Germany take first day honours

Germany's Marcel Siem made the most of his first appearance at the World Cup of Golf on Thursday.

Siem's four birdies helped Germany to a five-under-par 67 in the fourball format and a one-stroke lead at the par-72, 7,296-yard Ocean Course.

Germany, featuring Siem and Alex Cejka, lead Wales by a shot and France by two strokes. Argentina, Paraguay and South Africa are at two-under 70. Defending champions Japan are at two-over 74, while Chile withdrew from the 24-team field.

"I was really nervous on the first tee, it was the biggest tournament I've tee off in since I turned professional," said Siem, 23, who is ranked 296th in the world and finished 95th on the European Tour's Order of Merit with three top-10 finishes this season.

Cejka, ranked 41st in the world, got Germany under par with a birdie at the par-five second hole and a second birdie at the par-four sixth.

Then Siem took charge. Siem birdied the par-five seventh and the par-three eighth as the Germans went out in four-under 32. Siem added birdies at the par-three 14th and the par-five 16th.

Cejka made bogey at the 17th to return the Germans to five-under and then Siem made an up-and-down par save from a greenside bunker at the 18th to preserve the lead.

"I wouldn't say there is a hole where you can rest," said Cejka of the warm, blustery ocean winds that were a cause for consternation on club selection.

Cejka said he needed to hit driver and 3-wood on three of the lengthy par-four holes playing into the wind and still did not reach the green.

The Germans, though, were satisfied to be top of the leaderboard, especially heading into Friday's foursome format when the temperatures are expected to dip and the winds expected to pick up.

"It's going to be 22 players with nightmares tonight just waiting for the foursomes," Thomas Levet of France said.

"Can we just do something to refuse to play or something like that, because it's going to be terrible."

Wales's Ian Woosnam and Bradley Dredge were near-perfect partners in the opening round as each played off the other's strength.

"I think the good thing is, Woosie is very attacking," Dredge said. "I'm more conservative, so it's a good combination."

Chile's Felipe Aguilar, who suffered a fractured left hand getting into a hospitality van Tuesday night, withdrew after recording only one score on the front nine Thursday.

Aguilar received a cortisone shot in the morning, but then did not hit a ball until the third hole and his only score was a double bogey five on the par-three-fifth hole. The Chile team will split the $40,000 last-place prize money.

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