CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (AP) – Davis Love III tied a tournament record with 10 birdies and held the lead in the weather-delayed first round of The International on Thursday.

Love had 19 points under the modified Stableford scoring system used in this event at Castle Pines Golf Club. Charles Howell III was next with 14 points.

Play was delayed by lightning in the afternoon for 1 hour, 44 minutes and was suspended because of darkness with 13 players still on the course. They were to conclude their rounds early Friday prior to the second round.

Love, who has won three times this season and stands fourth on the money list with more than $4.2 million, finished just one point shy of the tournament record.

“That’s probably the most birdies I’ve ever made in a round,” Love said. “I don’t think I could hit it much better, and I couldn’t have putted much better either.”

He said his ball-striking was comparable to the final round of the Players Championship, which he won with a closing 64, “and maybe even better.”

Love, who needed only 23 putts, also said he “can’t remember the last time I putted with such confidence all the way through.”

Love birdied his first three holes, including a 30-foot putt at No. 1. Love, in the 10th fairway when play was stopped, had four birdies in his last five holes.

He had his lone bogey at the par-3 16th when he missed the green. He is the third player to get 10 birdies in one round at this tournament.

Bob Tway and Jonathan Kaye each finished with 12 points, while John Rollins had 11 and Chris Riley 10.

Masters champion Mike Weir and Steve Lowery, last year’s runner-up here, were in a group at 9. Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco were at 8. Defending champion Rich Beem was at 4, along with Ernie Els and Vijay Singh. Sergio Garcia was at 2 and David Toms at minus-1.

The scoring system gives players 8 points for a double eagle, 5 points for an eagle, 2 points for birdie, zero for par, minus-1 for bogey and minus-3 for double bogey or worse. Beem won last year with a four-round total of 44 points, including 19 on Sunday.

Howell, making a statement for the PGA Tour’s young guns after season-long successes by the over-40 crowd, had seven birdies in a bogey-free round.

“Last year everybody said it was the “Young Tour,”‘ the 24-year-old Howell said. “I think we had 18 first-time winners. Now this year you’re seeing the total opposite of that. I think it’s good for the game. I think it shows you how hard a lot of people are working. They’re not ready to give up.”

Singh, Scott Hoch, Fred Couples, Peter Jacobsen and Kenny Perry have already won this year in their 40s, and Craig Stadler won the B.C. Open three weeks ago at age 50. Nick Price, 46, and Jay Haas, 49, stand 10th and 11th, respectively, on this year’s money list.

The slight but long-hitting Howell, who has had three top-10 finishes this year and ranks 23rd on the money list, took advantage of optimum scoring conditions that resulted from his early morning tee time. Wind and thunderstorms typically plague those with afternoon starts.

“Any time you go off early here, you need to make a bunch of birdies,” he said.

Howell made two 25-foot birdie putts, including one on his final hole, No. 9.

Tway, 44, also had a steady round with no bogeys and six birdies, including three in a row starting at No. 8. He owns seven tour victories – four in 1986 including the PGA Championship – but hasn’t won since 1995.

“I’ve had some chances,” he said. “I still feel like I can win.”

Age, he insisted, is not a deterrent.

“Peter Jacobsen and I were laughing last week, saying that the ball doesn’t really know how old you are,” Tway said. “If you can hit the shot, it doesn’t make much difference. Experience and knowledge help, and most of us stay in pretty good shape.”

third.

AP-ES-08-07-03 2236EDT