The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Goosen, Weir grab lead

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Friday, Jul 18, 2008
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Goosen, Weir grab lead

SOUTHPORT: Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen and former Masters winner Mike Weir both shot 1-over 71 on Thursday in the whipping wind and soaking rain of Royal Birkdale, claiming the clubhouse lead on a miserable opening day at the British Open golf.

They were the fortunate ones.

Ernie Els struggled to an 80 — his highest score ever at the Open. Vijay Singh also signed for an 80. Phil Mickelson lost his ball and settled for a 79, the worst opening round of his career in golf’s oldest major.

Seven of the first 14 players to finish put up scores in the 80s, though the rain stopped in the afternoon and the outlook seemed a bit more promising. Sergio Garcia, who lost a playoff at Carnoustie last year, was among those with a late tee time — certainly preferable to those who went off early with storms sweeping in off the Irish Sea.

The South African who won the U.S. Open in 2001 and again three years later, Goosen overcame a double-bogey at No. 6 and somehow managed to put up four birdies in brutal conditions that made the 137th Open championship a stern test even without three-time champion Tiger Woods looming over the field.

“One of the best” was how Goosen summed up his round. “It was a battle out there.”

First eagle

Weir, the Canadian winner of the 2003 Masters, also had a double-bogey on his card. But he countered it with the first eagle of the tournament at the 17th, where he knocked a 5-iron from 235 yards to 12 feet and sank the putt.

Despite a sore wrist, defending champion Padraig Harrington got off to a solid start with a 74. He would have been even closer to the lead if not for a bogey-bogey finish, but not bad considering he seriously considered withdrawing just a day earlier. — AP

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