Golf – Senior British Open:Des Smyth muscled his way onto the leaderboard on the opening day of the Senior British Open at Sunningdale in Surrey where he is tied second, just two shots off the overnight lead held by American Fred Funk.
Smyth reached the turn in a steady one-under 34 but came home in three-under with birdies at the 10th, 12th, 14th and 18th with just the one dropped shot at 17. His four-under-par 66 left the Drogheda native in a share of second alongside the American pair of Loren Roberts and Jay Haas and South Africa’s Christopher Williams.
Funk was in imperious form and never dropped a shot all day. The Jovial American was similar to Smyth in that he too reached the turn in 34, but the back nine was far superior with five birdies and no dropped shots. His opening 64 left him with a two stroke overnight lead.
Roberts won this title in 2006 at Turnberry and was matched by former Ryder Cup player Haas, who produced a stunning back nine 31 to get into a share of second.
“I felt I needed to shoot low to have a chance here,” said Haas. “I felt like the scores were going to be good.”
There was good news for Tom Watson too when he shot an opening three-under 67 to continue the sort of form that almost delivered a sixth British Open Championship at Turnberry last week.
Watson was tied sixth alongside fellow Americans, Jerry Bruner and Tom Kite, plus Greg Norman, Sam Torrance and Ireland’s Denis O’Sullivan.
Haas and Torrance were playing together alongside defending champion Bruce Vaughan and Haas admitted Torrance’s knowledge of the course – he lives nearby and is an honorary member – had given him some help with shot selection.
“He knows this course as well as anybody out here,” said Haas, 55, who holds the US PGA Tour record for most cuts made.
“I just kind of watched some of the club selection they took off the tee, and then after the shot maybe listened to him a little bit. Just watching him I guess it helped me, and he was playing well too. I can see why he likes this golf course.”
Zimbabwean-born Irish passport holder Mark McNulty opened with a one-under 69, while Christy O’Connor Jnr was making a rare appearance on tour and signed for a creditable 71.
Eamonn Darcy shot a disappointing three-over 73, one better than Peter O’Hagen.
Irish amateur Niall Lavin (76) and Jimmy Jimmy Heggarty (77) finished six and seven-over respectively.
Roberts was full of praise for the Berkshire venue, and is adamant that he can add a second Senior Open Championship this week.
“The course is playing really well this week,” he said. “The greens are absolutely magnificent and the ball goes right where you hit it so if you can get the ball in the right spots you’re going to make some birdies.
“I like the way I’m starting to round into form. I drove the ball very well and if you can drive the ball well it really sets up the golf course.
Watson showed no signs of a hangover from his play-off defeat to Stewart Cink in Scotland last weekend.
The American putted well to birdie the par five first and the 156 yard fourth and turned in three under 32. But, as he did at the last hole at Turnberry, Watson missed a putt from eight feet on the 13th which cost him a birdie and saw his effort at the 18th lip out.
