British Open champion Padraig Harrington birdied three of the last five holes to share the lead after the first round of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda on Tuesday.

The Irishman, beaten in a playoff for last year's title, fired a 2-under-par 68 to set the pace with American Jim Furyk in blustery conditions at The Mid Ocean Club in Tucker's Town.

Harrington, who has triumphed in three of the last six majors, swept to the top of the leaderboard in the two-round event by picking up shots at the 14th, 16th and the par-five last.

Twice US Open champion Retief Goosen opened with a 70 while fellow South African Trevor Immelman, who clinched this year's Masters, battled to a 76.

"I started out playing well and finished off playing well," Harrington told reporters after shrugging off a double-bogey at the par-four eighth.

"Middle of the round I didn't play so well but I putted very well. Two under par, I'm quite pleased with that.

"Going into tomorrow, it's never going to be easy and you certainly don't want to give any shots away," the 37-year-old Dubliner said. "It's a level playing field for myself and Jim, and we have a little bit of a handicap on the other two."

(Agencies via China Daily October 16, 2008)