july27 Simon Khan leads

Simon Khan shot a 7-under 65 Thursday for the first- round lead at the Deutsche Bank Players Championship.

Khan, who failed to qualify for last week’s British Open, finished a stroke ahead of two other Englishmen – Lee Slattery and Oliver Wilson.

“I was really disappointed not to play in the Open,” said Kahn, whose only title was in 2004. “I didn’t watch a lot of it, I felt I was better off doing some practice – a lot of putting practice.”

The practice paid off. He holed several 20-foot putts and followed two birdies with an eagle. But he bogeyed the fourth, and his final four birdies were spread out over the rest of his round.

Paul Casey, Michael Campbell, Niclas Fasth and Andres Romero all shot 68s on a windless day on the Gut Kaden course. Casey said that rain in the past few weeks had made the greens harder to read.

“It’s difficult to make putts with all the rain this course had had and the greens are a little bumpy,” Casey said. “But they will get better as the week goes on. It’s a good start, I have just got to do more of the same.”

Casey said he had fully recovered from a torn back muscle that had him out for two weeks heading into the British Open.

Defending champion Robert Karlsson shot a 69 and the Swede hopes he can end his slump. He hasn’t finished in the top 100 in the past four tournaments.

“Winning the title brings back good memories. It’s a long time since I played this well, so I am pleased,” Karlsson said.