HUMBLE, Texas — Adam Scott went straight to the clubhouse for medical treatment after his first round at the Houston Open.

Imagine what he would've shot if he was healthy.

The defending champion took advantage of placid early conditions to shoot a course-record 9-under 63 yesterday, his third straight spectacular round at the Tournament Course at Redstone.

Johnson Wagner matched Scott's 63 late in the day. The Amarillo, Texas, native shared the first-round lead last year and shared the previous course record (64) with Bubba Watson.

Scott, suffering since he arrived in Houston with a fever and swollen glands around his throat, hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation and needed only 28 putts.

"I was just about conserving energy and thought about hitting the fairway and hitting the green and not having to work too hard," he said. "Fortunately, that's kind of how today went. I need to keep going that way."

Hawai'i golfers Dean Wilson and Parker McLachlin both shot under par.

Wilson, a former Kane'ohe resident and Castle High alum, shot 5-under 67 and is tied for fifth. McLachlin, a former Honolulu resident and Punahou School alum, shot 1-under 71 and is tied for 37th place.

KRAFT NABISCO

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — Lorena Ochoa figured anything around par is good enough at a major. It took four straight birdies to get into the mix yesterday on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

Starting with a sand wedge to 2 feet on the 18th hole that she called her best of the day, Ochoa zoomed up the leaderboard with four consecutive birdies around the turn and settled for a 4-under 68, leaving her one shot behind Karen Stupples.

"It was a good day, it was a good start," said Ochoa, who earned her first major title last year at the Women's British Open during an eight-win season. "I am happy with how I played."

Stupples, who won the Women's British Open in 2004 and is getting back into the swing after giving birth to her first child last year, was the first to play and made it around Mission Hills without a bogey for 67.

Ai Miyazato of Japan birdied her last hole for a 68 to join Ochoa.