By MARY FOSTER
AP Golf Writer
Copyright 1996 the Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Jim Furyk, his game sizzling in the early-morning frost, shot a 6-under-par 66 Thursday for one-stroke lead after the opening round of the $1.2 million Freeport-McDermott Classic.

Paul Stankowski, who was 6 under through 17 holes before bogeying the 18th in the gathering dark, finished with a group of four at 67.

Play was suspended at 6:15 p.m. with 12 golfers on the course. The announcement came after Stankowski had hit his tee shot. He said he wanted to finish the round so he could get an extra 1« hours sleep.

``I probably should have stopped, but it didn't make me pull my first putt,'' Stankowski said. ``I wouldn't mind coming out at 7 a.m. to play it again now.''

Furyk, who had an hour delay teeing off because of frost, was in the third group out and liked the early tee time, getting a break on the wind despite temperatures in the 40s.

``We caught a break playing in the morning,'' Furyk said. ``I've been playing well for the last five or six months. Things have been going my way.''

Starting on the back nine, Furyk made the turn at 2-under, then birdied No. 1, had an eagle on the par-5 No. 2, and birdied No. 4.

Stankowski had about a 100-foot putt on No. 18 and left it low and to the left by about 10 feet.

``It's kind of tough to read putts when it's dark,'' he said.

Frank Nobilo also finished one stroke back at 67. He was happy not only with his round but with his physical condition.

Nobilo hurt his lower back in the second stop of the European tour in January. After struggling with it in Australia and South Africa, he took time off for treatment.

``I haven't played in a month, so I'm ecstatic,'' Nobilo said. ``I've been uptight. You wonder if you've lost your nerve when you have a lot of time off. You wonder if it's back.''

Also at 67 were Lennie Clements, and John Wilson. Scott McCarron and Tom Watson, who has not won since the Hong Kong Open in 1992, shot 68s, as did defending champion Davis Love III.

``I played a very good round of golf,'' Watson said. ``I've felt winning has been within reach for the last three years. One of these days, it's going to happen.''

Love marred a round that included four birdies and an eagle with two bogeys.

``I hit a couple of wrong clubs and drove the balls into bunkers,'' he said.

Love blamed the poor club selection on the wind, although it was not as strong as at Wednesday's pro-am when gusts exceeded 50 mph.

``The weatherman said the wind was going to die down, but he was wrong,'' Wilson agreed. ``It was gusting at 15, 20 miles an hour. It didn't take much to get into trouble. You hit a marginal shot and make a double-bogey.''