Mallinger, LaBelle share first-round lead

John Mallinger and Doug LaBelle II shared the lead Thursday on a day of low scoring in the first round of the Frys.com Open in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Mallinger and LaBelle fired 7-under 63s, one shot better than Richard Johnson and two ahead of Chris Stroud, Mathias Gronberg, Arron Oberholser, J.J. Henry, Marco Dawson and Todd Demsey.

The Grayhawk Golf Club course gave up lots of birdies to players who are frantically trying to retain their full playing privileges for next season.

Among those within two shots of the lead, only Mallinger is among the leading 125 money winners who will earn their PGA Tour cards for the 2009 campaign.

Mallinger is 86th on the list while LaBelle is 169th. Johnson is 195th, Stroud 168th, Gronberg 194th, Oberholser 180th, Henry 137th, Dawson 157th and Demsey 196th.

Only two events remain on the 2008 tour.