Trio top opening day leaderboard

Former U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen birdied the last hole for a six-under-par 66 Thursday to take a share of the first-round lead in the European Open at The K Club.

The South African was level with Welsh Ryder Cup hero Phillip Price and Alastair Forsyth of Scotland, one shot clear of Irishmen Darren Clarke and Gary Murphy, Soren Hansen of Denmark, Andrew Coltart of Scotland and Swede Fredrik Andersson.

A resurgent Colin Montgomerie shot 68, a score matched by Gary Evans of England and 49-year-old Zimbabwean Mark McNulty.

Goosen kick-started his round by holing a bunker shot for birdie at the third.

``I really enjoyed that. That's what got me going,'' he said. ``So I've got to be happy with the round.''

He made three more birdies on the front nine including one on the seventh from 40 feet. His birdie at the long last came after he laid up short of the water with his second, struck a 9-iron to eight feet and made it.

Goosen conceded that he had neglected his game a little following the birth of his first child earlier this year.

``Now I have to concentrate on getting a good round in tomrrow,'' he said.

Price, who achieved fame for his singles victory over Phil Mickelson in last year's European Ryder Cup success, has seen his game tail off since then.

He said he has watched the video of his Ryder Cup win over Mickelson so often that ``I'm sick of it.''

Clarke has struggled with his putting all year but has worked on it lately with English putting coach Harold Swash.

``Today I swung the club poorly and putted great,'' he said. ``I'd like to get them both going at once.

His round was marred by an incident at the 11th where his ball struck Tracey Leaney, the wife of playing partner and U.S. Open runner-up Stephen Leaney, on the head.

``Fortunately it hit the tree first before it struck her on the head so it wasn't a direct hit. She is six months pregnant and it was a horrible moment. We walked up to see her lying on the ground. It was terrible.

``I couldn't get it out of my mind for several holes,'' Clarke added.

Fortunately, Tracey Leaney sustained only a small cut on her head and was not seriously hurt. She went to the on-site medical unit and after observation was released after a couple of hours.

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