Sergio Garcia slayed his Carnoustie demons and left Tiger Woods trailing in his wake as he stormed to the top of the leaderboard at the Open Championship on Thursday.
The Spaniard, playing immaculate golf on a course that had reduced him to tears when it last hosted the Open in 1999, shot a superb six-under-par 65 to lead by two strokes from Irish Ryder Cup star Paul McGinley.
In the chasing group on three under, Rory McIlroy, an 18-year-old amateur from Northern Ireland, rubbed shoulders with US Open winners Angel Cabrera and Michael Campbell, as well as China Open winner Markus Brier.
Woods was a shot further back, level with Asia’s leading competitor, KJ Choi, and Padraig Harrington among others.
But it was much more of a struggle for Phil Mickelson (71), Ernie Els (72) and Vijay Singh (73) while the home fans were given little cheer on a damp, chilly day as Colin Montgomerie and 1999 winner Paul Lawrie both posted 73s.
Garcia’s display was 24 shots better than the 89 with which he began his first Major tournament as a professional.
After a second round 83 that left him in last place, the Spaniard, then only 19, left the course weeping in the arms of his mother, but he claimed he had only once cast his mind back to 1999.
”I really did not think about it much, except when I holed the putt for birdie on the first. I turned to my caddy and said, ‘Well it’s four shots better than last time’.
”You guys want to make it all about revenge but it is really not about that for me. I have always loved this course, the Championship and links golf.
”I don’t want to get ahead of myself but I just want to keep doing what I’m doing and at least have a chance on Sunday. It is a good start, definitely what the doctor ordered.”
Eight years on, the only flaw in his display came when his tee shot found sand at the 248-yard 16th, regarded as the toughest par three on the Open rota.
That shot was immediately recovered with a superb birdie three at the 17th and a par salvaged from a greenside bunker at the last ensured Garcia had conquered Carnoustie’s fearsome back nine by coming home in 31, five shots better than Woods could manage.
For McGinley, his six-birdie display represented a rediscovery of the kind of form that, Ryder Cup apart, has eluded him for 18 months. ”Something just clicked today [Thursday] on the practice range,” he said.
A strong start by Woods was almost undone by successive bogeys on 12 and 13, but the world number one salvaged his round by holing a monster putt for a two on the 16th.
”It was tough starting out but then it warmed up a bit so it was not so bad,” he said, despite wearing thick mittens between shots for most of the round.
Underlining the quality of Garcia’s display, Woods added: ”The back nine is really tough and you just have to hit some good shots. Overall to play the last three holes in one under par, I will take that any day.”
KJ Choi launched his bid to become the first Asian to win a Major golf tournament by matching Woods’s 69 in the worst conditions early in the day.
Choi went into the tournament having won two of his last three tournaments on the US PGA tour and he was bullish about his prospects for the rest of the tournament.
”It was a good start and I’m feeling confident,” declared the South Korean.
Campbell, who had lost his way after winning the 2005 US Open, described his round as his best start in a Major tournament. ”The fire in my belly is back,” said the New Zealander.
Retief Goosen, who had missed the cut in four of his last five tournaments, appeared to have suddenly rediscovered the kind of form that won him US Open titles in 2001 and 2004 as he moved to four under at one stage.
The wheels came off for the South African with a double bogey six at the 15th, but he was happy enough to settle for a 70.
Garcia may have produced the best round of the day but, as ever, John Daly’s was a strong contender for the most eventful.
As he walked to the 12th tee, Daly was two shots clear of the field having just chipped in with his second shot for an eagle two on the 383-yard 11th.
A double bogey six immediately wiped out the lead and, with the help of an eight at the long 14th, the former Open and US PGA winner ended up dropping eight in his final seven holes to finish with a 74. — AFP
