Retief
Goosen of South Africa sizzled over Montecastillo's sodden front nine and eased
his way to a 10-under-par 62 to take the first-round lead in the Volvo Masters
on Thursday.
Goosen eagled
the ninth with a 25-foot putt to complete the front half in 29, seven under par.
After he birdied the 11th,
Goosen felt that a sub-60 score -- never achieved in Europe -- might be on the
cards. But a three-putt par at the long 12th brought him down to earth.
Further birdies at the 16th and 18th left him three shots clear of Welshman Phillip
Price.
Goosen's 62 would
have been a course record except that recent heavy rains meant the field played
preferred lies, ruling out his score for record purposes. Four tees were moved
forward because of the wet conditions
Price, playing early in the day, found his missing form and confidence on the
soft course for a 65 with a cluster of players on 66. They were Irish Ryder Cup
man Padraig Harrington, Thomas Bjorn of Denmark, Zhang Lian-wei of China and Englishmen
Steve Webster, Jamie Spence and Russell Claydon.
But the big names in the 66-man field failed to sparkle. Colin Montgomerie, who
looks to be heading for a seventh successive European Order of Merit title, shot
a two-under-par 70.
Sergio
Garcia was two shots better on 68 with Lee Westwood, who like Garcia can overhaul
Montgomerie for the title, two worse on level-par 72 including a double bogey
seven at the 12th when he drove into trouble and was twice refused a free drop.
He later admitted to having
sworn at officials and faces possible disciplinary action.
Goosen attributed his score to benign weather contions to go with the soft course
and an improved putting stroke.
"I
don't expect we'll have weather like this again all week. It was dead calm and
the wind is sure to blow," he said.
The French Open champion faced a 45-foot eagle putt at the 12th but left it too
far short and pulled the next putt.
"I
felt that I could eagle that hole and breaking 60 would then have been on," he
said. "It was not to be but I'm happy with the round."
Price shot six birdies and an eagle at the long 16th against just one bogey at
the fourth after several months of not playing well.
"I've
been trying too hard and getting frustrated too soon," he said. "I got to the
stage where I was ready to explode before I hit the ball."
Westwood, who had a chance to win here last year until he triple-bogeyed the short
14th in the final round, hit his second shot under a bush at the 12th on Thursday.
He was refused a free drop
by match official John Grant, hacked at the ball but scarcely moved it, driving
the ball into the cuttings, commenting "great ruling" asked again and
was again refused a drop and eventually took seven.
After his first shot (and a few expletives) John Grant mentioned that he could
have moved them as they were a loose impediment. Westwood then told the official
"Now you tell me", and to "just go away".
"If
I had known the rules better I might be two or three shots better," Westwood said.
