McDowell leads with record 62

Briton Graeme McDowell took a leaf out of Tiger Woods's book to equal the St Andrews Old Course record of 62 on Thursday and take a three-stroke lead in the Dunhill Links Championship first round.

As Woods did in 2000 when winning the British Open Championship over the Old Course, McDowell carefully avoided every one of St Andrews's treacherous bunkers.

McDowell has made a habit of shooting low in the last few weeks but the 25-year-old Northern Irishman savoured this 10-under-par return the most.

It was a career low round for him, heading world number five and US Open champion Retief Goosen of South Africa, who shot his 64 at the Kingsbarns course.

"The home of golf -- what a place to come up with your career low," said a delighted McDowell after racking up 10 birdies without a blemish.

His last came at the notorious Road Hole 17th where he escaped the infamous bunker before rolling in a 12ft putt.

A miss from 10ft on the 18th denied him the record on his own, leaving him sharing it with Brian Davis and young amateur Kevin McAlpine, who achieved it in the British Amateur Championship in June. Curtis Strange also shot a 62 but the American's score came before the course was lengthened.

"My aim right from the start was to miss out the bunkers, just like Tiger did," said McDowell.

"I can hardly think of one shot I didn't hit in the right place. It was like playing chess."

The Ulsterman equalled his 62 in the final round of the BMW International in Munich just under seven weeks ago, but that was with preferred lies.

He also shot a 64 in Cologne in the German Masters second round before losing a three-shot lead going into the last day.

While his bunker strategy worked, McDowell said he had ridden his luck on occasions, adding: "While I was out there it almost felt like blasphemy doing this at St Andrews.

"I got away with a few mistakes."

Goosen, chasing Ernie Els for the European number one spot, also had an unblemished round as he came within two strokes of the Kingsbarns record to head fellow South African Richard Sterne, whose 66 came at Carnoustie.

"I pretty much have to win here this week, then next week at the World Matchplay will be the deciding tournament," said Goosen, who has recovered from an injured pelvis sustained in a jet-skiing spill.

World number one Vijay Singh and number two Els both recorded 68s at Kingsbarns, as did Colin Montgomerie.

In the team section, McDowell and Noreen McManus, wife of horse racing magnate J.P. McManus, share a one-shot lead on 11-under with South African Richard Sterne and former Scotland soccer international Kenny Dalglish over Briton David Howell and actor Samuel L Jackson.

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