O'Hern & Poulter lead with record rounds

Australian Nick O'Hern changed his European Tour putting fortunes to catch Britain's Ian Poulter for a share of the Wales Open lead on Thursday as both equalled the Celtic Manor course record 65.

Poulter, despite suffering another bout of tonsillitis, set the seven-under-par target which O'Hern matched in the early evening, leaving them a stroke ahead of another Briton, Jonathan Lomas.

Europe's 2000 rookie of the year, Poulter at last found his game after a swing-change with coach David Leadbetter, setting the target with eight birdies but bogeying the 14th to deny himself a place on top on his own.

Then O'Hern, who has finished fifth and eighth the previous two times he has played the event, single-putted the first six greens and had his best putting show of the year in compiling seven birdies on an unblemished card to haul into a tie on top.

"Single-putting the first six greens kind of helped my card, which is what I haven't been doing lately," said O'Hern, who bettered his career-best finish by a place when he took second in the co-sanctioned ANZ Championship in Sydney in February.

"Apart from finishing second earlier in the year in Sydney and 10th a couple of weeks ago in the Benson and Hedges International, all I've done is make all the cuts.

"I've not really played that well because my putting's been poor. My average has been 32 putts, but today it was probably 26 or 27."

The 31-year-old Perth man is hoping for good results this week and next on the European Tour before heading home to be with pregnant wife Alana.

"The plan is to keep going backwards and forwards, so it won't be a full schedule for me this year," added O'Hern.

"It would be nice to do well here, I like the place. I've been knocking on the door for a few years in Europe and now it's just a matter of putting it all together for four rounds."

Poulter is looking for his fourth title and is relieved to be over a poor spell in which he has missed five of the last six cuts after undergoing a swing change with Leadbetter for more consistency in his game.

Having no expectations this week because he was feeling so ill contributed to his setting the pace at the 2010 Ryder Cup venue.

"I felt lousy after playing in the pro-am on Wednesday," said Poulter, "but I dosed myself up with antibiotics.

"I won the Moroccan Open with tonsillitis two years ago.

"Today I wanted to just make sure I got around the course and maybe it was a blessing in disguise because I was only trying to swing at 80 percent."

Of his dip in form since working with Leadbetter, he said: "It's been frustrating but it will be the right thing to do in the long run.

"I'll be back there soon. It's Ryder Cup next year and more consistent golf will put me in the picture."

Tournament favourite Colin Montgomerie did not live up to expectations when he carded an indifferent 73 to lie eight strokes off the pace.

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