ROSS DRUMMOND SEVEN BEHIND MAURITIUS LEADER TOM LEHMAN

By STEVE TODD
European Seniors Tour Press OfficerScotland’s Ross Drummond carded a level par opening round 72 in the MCB Tour Championship to sit seven shots behind leader Tom Lehman in the European Senior Tour’s season-finale in Mauritius.
Drummond, who is trying to consolidate his position inside the top 20 on the Senior Tour Order of Merit, posted five birdies and the same number of bogeys in a mixed round at Constance Belle Mare Plage.
He is tied for 16th position while compatriots Bill Longmuir and Sam Torrance are a shot further back in tied 24th after rounds of 73. Andrew Oldcorn carded a 76 as he continues his recovery from an eye operation.
Former Open Champion and Ryder Cup captain Lehman is the man to catch after a flawless 65, which gave him a three shot lead over David Frost of South Africa.
“Anytime you get round without a bogey you are happy,” said the 2010 US Senior PGA Champion. “I managed to roll the ball pretty well today and made seven birdies so it is a great start.
“To make two birdies to start with was great and I just kept it going. I made some big putts to save par, on the sixth in particular when I made a 12 footer and nine from eight feet. Those were really key to the round.
“I love the course here. I think it is a wonderful golf course. It has the appearance of being extremely narrow but when you get out on the course there is room if you pick the right club and I only hit the driver twice today.”
Peter Fowler and Barry Lane, the leading two on the Order of Merit, struggled in their battle for the John Jacobs Trophy, carding rounds of 73 and 75 respectively.

ALL THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES

Par 72

65 T Lehman (United States)

68 D Frost (S Africa) 

69 P Dahlberg (Sweden)

70 N Job (England), A Sherborne (England), G Wolstenholme (England), C Mason (England), B Cameron (Eng) , J Rivero (Spain) , M Mouland (Wales), J Sallat (Fra)

71 D Cambridge (Jamaica), D Johnson (United States), J Harrison (England), M Moreno (Spain)

72 D Hospital (Spain), T Thelen (United States), T Johnstone (Zimbabwe), C Rocca (Italy) , R Drummond (Scotland), A Sowa (Argentina), J Bruner (United States), S Van Vuuren (S Africa)

73 S Cipa (England) , S Torrance (Scotland) , D Merriman (Australia) , M Farry (Fra), B Longmuir (Scotland) , G Manson (Austria) , P Fowler (Australia)

74 D Russell (Eng) , M Belsham (England), G Cali (Italy), G Ryall (England), G Brand (Eng) , D O'Sullivan (Ireland), J Gould (England), G Banister (Australia), J Stuart (USA)

75 K Spurgeon (England), B Lincoln (S Africa) , R Chapman (England) , M Harwood (Aus), J Quiros (Spain), B Lane (Eng) 

76 S Bennett (England), A Oldcorn (Sco), I Espitalier Noel (Mus), A Forsbrand (Sweden)

 77 M Cunning (US), C Williams (S Africa), G Ralph (England) 

 80 B Smit (S Africa)

 82 A Franco (Paraguay)