Poulter leads after record round

England's Ian Poulter came within touching distance of the European Tour's first round of 59 before suffering an attack of nerves on the last two holes on the first day of the Italian Open on Thursday.

Poulter's 11-under-par 61 smashed the old Olgiata course record and bettered two new ones set in the morning to storm into a three-shot lead over Dane Anders Hansen and Miles Tunnicliff of Britain.

Hansen and Tunnicliff had broken the 34-year-old course record by two shots with rounds of 64.

But the 26-year-old Poulter, the European rookie of the year in 200, allowed a golden chance for glory slip away after capturing nine birdies and an eagle by the time he came to the long 17th.

There, a nervy pushed drive left him blocked out behind trees and he did well to make par in the end with a six-foot putt.

He then came up short on the 18th and had to settle for another par, thus failing to join the nine players who hold the tour record of 60 shots for a round.

"It was really going through my brain that the 59 was on," said Poulter, winner of the 2000 Italian Open in Sardinia.

"But, unusually for me, I was quite nervous on the 17th because I knew I wanted a good drive to try and make the eagle which would have set up the 59.

"The drive was too far right and I had no way through the trees. Even Seve (Ballesteros) couldn't have put the ball on the green from where I was.

"It's the lowest score I've ever had so I'm absolutely delighted, but I left a few opportunities out there and it would have been lovely to have nicked a couple more shots so I could have my mug (face) on the back pages (of the newspapers)."

Poulter borrowed a putter from his great friend Justin Rose because he was so frustrated with his recent performances on the greens and it worked well as he took just 23 putts in the entire round.

"He (Rose) can have it back on Monday but not this week," added Poulter, whose older brother Danny also shot 61 in European Tour pre-qualifying six weeks ago.

When Poulter arrived at the course he knew he faced a tough challenge after Hansen and then Tunnicliff, bettered Canadian Al Balding's 66 set in the 1968 World Cup.

Hansen carded 10 birdies while Tunnicliff found nine.

But it was a disappointing day for Padraig Harrington, who needs over 50,000 dollars in prize money to overhaul Retief Goosen on top of the European order of merit heading into next week's season-ending Volvo Masters in Valderrama.

Harrington had an indifferent morning with his putter and finished on 71 to leave him 10 shots off the pace.

Six players share fourth place five strokes off the lead, among them the 1998 Italian Open winner Patrik Sjoland, but Rose, one of the tournament favourites, had a disappointing 74.

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