IRELAND'S representatives did not have the best of days in the hot South African sun yesterday during the first round of the Dimension Garter Pro Am tournament at the appropriately named Sun City.
Cork's John McHenry, with a level par 72, produced the best round in difficult circumstances at the back of the field. But at the other end of the spectrum. Northern Ireland's Ronan Rafferty crashed to a disappointing 11 over par 83 on the long, Gary Player Country Club Course.
David Feherty on his return to competition golf, returned a 79 - as did Francis Howley, while Des Smyth fired a 73. Raymond Burns and Philip Walton produced 755.
The early pace setters on a day of some drama were Nick Price of Zimbabwe and Germany's Sven Struver, who carded four under par 68s.
Another Zimbabwean, Mark McNulty, shared third place with South Africans Brendan Pappas and Richard Kaplan on 69.
But it was a day to forget for South Africa's Wayne Westner who, like Welshman Ian Woosnam, entered the event with back to back wins.
Westner, who completed a level par 72 on the Lost City lay out in the morning was subsequently disqualified from the event by European senior tournament director Andy MacFee for practising on the competition course during the afternoon.
Several of the favourites struggled in extremely hot conditions with Woosnam, winner of the last two events on the European Tour, managing only a 74. England's Steven Richardson slipped to an 82.
Although McHenry was the best of the Irish yesterday, he was not entirely satisfied with his performance: "I am still not timing it fantastically. I am keeping it in play and not doing a whole lot wrong - but I am definitely scrambling well.
"I played the steady back nine with pars at every hole, yet I began birdie, bogey, birdie, bogey, over my first four holes. I am playing steadily enough, but not going for my shots. The confidence is certainly not there alter the up and down stuff of the last few weeks."
McHenry admitted that it had not been a cake walk playing late in the afternoon: "The greens were very hard, playing at the back of the field, and they were also very spiked up. It certainly wasn't easy out there."
. Britain's Laura Davies believes the mantle of being the first woman to compete in the AT&T Australian Skins tournament will not be a burden at this weekend's event at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast.
The longest hitter in women's golf, who will line up against Americans John Daly and Tom Watson and Australian Peter Senior in the two day, 18 hole event. insisted: "It's just a round of golf."
Davies added: "I've played in quite a few skins before and anyone can win that's the great thing about it. You can play the best and win nothing, or play the worst and win everything."
The Briton, who has twice won the Australian Ladies Masters at nearby Royal Pines, said she would have to find an extra 900 yards playing off the men's championship tees.
"That's a lot, but I'm not worried about it," she said. "I've always said I'd like to have the pressure of playing on a long golf course in a tournament because play from the back tees when I'm practising or just having fun.
