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| January 27, 2006 | Friday | Zilhaj 26, 1426 |
Stenson and Gonzalez share first round lead
DOHA, Jan 26: Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez shot a 66 each to share a one-shot lead after the first round of the two million dollar Qatar Masters on Thursday.
Both carried their good form from the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship last week where Stenson was runner-up to American Chris Di Marco and Gonzalez finished fourth, but on Thursday the Argentine was the more consistent player as he carded a bogey-free round.
Stenson, who finished second in the Qatar Masters last year when Enrie Els won the event, hit six birdies and an eagle on the par four 16th but also had two bogeys that cost him the outright lead at the Doha Golf Club.
Thailand’s Chawalit Plaphol, former winner Darren Fichardt of South Africa and England amateur Danny Denison were in joint second spot after shooting a 67 each, while a bunch of five players share the third position on 68.
Former caddie Gonzalez, a three-times winner on the European Tour, was thrilled with his performance, saying he couldn’t have asked for more in the first round.
Gonzalez said he was enjoying his time in Qatar, having played a round of polo after arriving in Doha on Monday.
But most of the limelight on Thursday was grabbed by Yorkshireman Denison who showed no signs of nerves while putting up a competent display.
The slightly built Denison’s excellent performance was not much of a surprise though. The 20-year had walked away with the 20th Qatar Open trophy in December, winning the 36-hole annual event by a stroke and on Thursday he drew on that experience to put some of the sport’s best in the shade.
A member of the England under-21 squad, Denison began with a birdie and never looked back, finishing the front nine with three successive birdies — on the seventh, eighth and ninth holes.
He picked up shots on the 10th and 12th and played steady golf, but missed the fairway and then found the rough on the last hole to finish with a bogey.
World No. 2 Vijay Singh, playing in Qatar for the first time, shot a one over par 73, but would be encouraged by the fact that defending champion Els had also shot an over par first round last year before clawing his way back and winning it on his first appearance.
Singh had a birdie and bogey each on the front nine, but suffered further later when he shot three more bogeys ruining what could have been excellent round. Singh said he had to think about fixing his putter.
Els, meanwhile, shot a 71 with three bogeys and two birdies to stay in contention to become the first player to win the event twice.
There was a great deal of drama surrounding French ace Jean van de Velde as he made a blistering start with four birdies in a row but hit a rough patch later on to dramatically tumble down the leaderboard and finish on 69 to be in eleventh position with eight others.
The Dubai-based Frenchman shot an astonishing 10 birdies in all but two double bogeys and a confidence-shattering triple bogey six on the par three eighth hole, his 17th, saw him miss out on a possible new course record in Doha.
The current mark of 63 is jointly held by Swede Robert Karlsson and England’s Mark Pilkington who both shot the score in 2001.
Leading first round scores:
66 Ricardo Gonzalez; Henrik Stenson
67 Danny Denison; Darren Fichardt; Chawalit Plaphol
68 Niclas Fasth; Richard Finch; Ruangkit Boonchu; Charl Schwartzel; Graeme Storm.
69 Andrew Coltart; Nick Dougherty; Bradley Dredge; Gregory Havret; Paul McGinley; Marcel Siem; Jean Van de Velde; Lee Westwood; Simon Yates
70 Peter Gustafsson; Joakim Haeggman; Thongchai Jaidee; David Lynn; Prayad Marksaeng (Thailand)—AFP
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