Rose takes opening day honours

Justin Rose found impressive form with his putter to card a six-under-par 65 and hold the early lead in the Scottish Open's first round on Thursday.

The 21-year-old Englishman, who has won four titles worldwide this year, needed only 23 putts to finish a stroke clear of compatriot Miles Tunnicliff on a day of sunshine and showers at Loch Lomond.

A further shot back on 67 were twice major winner Sandy Lyle, English professionals John Bickerton and Warren Bennett and Scottish amateur champion Barry Hume.

American Brad Faxon, playing in Scotland to prepare for next week's British Open, carded a 68, which was matched by Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey and Englishman David Howell.

"I haven't felt that great for the last couple of weeks, and haven't even been hitting the ball well on the range," said Rose who birdied three of the first four holes before reaching the turn in five-under-par 31.

"It was nice to get off to a great start, getting to three under after just four holes, that really got the juices flowing.

"I putted well today -- that was the difference."

Rose has won twice on this year's European Tour, at the Dunhill Championship in Johannesburg and at the British Masters at Woburn, but both victories came the week after he had missed the cut.

"I have enjoyed success off the back of a bad week this year, rather than produce a run of good events," he said. "I can't explain it."

Local amateur Hume set the early pace in the morning after the Scottish Open began on time.

There had been fears the previous day that the tournament could be jeopardized by the heavy rain that has hit the Loch Lomond area over the last two months.

But Thursday dawned bright and dry and, although preferred lies to a club's length are in operation, the first round got underway as scheduled from 0550 GMT.

Hume played in the first group of the day and took advantage of sunny conditions to mix five birdies with a solitary drop at the 440-yard seventh.

The 20-year-old from Renfrew birdied three of the first four holes and, following his only blemish, picked up another shot at the ninth to reach the turn in 33.

He continued to play solid golf on his second nine and birdied the par-three 17th, after hitting a four-iron to 15 feet, to get to four under.

"It was a nice morning out there with not much wind and I thought I cold make a decent score," the Scot said. "I didn't feel nervous at all.

"I first saw the leaderboard at the 17th and saw I was tied at three under, so I thought I'd better birdie the 17th to get into the lead!

"The course had dried out a lot today, although in certain spots it was a bit wet."

Defending champion Retief Goosen, another of the morning starters, experienced a roller-coaster round on his way to a one-over-par 72.

The 2001 U.S. Open champion collected three birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey six at the 625-yard sixth to reach the turn in 37.

The South African then offset a bogey-five at the 16th with a birdie at the short 17th to complete the second nine in even par.

Six-times major winner Nick Faldo, playing his first event since last month's U.S. Open, slipped to a 76, a score equaled later by 2000 European number one Lee Westwood.

This week's event, the final European Tour stop before next week's British Open at Muirfield, has attracted a strong field.

Apart from defending champion Goosen, world number three Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke and Americans Tom Lehman, Jeff Maggert, Stewart Cink, Fred Funk and Matt Kuchar are also competing.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page