Goosen well set for title defence

Despite problems first with traffic and then with spectators he suspected had never been on a golf course before, South African Retief Goosen was one putt away from a European tour record on Thursday.

While playing partner Colin Montgomerie managed only a four over par 75, the reigning US Open champion began his defence of the Lancome Trophy in Paris with a seven under par 64 that included seven successive birdies.

If Goosen had made a 30-footer on the 417-yard 11th he would have matched the record of eight in a row set by Ian Woosnam at Fulford in 1985 and subsequently equalled by Seve Ballesteros, Tony Johnstone, John Bickerton, Mark O'Meara, Raymond Russell, Darren Clarke and Marcello Santi.

"I hit a good putt and it was right on line, but it came up a foot short," he said. "Not that I knew eight was a record."

He kept his concentration despite the constant clicking of cameras and other distractions, but admitted: "It was difficult out there."

The traffic jams outside St-Nom-la-Breteche had prompted organisers to push back the tee-off times for all the afternoon starters by 15 minutes and some of the players were given police escorts.

Montgomerie, penalised two shots in Germany last year for being late, struggled with driving on the course rather than off it and Goosen sensed that the Scot did not have his mind totally on the job just nine days after the terrorist attacks in America.

A minute's silence was held at midday - the fact that it started raining right at that moment prompted Sergio Garcia to say 'it was if the sky was crying' - flags were at half-mast and many of the players wore black ribbons.

Goosen, who led from start to finish when he won both the US Open in June and the Scottish Open in July, finished the opening round two ahead of seven players - Scots Andrew Coltart and Gary Orr, English trio Steve Webster, Mark Roe and Gary Emerson, Australian Scott Gardiner and Swede Mikael Lundberg, who would have shared top spot but for a closing double bogey.

Eleven days ago Coltart's mood was one of disappointment over the fact that he had lost his Ryder Cup place.

"I think anybody who was in with a shout or thought they were good enough to get into the team would find it a downer," he said. "But it's been put into perspective of late, hasn't it?"

The 31-year-old, father of a two-year-old daughter, chose to drive to the French capital rather than fly and, after a week 'glued to the television,' the journey gave him some time to focus on his career again.

"There is still a general lack of enthusiasm because of what has happened, but I was just going to go and play and see what happens.

"I've had a look at what is left this year to see what I can get out of it without putting too much emphasis on having to perform and results.

"I was so performance-orientated that I was getting in my way and things were not flowing. It's just typical me - I've been hard on myself since the Scottish boys."

He may not have the Ryder Cup until 2004 at the earliest now, but he does have the World Cup in Japan in November with Andrew Oldcorn because of Montgomerie's decision not to play.

Orr and Paul Lawrie were Scotland's team last year. Neither has won so far this season, but Orr followed up his third place in the European Masters two weeks ago with another confidence boosting round.

Highlight of it was a 90-yard pitch into the hole for an eagle two on the 10th and of his five birdies only one needed a putt longer than three feet.

"It's difficult to describe how it felt to be back playing," said the Helensburgh golfer. "It feels a little bit flat, I suppose.

"But it was probably a therapy in itself to get back doing something. I've been watching CNN for a week and didn't feel like doing much."

Webster's last tournament was the BMW International in Munich three weeks ago. He missed the halfway cut by nine, but blamed that on the fact that "the England game was on my mind."

Despite being out of the event, he stayed on for the football, and did not regret it, of course.

The 25-year-old, who beat Tiger Woods and Gordon Sherry to be top amateur in the 1995 Open at St Andrews, has had two runners-up finishes and three thirds on tour and five birdies in seven holes around the turn have given him another chance for his first win.

Emerson, 38 next Wednesday, has never finished higher than fifth, but after an early bogey hit back with six birdies.

Garcia and Woosnam are in the group two further back on 68.

South African Jean Hugo, in the last group on the course, then became the eighth player to claim a share of second with four birdies in his last four holes.

Meanwhile Sheffield's Mark Roe is hoping a wasp sting does not stop him challenging for the Lancome Trophy title in Paris this weekend.

Winner of the title in 1992, Roe played the last five holes of his opening round in five under par for a 66 that put him in joint second place, only two behind US Open winner and defending champion Retief Goosen.

But on the eighth tee - his 17th - the 38-year-old was stung by a wasp and suffered an instant reaction.

Although he managed to birdie the hole and then the ninth as well, Roe's wrist was swelling up badly and after signing his card he went looking for medical attention immediately.

It was only in March that Roe returned after 20 months out with torn ligaments in his left hand, an injury suffered when he grabbed the collar of his springer spaniel and it lurched away from him.

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