SCOTS TO THE FORE IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH SEVEN-UNDER 65s
CRAIG LEE, ALASTAIR FORSYTH IN
4-WAY TIE FOR LEAD IN JOBURG OPEN
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Craig Lee, pictured by Getty Images(c), could be in line for a maiden Major Championship appearance at this year’s Open as he looks to improve his record in South Africa after making a superb start to the Joburg Open.
The Stirling man has missed the cut at his last five tournaments in the Rainbow Nation, but carded a seven under par 65 over Royal Johannesburg and Kensington’s trickier East Course to be part of four-way leading group after the opening day.
Lee’s compatriot Alastair Forsyth, Italy’s Edoardo Molinari and home favourite Justin Walters all signed for seven under rounds of 64 on the West Course, with the tournament divided between the two lay-outs on Thursday and Friday before those making the cut head to the East Course for the weekend.
The East Course is over 400 yards longer and traditionally sees higher scores, but Lee bucked that trend as he chases a maiden European Tour title.
“I've played really nice golf for that, so I'm delighted with the score that I've managed to put together,” said the 36 year old, who carded eight birdies with a single dropped shot at the 17th after finding sand with his approach.
“I hit a lot of shots in to about 15 feet today and I didn't hole that many of those putts, but then on the back I managed to knock in a few putts, so a game of two nines today.
“It's really hard to figure out where you are in the field with two golf courses, and with the East being slightly tougher I feel like I'm in a good position. If we can keep the same level of golf then we might be able to separate ourselves from the bunch.”
“I don't normally play well at all in South Africa, my record here is actually pretty pathetic. It's probably a course that should have suited me in the past, because my strength has always been ball striking. I've never played that great around here, but my game has gotten slightly better over the years.”
As well as the €206,050 first prize, Lee is amongst those chasing one of three places at The Open Championship on offer to those finishing in the top ten and otherwise not exempt for Royal Liverpool.
“You don't really change your strategy, but it's a great reward for three lucky guys who'll get a chance to play in The Open,” added Lee, who is yet to play in one of the game’s four Majors.
“It's nice to have qualifiers throughout the year and not just geared up to that 36-hole sprint that most qualifiers are. Hopefully we can keep the game up and take one of those spots.”
Walters is also seeking a maiden Major appearance - but may elect not to go to Hoylake even if he qualifies because his girlfriend is due to give birth that week.
“My girlfriend is pregnant, 16 weeks, so the baby is supposed to arrive around the British Open,” he said, after a round that contained eight birdies and one bogey.
“Going into the year when I heard that this was one of the qualifying events I really felt a sense of irony. Finally qualifying for an event I've wanted to play for my whole life, I can see the irony of maybe having to pull out if the baby is arriving.”
Molinari continued to put his injury problems behind him - the 32 year old having been impeded by a string of fitness issues since making his Ryder Cup debut alongside brother Francesco at The Celtic Manor Resort in 2010.
Having finished tied for ninth in Dubai last week, the former US Amateur Champion also compiled an eight-birdie, one-bogey effort.
Forsyth, a two-time European Tour winner, needed just 30 shots to reach the turn and was the only one of the leading quartet to be bogey free.
“The front nine was probably as good as I've played in a long time,” he said.
“I seemed to do everything right on the front nine, but I struggled a little on the back, where I ended up between clubs a few times. No dropped shots and seven birdies, so I'm never going to complain with that.”
Home favourite George Coetzee looked set to make it a four-way tie at the top when he birdied the 14th from 20 feet and 17th from ten feet, only to bogey the last after his approach came up short of the green.
As a result he joined compatriots Hennie Otto, Graham van der Merwe and Danie van Tonder, England’s James Heath, France’s Edouard Dubois, Korean Jin Jeong and Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen in a tie for fifth.
Coetzee’s finish was still better than that of compatriot Mark Murless, who threatened to break 60 for the first time in European Tour history with an incredible start.
A four-time winner on the co-sanctioning Sunshine Tour, Murless had three birdies and two eagles in his first six holes and when he picked up another shot at the ninth was the outright leader at eight under.
Coming home in 31 would have given him a place in the record books, but he took eight shots more than that, largely due to finding trouble in trees down the left of the 18th and running up a double bogey.
FOR LIVE SCORING FROM THE SECOND ROUND AND A CHECK ON THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES
CLICK HERE
4-WAY TIE FOR LEAD IN JOBURG OPEN
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Craig Lee, pictured by Getty Images(c), could be in line for a maiden Major Championship appearance at this year’s Open as he looks to improve his record in South Africa after making a superb start to the Joburg Open.
The Stirling man has missed the cut at his last five tournaments in the Rainbow Nation, but carded a seven under par 65 over Royal Johannesburg and Kensington’s trickier East Course to be part of four-way leading group after the opening day.
Lee’s compatriot Alastair Forsyth, Italy’s Edoardo Molinari and home favourite Justin Walters all signed for seven under rounds of 64 on the West Course, with the tournament divided between the two lay-outs on Thursday and Friday before those making the cut head to the East Course for the weekend.
The East Course is over 400 yards longer and traditionally sees higher scores, but Lee bucked that trend as he chases a maiden European Tour title.
“I've played really nice golf for that, so I'm delighted with the score that I've managed to put together,” said the 36 year old, who carded eight birdies with a single dropped shot at the 17th after finding sand with his approach.
“I hit a lot of shots in to about 15 feet today and I didn't hole that many of those putts, but then on the back I managed to knock in a few putts, so a game of two nines today.
“It's really hard to figure out where you are in the field with two golf courses, and with the East being slightly tougher I feel like I'm in a good position. If we can keep the same level of golf then we might be able to separate ourselves from the bunch.”
“I don't normally play well at all in South Africa, my record here is actually pretty pathetic. It's probably a course that should have suited me in the past, because my strength has always been ball striking. I've never played that great around here, but my game has gotten slightly better over the years.”
As well as the €206,050 first prize, Lee is amongst those chasing one of three places at The Open Championship on offer to those finishing in the top ten and otherwise not exempt for Royal Liverpool.
“You don't really change your strategy, but it's a great reward for three lucky guys who'll get a chance to play in The Open,” added Lee, who is yet to play in one of the game’s four Majors.
“It's nice to have qualifiers throughout the year and not just geared up to that 36-hole sprint that most qualifiers are. Hopefully we can keep the game up and take one of those spots.”
Walters is also seeking a maiden Major appearance - but may elect not to go to Hoylake even if he qualifies because his girlfriend is due to give birth that week.
“My girlfriend is pregnant, 16 weeks, so the baby is supposed to arrive around the British Open,” he said, after a round that contained eight birdies and one bogey.
“Going into the year when I heard that this was one of the qualifying events I really felt a sense of irony. Finally qualifying for an event I've wanted to play for my whole life, I can see the irony of maybe having to pull out if the baby is arriving.”
Molinari continued to put his injury problems behind him - the 32 year old having been impeded by a string of fitness issues since making his Ryder Cup debut alongside brother Francesco at The Celtic Manor Resort in 2010.
Having finished tied for ninth in Dubai last week, the former US Amateur Champion also compiled an eight-birdie, one-bogey effort.
Forsyth, a two-time European Tour winner, needed just 30 shots to reach the turn and was the only one of the leading quartet to be bogey free.
“The front nine was probably as good as I've played in a long time,” he said.
“I seemed to do everything right on the front nine, but I struggled a little on the back, where I ended up between clubs a few times. No dropped shots and seven birdies, so I'm never going to complain with that.”
Home favourite George Coetzee looked set to make it a four-way tie at the top when he birdied the 14th from 20 feet and 17th from ten feet, only to bogey the last after his approach came up short of the green.
As a result he joined compatriots Hennie Otto, Graham van der Merwe and Danie van Tonder, England’s James Heath, France’s Edouard Dubois, Korean Jin Jeong and Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen in a tie for fifth.
Coetzee’s finish was still better than that of compatriot Mark Murless, who threatened to break 60 for the first time in European Tour history with an incredible start.
A four-time winner on the co-sanctioning Sunshine Tour, Murless had three birdies and two eagles in his first six holes and when he picked up another shot at the ninth was the outright leader at eight under.
Coming home in 31 would have given him a place in the record books, but he took eight shots more than that, largely due to finding trouble in trees down the left of the 18th and running up a double bogey.
FOR LIVE SCORING FROM THE SECOND ROUND AND A CHECK ON THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Friday, February 07, 2014
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