Thursday, January 11, 2007

Double-eagle finish gives McLardy first-round lead with 63

FORSYTH (67) MAKES GOOD
START IN SOUTH AFRICA

Andrew McLardy, South-African born son of parents from Helensburgh, set the pace with a nine-under-par 63 in the first round of the Johannesburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club today.
Two courses are being used for the first two rounds – the Par-71 East and the Par-72 West, which caused a bit of confusion on the scoreboard.
The players will switch courses on Friday and the 70+ties qualifiers will play two final rounds over the Par-71 East, generally rated the more difficult course.
An experienced European Tour player, McLardy, who will be 33 next week, shot his 63 on the West course. He had halves of 34 and 29, highlighting his inward half with eagle 3s at the 15th and 18th which lifted him clear of the field.
He had six birdies prior to his pair of eagles and one bogey, at the fifth over the 7,085yd course. Although McLardy later described his outward half of 34 as "awful - I hit only one fairway," it was still two under the card while his superb inward journey was seven under par.
Alastair Forsyth, who has been working hard on his swing with Bob Torrance, is the leading home-based Scot with a five-under-par 67 over the West course.
Euan Little had a three-under-par 69 over the West.
Alan McLean had a two-under-par 70 over the West.
Steven O’Hara matched the par of 71 over the East.
Derek Crawford, a qualifier, and David Drysdale matched the par of 72 over the West.
Former Northern Open champion Chris Doak retired before the end of his round.

LEADING SCORES
(Leading 70 and ties to qualify after 36 holes)

WEST COURSE (Par 72)
(Players from South Africa unless stated)
63 A McLardy.
64 W Abery, M Murless.
65 L Oosthuizen, D Park (Wal), C Gane (Eng), B Pieters, V Groenewald.
66 A Canete (Arg), T Aiken, G Davies (Eng), P Sjoland (Swe), D Dixon (Eng), H Nystrom (Swe), J Little (Eng).
Other scores:
67 A Forsyth (Sco).
69 E Little (Sco).
70 A McLean (Sco).
72 D Crawford (Sco), D Drysdale (Sco).

EAST COURSE (Par 71)
64 E Molinari (Ita), M Cayeux (Zim).
65 H Otto, S Struver (Ger).
66 D Botes, J Kingston, M Tayob, K Horne, T Whitehouse (Eng), B Lincoln, S Cage (Eng).
Other scores:
71 S O’Hara (Sco).

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