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MERIDEN (England), June 6: Australia’s Peter Fowler maintained his form revival of 2003 by surging into the early lead with a blemish-free round of seven-under-par 65 in the British Masters first round on Thursday.
The 43-year-old, who has not won for a decade, reeled off seven birdies at Forest of Arden to better the effort of second-placed Raymond Russell of Britain by a stroke.
Another Briton, the in-form Simon Khan, was back in third after a 68 while defending champion Justin Rose, who surged up the leaderboard with a late eagle and birdie, was among a group of players on 69.
Tournament favourite Darren Clarke and seven-times European number one Colin Montgomerie were scheduled to tee off together in the afternoon.
Fowler, who lost his European Tour card in 1996, collected four birdies in five holes from the third, followed by a run of three more in four holes from the 12th on the tougher part of the course.
The Australian, who was delighted to play with Tiger Woods at the Tour Players’ Championship in Germany three weeks ago, said he was relishing his new lease of life.
The 30-year-old Russell, who equalled the European Tour record of eight successive birdies at the same venue in 1997, has also been resurrecting his career, having not won in Europe since his solitary victory at the 1996 Cannes Open.
Leading first round scores:
65 Peter Fowler (Australia)
66 Raymond Russell, Marcel Siem (Germany), Jesus Maria Arruti (Spain), David Lynn
67 Jarmo Sandelin (Sweden), Lee Westwood, Ignacio Garrido (Spain)
68 Simon Khan, Greg Owen, Andrew Coltart
69 Jean Hugo (South Africa), Matthew Cort, Jean-Francois Lucquin (France), Philip Golding, Mikael Lundberg (Sweden), Justin Rose, Peter Baker, Costantino Rocca (Italy), Peter Lawrie (Ireland), Pierre Fulke (Sweden), Henrik Stenson (Sweden), Stephen Gallacher
Gamez hits front
POTOMAC (Maryland): Robert Gamez, without a victory since winning twice on his Rookie of the Year season in 1990, shot a five-under-par 66 to snatch the first-round lead at the $4.5m Kemper Open on Thursday.
Gamez was one stroke ahead of U.S. PGA champion Rich Beem, who won this event in 1999, and Notah Begay III.
Seven players were tied for fourth place on 68, Canadian Glen Hnatiuk, Scotland’s Paul Lawrie, Sweden’s Niclas Fasth, South African Rory Sabbatini, Patrick Sheehan, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton and Tom Gillis.
With the U.S. Open next on the schedule, only three of the world’s top-10 ranked players are in the field, number three Davis Love III, Phil Mickelson (6) and Padraig Harrington (7) of Ireland.
Love and Harrington opened with one-under-par 70s but Mickelson struggled to a 75. Gamez opened on the back nine at the 7,005-yard TPC at Avenel course and birdied his first hole, the par-four 10th. He then picked up shots at the 13th, 14th and 15th to go out in a four-under 31.
Leading first round scores
66 Robert Gamez
67 Rich Beem, Notah Begay III
68 Glen Hnatiuk (Canada), Paul Lawrie (Britain), Niclas Fasth (Sweden), Rory Sabbatini (South Africa), Patrick Sheehan, Hal Sutton, Tom Gillis
69 Jay Don Blake, Joe Durant, Charles Howell III, Darron Stiles, Steven Alker (New Zealand), Esteban Toledo (Mexico), John Huston, Joel Edwards, Garrett Willis, Hidemichi Tanaka (Japan), Alex Cejka (Germany).—Reuters
