STEWART GINN'S LATE BIRDIE BURST GIVES
HIM SENIORS' TOUR LEAD IN IRELAND

By STEVEN FRANKLIN
European Seniors Tour Press Officer

Former Senior Major winner Stewart Ginn gave himself the perfect birthday present with a round of five-under-par 67 to take the first-round lead at the AIB Irish Seniors Open, in association with Greenstar and Fáilte Ireland, at the PGA National Ireland golf course to the west of Dublin today.
The Australian, who lost in a play-off for this title last year, closed with four birdies in the last five holes to snatch a one-stroke lead over Gavan Levenson of South Africa, who returned a 68 in the calmer morning conditions.
Italian Ryder Cup favourite Costantino Rocca carded a 69 and shares third place with Americans Doug Johnson and Alan Tapie.
Defending champion Sam Torrance and home favourite Eamonn Darcy were both round in one under par 71. Sam bogeyed the first but got a run going when he birdfied the fifth, sixth and seventh. That came to an end with a bogey at the eighth and he reached the turn in 36.
Sam birdied the 11th, bogeyed the 13th and birdied the 14th before parring the last four holes.
Ginn turns 58 on Saturday and would certainly be able to throw a lavish birthday party befitting the spectacular venue on the Palmerstown House Estate if he were to pocket the €67,500 first prize on Sunday afternoon.
“Every tournament is a good one to win, but being an Irish Open makes this a little more special. It’s one I would love to win and, trust me, I will be working hard to achieve that,” he said.
However, Ginn is conscious not to push too hard after learning the lessons of three runner-up spots last season when his search for a first European Seniors Tour title, to add to his success in the 2002 Ford Seniors Players Championship - a Senior Major Championship on the US Champions Tour - proved fruitless.
One of those second places came in the 2006 AIB Irish Seniors Open when he lost out in a four-way play-off won by Torrance.
“I did push a bit too much last year, so I am aiming to stay more relaxed. Winning is a matter of time, you can’t push it.
“Everything with my game is good at the moment. I had a good start to the season in Turkey, finishing third, played okay in Venice and this week I am out of the box quickly again, so we’ll see what happens,” added Ginn.
Aberdonian John Chillas was joint top Scot with Sam Torrance on 71. John birdied the second but dropped shots at the fifth and seventh before getting back to level par with as 2 at the short eighth to turn in 36. He birdied the long 14th and then the par-4 15th before dropping a late shot at the 17th.
Torrance, who had his son Daniel on the bag for the first time, said: “I actually played beautifully and I can’t wait for tomorrow. It’s the best feeling I have had on a golf course this year.
“It was really exciting having Daniel caddying for me. It pushed me on because I wanted to show off to him with every shot.”

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 70

67 Stewart Ginn (Aus).
68 Gavan Levenson (SAf).
69 Costantino Rocca (Ita), Alan Tapie (US), Doug Johnson (US).
70 Gordon J Brand (Eng).
71 Horacio Carbonetti (Arg), Pete Oakley (US), John Bland (SAf), John Chillas (Sco), Kevin Spurgeon (Eng), Jerry Bruner (US), David Creamer (Eng), Eamonn Darcy (Ire), Sam Torrance (Sco), Mike Clayton (Aus).
72 Bill Longmuir (Sco), Jimmy Heggarty (NIr), Guillermo Encina (Chi), Paul Leonard (NIr), David Merriman (Aus), Bill Malley (US), Peter O'Hagan (Ire), Adan Sowa (Arg).
73 Terry Gale (Aus), Tony Allen (Eng), Bobby Lincoln (RSA), Antonio Garrido (Spa), Bruce Heuchan (Can), Ian Mosey (Eng), Ray Carrasco (US), Juan Quiros (Spa), Carl Mason (Eng), Tony Johnstone (Zim), Philippe Dugeny (Fra), Nick Job (Eng), Glenn Ralph (Eng), Luis Carbonetti (Arg), David Good (Aus), Mike Miller (Sco).
74 Jeff Hawkes (SAf), Bob Cameron (Eng), Liam Higgins (Ire), Manuel Piñero (Spa), Martin Gray (Sco), Gery Watine (Fra), Denis O’Sullivan (Ire), Ross Drummond (Sco), David J Russell (Eng), Angel Fernandez (Chi), Adrian Morrow ( Ire) (am).
75 Noel Ratcliffe (Aus), Simon Owen (NZ), Peter Teravanian (US), Giuseppe Cali (Ita), Steve Martin (Sco), Tommy Horton (Eng), Tim Rastall (Eng), Emilio Rodriguez (Spa), Jose Rivero (Spa), Jim Rhodes (Eng).
76 John Mashego (SAf), Bob Larratt (Eng), Bertus Smit (SAf), Tony Charnley (Eng)
77 Maurice Bembridge (Eng), Denis Durnian (Eng), Delroy Cambridge (Jam), Liam MacNamara (Ire) (am).
78 Jim Lapsley (NZ).
79 Mike Ferguson (Aus), Martin Poxon (Eng), Victor Garcia (Esp), Eddie Polland (Nir)
80 Bob Shearer (Aus).
82 John Benda (US).
89 Dermot W Morris (Ire) (am).