Love is back on top

Davis Love III is back on top at Harbour Town at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

The five-time tournament champion shot a 5-under 66 on Thursday for a share of the first-round lead in the Verizon Heritage with Justin Leonard and Lucas Glover.

The 44-year-old Love has struggled to bounce back from tearing ligaments in his left ankle last September. On Thursday, he shot his best round since August, giving him confidence things might keep improving at one of his favorite locales.

There have been many oddities for Love the past few months. He failed to qualify for the Masters, missing his first major championship since the 1990 U.S. Open.

He spent the week with family, hunting turkeys and only sparingly tuned in to Masters coverage to follow his buddy Fred Couples and Brandt Snedeker, who spend time in Love's residence of Sea Island.

OCHOA OPENS WITH 68

At Reunion, Fla., Lorena Ochoa got off to a solid start Thursday in a bid for her fourth consecutive victory and fifth in six starts this year.

Playing for the fourth week in a row, Ochoa shot a 4-under 68 in the first round of the Ginn Open to finish a stroke behind leaders Carin Koch and Teresa Lu.

Ochoa had plenty of company there, too.

Karrie Webb, Suzann Pettersen, Charlotte Mayorkas, Mhairi McKay, Allison Fouch and Yani Tseng also were a stroke back.

But for the first time in a while, the field wasn't chasing the world's No. 1 player. Ochoa led start to finish in her native Mexico last week in an 11-stroke victory at the Corona Championship.