China Open:For defending champion Damien McGrane and the four other Irishmen in the field at the €2million Volvo China Open it has been a long journey to Beijing with very little return after the first day's play at Beijing CBD International Golf Club.
This time last year McGrane enjoyed his finest moment as a professional after he defied the elements on a difficult final day to secure a commanding nine shot maiden victory on the European Tour.
Today the Meath professional carded a level par 72 to be alongside Peter Lawrie in a tie for 20th, five shots off the pace set by Austria’s Marcus Brier, who carded an opening 67.
Despite six birdies on his card, McGrane ran up a quadruple-bogey eight at the 14th to slip back down the leaderboard. The 38-year-old started the day with a bogey but had got to within two shots of Brier’s lead after a fourth birdie came at the 11th.
The disappointment of 14 was compounded by another bogey at the 15th before he picked up a shot with a birdie two at the next. Lawrie mixed three birdies with as many bogeys for his level par round.
"I played a lot of good golf, a lot of good stuff," said McGrane. "Obviously I had one blow out, which is disappointing, but I played the way I wanted to play. Maybe level par was not not a reflection of the way I played over 18 holes.
"It's a start and I'm sure I can build on it. Of course it could've been better but I'll take it now."
McGrane’s playing partner Colin Montgomerie spoke of his need to return to winning ways if he is to lead the European Ryder Cup team with conviction at Celtic Manor in Wales next year. He hasn’t won since the 2007 World Cup when representing Scotland alongside Marc Warren and the European Open at The K-Club the same year.
However the Scot struggled to an opening one-over 73.
"I was in too many bunkers," said Montgomerie. "My iron play was terrible but I was in eight bunkers and got up and down from seven of them.
"We'll try again tomorrow morning. The conditions were far, far better this morning, a couple of shots better."
Paul McGinley continues to slide down the world rankings (155) and the three-time Ryder Cup hero has found life on tour difficult of late. The Dubliner opened with a two-over 74, two better than Gary Murphy and Gareth Maybin.
Earlier in the day Brier carded his 67 to hold a one-shot lead over England’s Nick Dougherty and Australian David McKenzie.
The Austrian, who captured the China Open title in 2007, began strongly with three birdies in his opening four holes sandwiching a bogey at the 12th and he reached the turn in 34.
A run of three consecutive birdies, including a chip in at the par-three third and an unlikely three at the fourth after finding the rough, saw Brier move into the lead before he missed an eight-foot putt for par at the ninth to drop back to five-under.
“I started quite well off the tee, hit a lot of early fairways and that gives you a lot of chances,” Brier said.
“I hit some good irons, the putter was really hot as well so that’s a good combination. I made all the crucial par saves as well and that kept the round alive.”
