a few putts here and there on the back nine but I haven’t played in a while. If someone told me I was going to be five-under today, I’d take it.”

Florida-based Atwal, who became the first Indian to win an European Tour event at the 2002 Singapore Masters, expects a fairly busy tournament schedule worldwide this year. “I’m still fully exempt in Asia, having won the money list there,” he said. “My next one here is Cancun (the Mayakoba Classic) and then I’m going to have a pretty full year.” —Reuters