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Early birdie blitz takes Cink to top of leaderboard

PGA TOUR: Stewart Cink set the early pace with a six-under-par 64 at the Bank of America Colonial tournament in Texas yesterday…

Fri May 19 2006 - 01:00

PGA TOUR: Stewart Cink set the early pace with a six-under-par 64 at the Bank of America Colonial tournament in Texas yesterday.

Cink, a member of the last two teams against Europe, was trying not to panic about the fact he is down in 28th place in America's Ryder Cup race.

He has had nothing better than a 10th place all season - and only top-10 finishes earn points under the US qualifying system.

But the Atlanta-based player, hoping to celebrate his 33rd birthday in real style at Fort Worth on Sunday, birdied the first three holes, turned in a five-under-par 30 and then picked up another shot on the 448-yard 14th.

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The round was his lowest of the year and only his third below 70 since the first week in February.

Cink led by two from a group which included left-handers Australian Nick O'Hern and Canadian Mike Weir.

Swede Mathias Gronberg, fourth in last month's Houston Open, was among those on three-under - and so was pre-tournament favourite Jim Furyk after only seven holes.

Early first round scores: 64 - S Cink (US) 66 - N O'Hern (Aus), J Gore (US), M Weir (Can), B Haas (US) 67 - B Van Pelt, R Pampling (Aus), R Gamez, M Gronberg (Swe).

CHALLENGE TOUR: While the eyes of the Irish golfing nation were focused on the majority of Ireland's top professionals being battered by extreme winds in Maynooth yesterday, Eamonn Brady and Tim Rice were playing in near perfect conditions at the European Challenge Tour's Telenet Trophy in Belgium.

Brady posted a solid opening round of level par 72 at the Limburg Golf and Country Club, while Rice went round in two over despite a wrist injury.

Ivo Giner of Spain, Finland's Toni Karjalainen and the Englishman John E Morgan lead the way after all three opened with six-under-par 66s.

Challenge Tour - Telenet Trophy (Limburg G&CC, Limburg, Belgium): Leading first round scores: 66 - T Karjalainen (Fin); J E Morgan (Eng); I Giner (Esp); 67 - B Cornut (Fra); 68 - J M Carriles (Esp); M Hagen (Nor); J Van Hauwe (Fra); C Reimbold (Ger); M Vibe-Hastrup (Den); H Rey (Arg); K Brink (Swe); G Lockerbie (Eng); R Gonzalez (Arg) ; M Mouland (Wal); B Mason (Eng); K Storgaard (Den); Irish: 72 - L Brady, 74 - T Rice.

LET TOUR: England's Laura Davies enjoyed a stunning return to form with seven birdies in a 66 and shared the lead after yesterday's first round of the Deutsche Bank Swiss Open at Golf Gerre in Losone.

Davies, a winner of 66 tournaments worldwide, has only made one cut in eight tournaments on the LPGA Tour in America this year.

But, on her European season's debut, the six-under-par score saw her at the top of the leaderboard alongside Yorkshire rookie Fame More.

"The key was I drove the ball really well," said a delighted former world number one, "And I putted like a demon.

"I've come back to Europe trying to think everything is new - different Tour, new courses and a chance to get on the money list. In America, I've also been trying to change my attitude, but I'm finding it very hard and the confidence has gone."

More, a 24-year-old former amateur star from Sheffield, failed to win her card last year and spent the 2005 season playing in Asia and on small Tours in America.

"It was great experience and now I feel really ready to be out here," she said after a seven-birdie round. "Playing professionally is very different from amateur golf. There are different pressures - but I'm loving every minute."

The English pair lead by one shot from Denmark's Karen Margrethe Juul, with Stoke-on-Trent's Lisa Hall, who played in the 1996 Solheim Cup as Lisa Hackney, and Hampshire's Kirsty Taylor both on 68.

Leading first round scores: 66 - L Davies (Eng), F e More (Eng), 67 - K Margrethe Juul (Den), E Serramia (Esp), 68 - L Hall (Eng), K S Taylor (Eng), M Prieto (Esp), 69 - X Wunsch (Esp), R Hakkarainen (Fin). Irish: 74 - R Coakley.

BRABAZON TROPHY: Brutal was the only way to describe conditions on the second day of qualifying for the English Men's Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship for the Brabazon Trophy at Ganton.

A blustery south easterly wind, which reached 50mph at one stage, buffeted the north Yorkshire course and many a dream was blown away as scores went soaring.

No one bettered the par of 71 and only two players, Callum Macauley from Scotland and Edward Saxel from Hampshire, matched it to book their places alongside a host of internationals in the championship proper which starts today.

Rory McIlroy leads a nine-strong Irish challenge that also includes Greg Bowden (Hermitage), Connor Doran (Banbridge), Nicholas Grant (Knock), Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin), Aengus McAllister (Portmarnock), Brendan McCarroll (Ballyliffin), Peter O'Keefe (Douglas) and Seamus Power (West Waterford).