PLAY SUSPENDED AT REVAMPED BLUE MONSTER, DORAL

Francesco Molinari, three under par after 13 holes. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

Molinari heads European challenge in Miami

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Francesco Molinari is part of a five-way tie for the lead after a weather-affected opening day at the WGC-Cadillac Championship.
The Italian was three under par through 13 holes of his first round to sit alongside American quartet Jason Dufner, Harris English, Hunter Mahan and Patrick Reed at the top of the leaderboard.
US PGA Champion Dufner led for most of the day after racing to five under par at the re-designed Blue Monster at Trump National Doral, before the first round was suspended by high winds and the threat of a tornado.
After a delay of two hours and 25 minutes, the US Ryder Cup star carded his first bogey of the day at the second – his 11th – after missing an eight foot par putt shortly after the resumption of play.
And moments before fading light brought the day’s action to a halt, Dufner missed from a similar length at the seventh to slip to three under.
English was one of only a handful of players to complete their rounds, holing a birdie putt across the ninth green in near darkness to complete a 69 for the clubhouse lead.
Meanwhile, Molinari birdied the first and seventh on the way out, and then got up and down from short of the green at the par five 12th to reach three under par.
“We only played a few holes after the restart but overall it was a pretty good start for me,” said Molinari.
“I felt good about my game coming into the tournament, but it’s early in this tournament and we’ve only played 13 holes.
“I’m happy with the start. I made three birdies and no bogeys, which is good on a golf course this tough.
“I’m really happy but it is very early to be too happy. With the wind today anything under par was good.
“It’s not an easy golf course anyway but the wind was making it harder too for everyone.
“It’s never easy coming off. It looked like we weren’t going to be out for too long so I tried to play a bit safer and consolidate what I had.”
Former World Number Ones Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald and Martin Kaymer had all made their way to three under on the opening day, but had slipped to one under, level par and three over respectively at the toughened Doral venue.
After losing in a play-off at last week’s Honda Classic, McIlroy was satisfied with his response, carding five birdies and four bogeys.

“I said I’d be happy with anything under par from this round and I’m still on course for that,” he said. “I’m happy with the way I played and I’d like to get something in the 60s.

“I played pretty good. It was tough out there though with the wind and the firm greens with the moisture on top. It was really skidding. So it was hard when we got back out to control the distance.

“You had to guess a little how much the ball would skip forward. I’ll get back out in the morning and play the last three and a half holes without as much wind and with better conditions.”

The players will resume their first round at 8.45am local time on Friday. 
Australian Jason Day, one of the golfers of the year so far, has withdrawn with a thumb injury.
 
COMPLETED ROUNDS
Par 72
69 Harris English (USA)
72 Scott Hend (Australia)
73 Darren Fichardt (S Africa)
75 Kevin Streelman (USA)
76 Brendon de Jonge (S Africa)
79 Jonas Blixt (Sweden)

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