Matthew Goggin takes early lead in Texas

By Art Stricklin

IRVING, Texas (Reuters) - Australian Mathew Goggin defied windy conditions to fire a three-under-par 67 to grab the lead midway through the Byron Nelson Championship first round on Thursday.

"It was pretty brutal out there especially for a new course," Goggin told reporters, referring to gusts that got up to 40-mph at the renovated TPC Las Colinas.

"This is what we got in Australia when I was growing up, a heavy wind with a lot of humidity."

Swede Jesper Parnevik, the 2000 champion, and American Kevin Sutherland were tied for second on 68. Johnson Wagner of the U.S., winner of this month's Houston Open, was among a six-man group on 69.

Trevor Immelman, in his first competitive outing since winning the U.S. Masters earlier this month, blamed his victory celebrations and a host of subsequent media commitments after ballooning to an eight-over 78.

"I was just totally out of gas," said the South African.

Goggin mixed birdies at the fifth, sixth, seventh, 10th and 12th with bogeys at the second and 14th.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)